Project Overview
Commodities
- Agronomic: flax
- Fruits: melons, apples, apricots
- Vegetables: asparagus, beans, beets, carrots, cucurbits, eggplant, garlic, greens (leafy), lentils, onions, parsnips, peas (culinary), peppers, sweet corn, tomatoes, turnips
- Additional Plants: herbs
- Animals: bovine, poultry, goats, rabbits, swine, sheep, fish
- Animal Products: dairy
Practices
- Education and Training: demonstration, display, farmer to farmer, focus group, technical assistance
- Farm Business Management: cooperatives, marketing management, value added
- Sustainable Communities: new business opportunities, public participation
Proposal summary:
II. a. SUMMARY b. Introduction/Background on the problem: There has been a need expressed by many area agricultural producers to expand their markets. They were involved in Farmer’s Markets and CSA’s, some in stores but they wanted to grow. Idaho’s Bounty Cooperative (IBC) provided a year round market opportunity via the web for area small scale farmers and ranchers. There was a need expressed that they needed help with this new form (online) of marketing such as printing labels, website design, packaging, pricing and etc. This program from WSARE provided technical assistance to farmers/ranchers about marketing their products online with the goal of expanding markets for sustainable, locally grown food. In addition to this training, basic marketing, packaging and labeling skills were taught on an individual basis to help the small-scale producers. Other solutions were to provide peer-to-peer training and technical training.
Project objectives from proposal:
III. Objectives/Performance targets as stated in the application
“Information will be disseminated through:
1. the (four) workshops in four different geographical areas within south central Idaho and then,
2. the Trainer will visit farmers/ranchers for individual help.
3. The three producers in this program (Ballards, Burns, and McMahans) will provide training in a peer-to-peer capacity to speak about their experience and the advantages to online and direct market sales. The producer applicants have agreed to do this.
4. The Trainer will rely on the technical assistance of Red Earth web designer, Emma McCauley and Oklahoma Co-op staff to help solve these technical issues. Training sessions will be open to all who are interested including those farmers and ranchers who are not currently practicing sustainable methods of production but are interested in converting to sustainable methods.”