The CSA Benchmark Project – How Well is My Operation REALLY Doing?
Thursday, May 17 at 3:30 – 4:45pm ET
Free! Register Now at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/802231626

The following is from Maryland Farmlink that Ohio CSA operators or potential CSA operators will want to check out.  We will post a link to the recorded webinar on our CSA page following the event if you can’t attend this webinar.

Farm Credit East, part of the nationwide Farm Credit System of lending cooperatives, has made loans to many farms that use a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model.  Generally CSAs work by collecting up-front capital from consumers before the planting season, which buys them a weekly portion of the farm’s bounty during the growing months. The basic CSA business model is now a widespread direct-to-consumer marketing strategy.

But how is a farmer to know if their operation’s financial performance is adequate, or find out how they can improve their profitability? As part of their strategy to serve the needs of their farmer-members, Farm Credit East has aggregated and analyzed the data from a sample of their CSA borrowers, and has established some preliminary financial benchmarks and performance standards.

With benchmarking, it’s as if farmers can peer into the financial results of many CSA farms in order to understand how their business financial performance compares to others. That data will help CSA farmers identify where they can improve business practices to increase profitability.

This webinar will illustrate what you need to measure (the key evaluation factors),  what expectations can be set from comparison to best practices (benchmarking), and what management strategies can help move financial performance to a higher level (implementation of leading edge practices).

For more information on starting or operating a CSA in Ohio, visit http://directmarketing.osu.edu/content/csa.htm

The USDA has opened a portal for all farmers’ markets to get listed in the 2012 USDA National Farmers Market Directory. Farmers markets that are new, or have not previously been listed on the USDA National Farmers Market Directory for whatever reason, can now join the USDA National Farmers Market Directory at www.usdadirectoryupdate.com.

Some market managers may have received an e-mail with a direct web link to their market listing. If so, use that vehicle to update your listing. If not, use this new portal.  Managers only need to update their listing once.

While you’re doing the update, be sure to look at your MarketMaker listing and make any changes for the upcoming season. If you can’t find your MarketMaker login information, email contact@ohiomarketmaker.com.

For questions regarding the USDA National Farmers’ Market Directory, contact Velma Lakins at directoryupdates@ams.usda.gov or call 202-720-8317.

The Ohio Proud program just released its first issue of their new quarterly newsletter, Connections.  It provides the latest Ohio Proud news and program updates.  Check it out on our direct marketing website by clicking here.

Michigan State University’s new Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS) just released “Creating Change in the Food System.” This report, authored by Rich Pirog of CRFS and Corry Bregendahl of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, is a case study of an integrated effort to build long-term local and regional food commerce in Iowa using a community of practice approach.

Access the full report.

Yesterday the USDA released the request for applications (RFA) for the new Farm to School grant program. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 established funding for grants to support the planning and implementation of Farm to School programs. In this first funding cycle, USDA anticipates awarding up to $3.5 million in grant funding to support efforts that improve access to local foods in eligible schools.

Grant funds will be made available on a competitive basis, subject to availability of Federal funds. Applicants are encouraged to first submit a letter of intent and then apply for either a planning grant or an implementation grant. Planning grants are expected to range from $20,000 – $45,000 and represent approximately 25 percent of the total awards. Implementation grants are expected to range from $65,000 – $100,000 and represent approximately 75 percent of the total awards. Both grant types require at least a 25 percent funding match.

Read more about the grant process and download the RFA here.

Our friends at the University of Vermont Extension are putting on a webinar focusing on how farms can use social media strategies to generate education, awareness and action. Public relations expert Rachel Carter will explain how to develop a strategy for building a community of champions for your farm.

The webinar will be on Wednesday, May 2, from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. EDT and is open to anyone interested.

Whether you are a farmer, a farm-based educator or an Extension educator, this webinar will provide guidance for creating a strategy to use social media effectively and manage related risks.

Click here for details on how to join this free webinar.

For more information on utilizing social media for marketing, visit our technology page on this website.

License to Steal: National Wine Marketing Conference will be held April 17-19, 2012, at The Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva State Park. This is the only conference east of the Rockies devoted exclusively to the promotion, marketing and selling of regional wines. Visit their website for details.

Save the date – April 23 and/or May 7 to attend the first-ever Ohio Winery MarketReady workshops! You will leave the workshop knowing what is expected to sell to retailers and restaurateurs or through self-distribution or a distributor including: product selection and supply; packaging, labeling and merchandising; pricing; delivery, storage and temperature control; regulations and certifications; marketing, communication and relationship building; and management and financial capacity.

April 23, 2012
Ohio Department of Agriculture, Auditorium
8995 E. Main Street, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

May 7, 2012
Gervasi Vineyard & Italian Bistro – Ballaria
1700 55th Street NE, Canton, OH 44721

The workshops will take place from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Registration information will be sent in the coming weeks and posted at http://go.osu.edu/MarketReady

Growers can learn how to work with school systems at Ohio Farm to School’s free webinar, “Selling Local Food to Schools,” on Thursday, March 1. The presentation will include information about marketing and distributing to schools.  Read more….

A new book called Ohio’s Specialty Crops: A Boost to Food Service Menus is now available free online. It’s for farmers and for food buyers — specifically, food buyers for institutions, such as colleges, restaurants, hospitals and nursing homes.  Read more….