| Local business and market development |
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| Where it starts...local business and market development |
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At the core of the ADMD program is local development. Since our inception, we have been actively involved on the ground level with Oregon farmers, ranchers and fishermen to develop new crops, products and seek new markets. It is clear that much of the future success of the rural parts of Oregon will depend on the success of its agricultural and fisheries sectors.
Experience has shown assisting start-up and small enterprises to enter local markets is an important first step in a company's evolution. Local markets are often the most appropriate for startup companies and come with fewer risks than distant markets. The path to success is easier and the consequences of failure are usually less costly in local markets.
Principal activities in local markets include work with direct farm marketing, vertical integration strategies for growers interested in moving into value added products and local in-state promotional work at both wholesale and retail levels for fresh and processed products.
In the purely developmental role the ADMD works closely with the Governor´s Economic Revitilization Teams to provide information and assistance on agricultural development issues that cross agency or policy areas. This assistance is important to the success of the ERT process as agriculture is closely linked with rural Oregon economies.
The ERT process is often a local agricultural producer´s best way to develop solutions to challenges they may face in siting or expanding an operation or overcoming transportation or regulatory hurdles. The ADMD work on these teams brings insight to the process through active advocacy on behalf of local agricultural and fisheries producers.
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| Services and activities |
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- Small Business Market Development Workshops for entrepreneurs developing new value added products.
- Development of local networks or "clusters" of producers to achieve greater market presence or to over-come production or distribution challenges.
- Local Oregon product showcases and promotional events.
- Community Food Systems programs to bring local producers together with local retailers and restaurants.
- Farm Direct Nutrition Program for Farmer´s Markets and Farm Stands.
- Participation on Economic Revitalization Teams to bring local agricultural issues to the teams.
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