Posted on

Upcoming Opportunites for Producers

Want to take advantage of some of the upcoming events and webinars that could help you with your food or farming business? This winter at Cooperative Extension in St. Lawrence County an online ag and food producers academy will be offered to farmers and producers to enhance marketing and business skills. Read to learn more and in the meantime check out other upcoming opportunities happening this fall. 

Winter Ag and Food Producers Academy: Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County 

The Ag and Food Producers Academy will be offered during the winter to aid producers in marketing and development strategies to elevate their business. Participants will get to personalize this learning experience by choosing from a menu of topics such as social media management, e-commerce, and improving business viability. Join your fellow entrepreneurs along with Cornell Cooperative Extension, GardenShare, and other Specialists for this interactive online skill-building opportunity. Check online as new information is being added.

Read more HERE

 

New York Small Scale Food Processors Association (NYSSFPA) in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE)

Starting October 5th, a three-part series that provides you with the information you need to take your business ideas into reality. Suitable for farmers, chefs, and food entrepreneurs in learning the building blocks to run a successful food business.

Learn more HERE and Sign-up HERE.

Read more Upcoming Opportunites for Producers

Posted on

Social Media Strategies for Producers

 

Social media can be a great tool to use to communicate and interact with current and potential customers. You can post farm updates in real-time with your followers and share what is available for purchase. About 1 in 4 social media users use social platforms to discover, learn, purchase or recommend products or brands, so it’s important to have an online presence.

Here’s our tips for best practices to keep your customers engaged online, with examples from area farms and food businesses in the north country.

Post with Consistency 

Be active on your account, your followers will notice when there have not been any updates in a while. Share current happenings on your farm or what projects you have been working on. Having a lack of posts or interaction on social media can be the reason your followers and other potential customers are not seeing your content. With consistent regular posting, you can have customers look forward to seeing you and your farm updates. Try setting goals on posting consistency each week, maybe aim for 2-3 posts to start and then adjust accordingly based on your available time.

Visuals Matter Read more Social Media Strategies for Producers

Posted on

Questions to Ask When Choosing an eCommerce platform

Have you considered adding an eCommerce platform as a sales channel for your small business? Perhaps you’re eager to reach new customers or have better online visibility. There are many moving parts to consider when choosing an eCommerce platform that best suits you and your products. Thankfully, there are many resources to help get you started. 

We like the chart developed by the CSA Innovation Network because it takes a very complicated landscape of choices, and helps entrepreneurs clarify their needs. Once you’ve done that, it’s possible to eliminate platforms that don’t achieve your goals. Researching the answers to these questions will set you well on the path to finding a solid eCommerce solution for you.

(chart found through thelandconnection.org, click chart to zoom)

If you enjoyed this chart, check out the Farmer to Farmer Exchange eCommerce Platforms Report.

Deciding on a platform for your business can be daunting, but the Local Foods team at CCE St. Lawrence County can help to point you in the right direction. Stay tuned to learn more about the new Ag and Food Producers Academy we are offering this winter which will cover business development and marketing skills.

Lauren grew up in neighboring Vermont exploring and loving the green mountains and vast landscapes. Her undergraduate degree made her appreciate the communities that surround local foods and a Master’s Certificate in Food Studies from the University of Southern Maine made her want to pursue a career in the food system. In 2021 and 2022, she was the Local Foods Marketing and Development Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County.