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Alternative Marketing and Business Practices
Farmland with barn, silo and tractor plowing fields
Marketing and business options for small-scale producers are diverse. Find the direct marketing resources, value-added expertise, commodity data, regulatory programs and business planning tools you need to enhance your farming or ranching success. Find subject guides and links related to:

Organic Agricultural Products: Marketing and Trade Resources
USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center.
Serves as a starting place for entrepreneurs who are considering an organic enterprise and for producers of organic commodities who are researching potential markets and marketing schemes. Assists in identifying market suppliers and outlets, market research and regulatory programs. Titles:
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A man holding bunches of vegetables in his hands. [Source: IStock International Inc.]Community Supported Agriculture
USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center.
Explore CSA, find local farms and learn about eating seasonally and regionally. Locate Organizations and Web Sites Related to Community Supported Agriculture. Review CSA Resources for Farmers.
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Key Points to Consider for Various Alternative Enterprises  (PDF|1.1 KB)
University of Florida. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Assists farmers identify goals and explore the decision-making and planning processes to select alternative agricultural enterprises. Discusses 16 key points to consider for several enterprises and charts the relative costs for each.
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Marketing, Business and Risk Management
National Center for Appropriate Technology. National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
Provides publications and information to help farmers with managing risk, planning their businesses, diversifying their output, developing new markets and adding value to farm products. Topics include: business planning and management, cooperatives, direct marketing options, funding, organic marketing and labeling, risk management and value-added and processing.
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Missouri Alternatives Center: Link List
University of Missouri. Cooperative Extension Service.
Links to hundreds of full-text Extension publications that address all kinds agricultural alternatives including a wide range of livestock species and production systems. Marketing and business topics include: agribusiness, general business, marketing, community supported agriculture, cooperatives, farm management and decision making, home based businesses, farmers' markets, finance, roadside stands and value-added agriculture.
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Evaluating a Rural Enterprise. Marketing and Business Guide
National Center for Appropriate Technology. ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
Summarizes selected enterprise planning guides about business, financial and marketing plans. Suggests resources that focus on evaluating a new enterprise.
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United States Patent and Trademark Office
DOC. United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Contains issued agricultural and non-agricultural patents, and published applications. The database may be searched for sustainable agriculture terms and processes.
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State Marketing Profiles
USDA. Agricultural Marketing Service.
Provides a brief economic overview of each state. Includes information on organic agriculture, farmers markets, agricultural production by congressional district, demographics and consumption profiles.
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Last Modified: Aug 19, 2008  
Alternative Marketing and Business Practices
  On-farm Enterprises and Value-added Products
  Direct Marketing
  Farm Business Planning and Management
  Food Industry and Trade
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