Marketing

Direct-marketing farms have twice the regional impact

Sacramento-area farmers and ranchers who sell their products directly to consumers generate twice as much regional economic impact per dollar of output as do area food producers who don’t engage in direct marketing, reports a... more »

MDARD awards Value Added & Regional Food Systems grants

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has awarded eight projects funds under the competitive Value Added and Regional Food System Grant Program. "The awarded proposals reflect the opportunities within Michigan's diverse food and agriculture... more »

Plant IP protection program to host first US workshop in California

The CIOPORA Academy, a specialized training and certificate program for Intellectual Property (IP) protection in the field of horticulture, will host its first U.S.-based workshop Sept. 8-9 in Watsonville, California, at Driscoll’s Cassin Conference Center. The... more »

SNAP farmers market website updated

Expanding access to the healthy foods available at farmers markets and farm stands for those participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been – and continues to be – a USDA priority. For... more »

Produce Nerd website launched for produce industry

The Produce Nerd, a new online social marketing tool, has been launched to introduce the general public to the produce industry. The Produce Nerd provides information on where produce came from and the work that goes... more »

Report makes the case for increased ag research funding

A collaborative report, "Retaking the Field: The Case for a Surge in Agricultural Research," from 13 partnering universities and the Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) Foundation is now available online. The report provides a case to policymakers... more »

Robinson Fresh president to keynote Global Cold Chain Expo

Jim Lemke, president of Robinson Fresh, will be the keynote speaker at the Monday Opening General Session kicking off the inaugural Global Cold Chain Expo in Chicago, June 20-22. More than 200 cold chain industry... more »

USDA finalizes rules for local food enterprise loans

On Friday, June 3, USDA released its final rule for the Business and Industry (B&I) Loan Guarantee program, codifying a variety of changes aimed at improving program delivery, making the regulation easier to understand, and... more »