Marketing Overview

Country Farmers Market store. (Copyright IStock)
Marketing channels are as diverse as the small-scale, sustainable, and alternative enterprises behind them. Find information on marketing your products, farm certification programs, agritourism ventures, and adding value.

USDA. National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The "first-ever survey conducted by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service to produce benchmark data about local food marketing practices" reports data on direct marketed sales of food; sales by marketing practice; direct-to-consumer marketing practices; location of production and type of products sold directly to consumers; demographics; and farm level practices for farms which market directly.

eXtension. Cooperative Extension Service.

A collection of recent educational and information resources from Cooperative Extension Service experts. Learn about webinars, videos, case studies, tools, Web sites, publications, articles and more.

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.

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

This "Producer's Guide to Marketing Locally Grown Food" summarizes market opportunities for farmers and producers, profiles farmers and businesses, and identifies helpful resources. Available online and in print.

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.

National Center for Appropriate Technology. ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.

"This publication provides resources to compare organic and conventional agricultural prices, discusses organic production costs, and offers tips on how to set organic crop prices."

USDA. NAL. Alternative Farming Systems Information Center.

The Guide to U.S. Organic Marketing: Laws and Regulations and Guide to International Trade in Organics: Laws and Regulations cover U.S. Federal and State laws and regulations, U.S. organic standards, food labeling, regulatory issues and programs, food safety and international regulations and trade issues.