March Workshops and Tours Scheduled for Producers Interested in Direct Farm Marketing
01/25/10
Farmers planning direct marketing 
businesses or hoping to expand their operation may have a lot to learn about marketing directly to consumers. The University of Tennessee, in cooperation with the Tennessee Farm Fresh program, is offering workshops and tours in multiple locations across the state in March for farmers interested in direct marketing.
The workshops, called Direct Farm Marketing for Success III, will feature sessions on marketing fundamentals, direct marketing channels, developing effective marketing materials and more. Workshops will be held March 2 in Jackson, March 4 in Spring Hill, March 10 in White Pine and March 11 in Cookeville. The cost of the workshop is $15 per person if registered prior to February 26 or $20 per person for late registration. Workshops will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Two tours, called "Farmer to Farmer: 2010 Direct Farm Marketing Tours," will be offered: one in Middle Tennessee on March 23 and one in the Sweetwater Valley region of East Tennessee on March 30. Each tour will visit several farms that directly market products to consumers. Participants will see the operation and hear from the operator firsthand. The cost of the tour is $15 per person if registered prior to March 15 or $20 for late registration.
"These workshops and tours are designed to address issues and challenges faced by farmers to help them develop or grow a direct marketing operation," says Megan Bruch, marketing specialist with the UT Center for Profitable Agriculture.
Direct marketing of agricultural products from the farm to the consumer is a growing segment of agriculture. According to the USDA Census of Agriculture, from 1997 to 2007, the state experienced a 33 percent increase in the number of farms involved in direct marketing and an 83.5 percent increase in the total value of agricultural products sold to consumers. In 2007, direct marketing accounted for more than $15 million in sales for Tennessee farms.
Bruch says space is limited for the workshops and tours, so early registration is recommended.
Additional information and registration forms are available on-line at the Center for Profitable Agriculture's Web site http://cpa.utk.edu or by calling 931-486-2777.
Tennessee Farm Fresh is a joint effort of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to promote the sale of Tennessee farm products directly from the farm to the consumer. Learn more about the program or where to find fresh and local products at www.TnFarmFresh.com.
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Contact:
Megan Bruch, Center for Profitable Agriculture, 931-486-2777, or mlbruch@utk.edu
