Internet Resource
for North Carolina Farmers
Marketing
The organic segment of the food industry has been growing strong and steady at an average annual sales growth rate of 20% for several years. At the same time, tobacco growers throughout North Carolina are looking for new cash crops as federal buyouts become a reality. Organic products can be a replacement crop for tobacco farmers, as well as promising crops for new and "seasoned" farmers looking to diversify their farms.
Fortunately, as consumer demand increases for these popular products, so will sales opportunities for farmers growing specialty organic products. Niche marketing to ethnic populations, gourmet restaurants & retailers, developing value-added products, community supported agriculture and participating in tailgate markets are a few ways to reach organic consumers locally and globally.
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General Marketing Resources
General Farm Marketing
Guide, Growing Small
Farms
http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/marketing.html
Organic Farming and
Marketing, USDA
http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/organic/
The Local Food Guide for Western North Carolina
http://www.buyappalachian.org/index.php
Organic Marketing
Resources, ATTRA
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/markres.html
Agricultural Marketing Service at USDA
http://www.ams.usda.gov/
Wholesale
Carolina Organic
Growers, Inc: A Marketing
Cooperative of Certified Organic Farmers
http://www.carolinaorganicgrowers.com/
Tips for Marketing to Restaurants
http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/marketingrestaurants.html
Marketing to Independent Retailers
http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/marketingretailers.html
Direct Marketing
Direct Marketing, ATTRA
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/directmkt.html
Get Listed in the Local Food Guide
http://www.buyappalachian.org/guide.php
Sustainable Eating:
Why Buy Local
http://www.buyappalachian.org/why.php
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
Community Supported Agriculture Resource Guide
http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/csa.html
Community Supported Agriculture in North Carolina
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/hil-38.pdf
Community Supported
Agriculture, USDA
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml
Community Supported Agriculture and Other
Farm Subscriptions, Local Harvest
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
Eight Tips from the Experts to Make Your Community
Shared Agriculture Project a Success
http://www.eap.mcgill.ca/MagRack/COG/COG_E_97_04.htm
The Community Farm: A Voice for Community
Supported Agriculture
http://tcf.itgo.com/
Resources for Community Supported Agriculture
http://csafarms.org/
Farmer's Markets and Tailgate Markets
Farmers’ Markets: A resource for those
who want to organize a new market or sell at
an existing one.
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/farmmrkt.html
NCDA&CS Farmers
Markets
http://www.agr.state.nc.us/markets/facilit/farmark/index.htm
Search Engine for Local Tailgate Markets
http://www.buyappalachian.org/tailgate.php
http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/Organic/Questions/farmersmarkets.htm
Asheville City Market (in development)
http://www.asapconnections.org/special/citymarket/index.htm
Agritourism
Marketing Strategies
for Farmers and Ranchers,
SARE
http://www.sare.org/publications/marketing/market02.htm
Entertainment Farming
and Agri-tourism, ATTRA
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/entertn.pdf
Ag Business Development:
Agritourism, Minnesota
Dept of Ag
http://www.mda.mo.gov/AgBusiness/resources/agritourism.htm
Handmade In America, Agritoursim
http://www.handmadeinamerica.org/tourism/agri.php
Alternative Enterprises
and Agritourism, USDA
NRCS
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/RESS/altenterprise/
Pick-Your-Own Directory
http://www.pickyourown.org/NCwestern.htm
Selling Eggs & Meat
Selling Eggs, Meat, & Poultry
in North Carolina: What Farmers Need to Know
http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/meatandeggs.html
North Carolina Egg Law
http://www.agr.state.nc.us/markets/gradnreg/reglator/egglaw.htm
Meat and Poultry Handler Requirements
http://www.ncagr.com/vet/meat_poultry/pdf/Meat%20Handler%20Requirements.pdf
Inspection Requirements for Meat and Poultry
Businesses
http://www.ncagr.com/vet/meat_poultry/pdf/InspRequireM&PBusinesses.pdf
NCDA&CS Meat
and Poultry Inspection Statement
http://www.ncagr.com/vet/meat_poultry/index.htm
Organic Farm Online Directories
Local Harvest
http://www.localharvest.org