Selling your produce directly into the local market can help strengthen and diversify your farm business. The benefits of local marketing include:
- Added value produce
- Greater control over what and how much you grow
- Fewer grade-outs: less wastage
- Customer contact, support and feedback
Opportunities for selling locally include:
- Farmers' markets
- Farm shops
- Box schemes
- Farm gate sales
- Local retailers
There may also be opportunities to join a local producer cooperative to provide joint marketing and branding.
Examples of how farmers can develop local food links
- Box schemes – a producer or distributor delivers a box or bag of produce direct to customers, or to community distribution points
- Farmers' markets – local producers who live within a certain distance of the market location sell their products direct to shoppers in a traditional market
- Farm shops and farm gate sales – producers selling direct from their farm: from converted barns to honesty boxes at the farm gate
- Producer cooperatives – local farmers group together to share services and market produce
- Community supported agriculture – local people group together to support a local farm. These ventures take many forms. People may buy a share in an existing farm, pay in advance for a share of the harvest or set up a new community venture such as a neighbourhood allotment or commonly owned orchard
- Local shops – play a key role in local food economies
- Food cooperatives – local people group together to buy food in bulk from wholesalers or direct from local producers