Completed Project Report


Facilitating Direct Markets for Farmers

  • Award Amount: $29,926
  • Regional Center: North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2007 Value Added Enterprises/Farm Diversification Grants
  • Project Director: Jan Joannides
  • Email: jan@rtcinfo.org
  • Organization: Renewing the Countryside

Extension RME Regional Centers
Extension Risk Management Education Region Map

Project Overview

Direct marketing helps producers manage market risk by giving them more control over how and when they sell their products, more control over pricing and a greater share of the revenue from sales. By implementing four Farmer/Buyer Networking workshops across Minnesota, we introduced producers to the information they need to sell to new kinds of buyers. A “speed-dating” technique, successfully piloted in other parts of the country, was used to make connections between producers and buyers. Producers had the opportunity to connect one-on-one with restaurateurs, chefs, distributors, marketing networks, and institutional buyers who were interested in featuring local foods in their menus. These workshops and the Heartland Food Network Marketplace website have helped producers make new business connections.

Number of Participants: 200

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

There are no promotional materials available for this project.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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