Pickle Bill Fact Sheet – Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Before you plant your first seed, answer this question: How will you sell your crops? A good marketing plan is an absolute must for a successful farm business. Know your market and your customers. Start by growing vegetables that are popular with people in your area. Make sure you grow enough of each crop, and make the quality of your vegetables good. Then consider the best way to sell them to your customers.

Local Food & Direct Marketing 

• Minnesota Grown
• Direct Marketing Options - ATTRA
• Farmer Direct Marketing - USDA
• Farm Direct Marketing Guide - SARE
• Working with Retail Buyers – University of Wisconsin
• Developing a Roadside Farm Market (PDF:2 KB / 6 pages) – Penn State Extension
• Locally-Grown Produce Food Safety Guide (PDF:136 KB / 2 pages) – Minnesota Departments of Health and Agriculture
• Marketing Local Food – MISA
• The ABCs of Marketing to Restaurants – New Farm

Farm to School/Farm to Cafeteria

• Farm to School Toolkit - University of Minnesota
• Minnesota Farm to School Programs - National Farm to School Network
• Farm to School Network – National Farm to School Network
• Legal Issues Impacting Farm to School and School to Gardens in Minnesota (PDF: 349 KB / 7 pages) – Public Health Law Center
• Serving Locally Grown Produce in Food Facilities (PDF: 299 KB / 2 pages) – Minnesota Department of Agriculture
• Bringing Local Food to Local Institutions - ATTRA

Meat and Poultry Marketing

• Meat and Poultry Product Retail Sales Fact Sheet – Minnesota Department of Agriculture
• Meat and Poultry Direct Marketing Information for Farmers - Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
• How to Direct Market Your Beef (PDF: 2 KB / 98 pages) – Sustainable Ag Network
• Shell Egg Retail Fact Sheet – Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Fruit and Vegetable Marketing

• Simple and Successful Vegetable Farming: Marketing – University of Minnesota Extension
• Fruit and Vegetable Marketing for Small-scale and Part-time Growers (PDF: 109 KB / 4 pages) - Penn State
• Marketing Alternatives for Fresh Produce - Oregon State University

Farmers Market

• Operational Guidelines for Vendors at the Farmers' Market (PDF: 295 KB / 4 pages) - Minnesota Department of Agriculture
• Starting Your Own Farmers' Market - Minnesota Farmers Market Association
• Farmers' Market Fact Sheet – USDA, ARS
• Understanding Farmers Market Rules – Farmers Legal Action Group
• Pickle Bill Fact Sheet – Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)  

• Community Supported Agriculture - ATTRA
• Community Supported Agriculture Resources – AFSIC
• CSA Farms: Management and Income - Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
• Managing a CSA Farm 1: Production, Labor and Land - CIAS, University of Wisconsin
• Managing a CSA Farm 2: Community, Economics, Marketing and Training - CIAS, University of Wisconsin
• CSA Farm Directory – Land Stewardship Project

MDA Contact

Meg Moynihan
Minnesota Farm Opportunities ~ 651-201-6616
Ag Marketing & Development Division