Completed Project Report


Managing Marketing and Legal Risks Associated with Direct-to-Intermediaries Sales Strategies for Locally Grown Food and Food Products: Mississippi Market Ready ™ Training

  • Award Amount: $35,170
  • Regional Center: Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2013 Competitive Grant Program

Extension RME Regional Centers
Extension Risk Management Education Region Map

Project Overview

This project was a direct result of interest expressed by
participants in a previous SRMEC project conducted in Mississippi and Arkansas
in 2012. In the previous project, producers were educated in how to sale fresh
produce to retail establishments with a focus on restaurants as alternative
markets for fresh fruit and vegetable producers. A recurring question kept
coming up during follow-up sessions. The question of “how do I sell to school
districts”?

The focus of this project was to bring together school
procurement agents and producers with the purpose of educating both parties
about regulations and requirements involved in selling fresh fruit and
vegetables to school districts in Mississippi. The expected outcome was to
increase the sale of locally produced fresh fruit and vegetables to school
districts in the State of Mississippi.

At the end of the project there are 6 school districts
listed on the Mississippi MarketMaker web site as buyers of local produce.
Prior to the trainings there was zero listed as buyers, of local produce. The
Mississippi Department of Education released the following data for school food
purchases for local fresh fruit and vegetables: 

Year              Cases   Dollars Spent
SY 2013-14  8,159   $265,280.40
SY 2014-15  32,859 $1,034,869.77

Number of Participants: 293

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

There are no promotional materials available for this project.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

There are no educational materials available for this project.

REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

There are no reports or evaluations available for this project.

DELIVERY AREA

DESCRIBE ANY UNEXPECTED RESULTS OF THE PROJECT:

HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE THE PROJECT IF YOU WERE TO DO IT AGAIN?

WHAT WERE THE KEYS TO SUCCESS FOR YOUR PARTICIPANTS?

INDIVIDUAL STORIES / EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS / QUOTES