Knowing your customer base and how to appeal to them is crucial to being a successful and sustainable small business. Get help with marketing strategies from the following resources.

Agritourism

the Hayes family

Agritourism Training Materials

This curriculum was designed to provide detailed training resources for agricultural professionals and farmers interested in expanding their income sources and entering the agritourism industry. 

Farm Stay U.S. website

Farm Stay U.S. Website

This farmer-created, consumer-oriented website lists hundreds of farms and ranches around the country that offer accommodations.

Screenshot of UVM website about agritourism

Northeast Agritourism Collaboration

This website provides resources for producers interested in entering the agritourism business. 

Community Outreach

Cover of a publication of a Farm Assessment featuring a snowy field with the sun rising in the distance

Cheshire Labor and Infrastructure Needs Assessment

Research in Cheshire County, NH to determine how to promote the economic viability of local farmers.Download File (763.26 kB)

Woman standing around pots of green on a stand

Community-Based Food System Assessment and Planning

This guide was created to help communities conduct their own food system assessment and provide them with guidance on planning the development of a local food system.Download File (4.83 MB)

Creating Change in the Food System: The Role of Regional Food Networks in Iowa

Case study of an effort to build local and regional food commerce using a community of practice.

download Farm to Fork in North Carolina Guide in pdf format

Farm to Fork in North Carolina

This guide provides key action ideas for building a sustainable food economy in North Carolina.Download File (5.44 MB)

Screenshot of Farmer/Producer Toolkit

Metropolitan Foodshed Toolkit

A toolkit of strategies to support the evolution of a sustainable Portland Metropolitan Foodshed.Download File (3.70 MB)

Mount Pleasant Local Food and Farm Assessment

An assessment of the needs and opportunities associated with developing a regional food system. 

sustainable food purchasing guide cover

Sustainable Food Purchasing Guide

This guide was written to help institutions determine how to source more sustainable food options.Download File (294.47 kB)

sustainable food systems for Georgia's agrarian future book

Sustainable Food Systems for Georgia’s Agrarian Future

This report analyzes the need for food hubs in Georgia to help facilitate a regional food system.Download File (2.09 MB)

Additional Resources

The following resources, which were not funded or produced by SARE, contain valuable information.

The City Food Sector Scan (a suite of urban planning and investment resources by the Wallace Center)

Community Food System Resources (SAREP's Bibliography on local and regional food systems)

Southeast Minnesota Foodshed Analysis (a University of Minnesota webinar)

Market Planning for Local Food Sales

An old piece of paper in front of yarn

Direct Marketing for Farmers and Ranchers

The Imperial Stock Ranch increased profits by using direct, value-added marketing of wool products.

Food for Profit Online Training Course

Training for future entrepreneurs on planning a feasible, marketable and profitable food business.

Screenshot of Hawaii Farmer\'s guide with photos at the top featuring different photos of Hawaii landscape

A Guide for Hawai’i’s Farmers

This guide was developed to assist new farmers in tropical small-island settings.Download File (422.53 kB)

How to direct market your beef cover with a picture of three cows looking at the camera

How to Direct Market Your Beef

How to Direct Market Your Beef portrays how one couple used its family’s ranch to launch a profitable, grass-based beef operation focused on direct market sales.Download File (1.92 MB)  | Online Text Version

Animated cow looking back at the camera

Livestock Enterprise Comparative Decision Support Toolkit

Guides ranchers through entry level decision-making about small scale livestock enterprises.  

Diagram comparing livestock and produce farming

Livestock Marketing Channel Assessment Tool

This tool provides livestock producers with a way to identify the most profitable marketing channels.Download File (90.16 kB)

Screenshot of Marketing for Profit Webinar Series website

Marketing for Profit Curricula

Curricula developed for individuals interested in offering a comprehensive marketing training program for farmers market managers and farmers.

Marketing On-Farm Compost

This resource includes best practices for quality compost, and information on compost markets.

Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Rangers cover with article text

Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Ranchers

This bulletin offers snapshots of alternatives to marketing commodities through conventional channels.Download File (1.41 MB)  | Online Text Version

screenshot of MarketReady Educational Resources website

MarketReady Educational Resources

MarketReady prepares food producers to sell directly to consumers and wholesale buyers. 

Screenshot of UNL Ag Entrepreneur website

University of Nebraska SARE Agri-Marketing Website

This is a web toolbox to support the SARE AgriMarketing Professional Development Program.  

Local Marketing of Niche Products

organic broccoli production manual

Organic Broccoli Production Manual

Steps that farmers took to scale up organic broccoli production to meet local wholesale demand. Download File (152.68 kB)

Growing Grapes in Hawaii with article underneath

Growing Grapes in Hawaii

The basis for this project was to show that grapes could again become a viable crop for Hawaii growers at low elevations. This addition of a crop, in demand by chefs, could greatly contribute to small farm sustainability.The history and horticultural needs are outlined in this extension publication, as are basic marketing needs and nutritional information.Download File (5.83 MB)

download the production and marketing of beach plum fact sheet in PDF fromat

Production and Marketing of Beach Plum, a Heritage Fruit Crop

Beach plum (Prunus maritima Marsh) is one of several shrubby plums native to North America. The jams produced from this fruit command premium prices at farm stands and specialty markets, even in comparison with jam made from other locally grown fruit. However, the wild-collected supply of fruit does not meet this niche market’s demand.

Download File (527.43 kB) | Online Text Version