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 This competitive grant [M17-2004] from the
Leopold Center Marketing and Food Systems Initiative allowed
Practical Farmers of Iowa to work with Food Alliance Midwest
in 2004 and 2005 to help farmers from grass-fed operations
better market their products. The project included a
feasibility study of marketing sustainable meat products
through cooperative buying clubs and CSAs, workshops on
direct marketing for farmers and processors in northeast and
southwest Iowa, and case studies of three Iowa farms.
Marketing materials also were produced for grass-based beef
and lamb producers with information gathered from consumer focus groups in
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa; and experiences of farmer participants. In
developing the materials, investigators considered consumer reaction to
terms such as "free range," "pasture raised," "grass fed" and "natural."
The focus group research showed that health and nutrition
were the most important factors in consumer food-buying decisions, followed
by taste and whether the food was locally raised. Environmental benefits
ranked lower than other factors.
The three Iowa grass-fed meat operations participating in
the project were Scott Weinberg’s Planned Lamb Farm, Clarksville; Tom and
Kristi German’s Thankful Harvest, Holstein; and Nan Bonfils and Don Adams’
Full Circle Farm, Madrid.
Case study results, Planned Lamb Farm
[PDF]
Case study results, Thankful Harvest
(beef) [PDF]
Case study results, Full Circle Farm (beef)
[PDF]
View presentation,
Successfully Direct Marketing Grass-based Meat: Lessons from Three Iowa
Farms [PDF]
Learning Module for Teachers on Direct Market Messages
for Niche Products
Return to Marketing and
Food Systems Initiative page
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