Video of Innovations in On-Farm Marketing in New England

Video of Innovations in On-Farm Marketing in New England

Summary

Summary.
Fourteen farmers at eight locations were interviewed about their marketing practices during the 1998 growing season. About an hour of raw footage was obtained at each site, including interviews, cover shots of the farm, and specific views of marketing techniques. Text captured on the raw footage has been transcribed to paper, and the editing process is underway. A complete video, approximately an hour long, will be available for distribution in spring of 1999.

Objectives
* Increase awareness among Cooperative Extension educators about the range of strategies and methods that have potential for their clients interested in on-farm marketing.

* Provide a tool for extension educators that will enhance their capacity to explain and explore direct marketing options with their clients.

Specific Project Results
The eight different farms filmed covered a wide variety of marketing strategies and experiences, including CSA with multiple sales outlets, roadside stand, large-scale CSA, farmers’ markets, pick-your own, internet sales, and wholesale cooperative sales. The 14 farmers were asked to address the following questions during the video interviews:
* Briefly describe your farm operation: location, crop mix, relevant history, people involved.
* Describe your primary markets and how they evolved.
* What are the keys to your marketing success?
* What innovations have you made in recent years that enhanced your marketing?
* Are there innovations you tried that did not work out and if so, why?
* How do you analyze your markets, customer desires, and customer satisfaction?
* What trends do you see in marketing for horticulture?
* What advice would you give to other farms regarding marketing?

Recommendations
The advisory council had suggested that sales of meat and other products be included in this video. In terms of attracting an audience, a focus on horticultural commodities seemed more advisable than marketing in general, unless the product is to serve a beginning farmer audience.

Dissemination of Information
Availability of the video will be advertised on several subject matter list serves such as vegetable production, direct marketing, small fruit, and sustainable agriculture. The video will be shown at extension in-service trainings in the Northeast.

Reported January 1999. 1999 Northeast Region SARE/ACE Report.