To Market, To Market

Even as the cold winds of winter still howl, it is never too early to begin to develop a plan for marketing farm products. Noted horticulturist, Liberty Hyde Bailey wrote in 1905 that 9 out of 10 farmers could grow a crop, but that only 1 out of 10 could sell it to their advantage.

Knowing your market and how to reach it many times is the difference between profit and loss. In today's world the use of the Internet is essential. To help you find markets or help customers find you, the MSU Product Center for Ag and Natural Resources presents "MarketMaker", a free, online interactive mapping system that will locate businesses and markets for agricultural products in Michigan. It will allow producers to research customer demographics by income, ethnicity, household characteristics and education.

Not only are producers able to research demographics, but they also can search for specific business records, contact information to reach specific buyers, find area market contacts and network with restaurants, on farm retailers and specialty processors. Census data is also available on the site.

To register, producers need to visit http://mimarketmaker.msu.edu/ and click on the "registration/log in." The survey can be filled out and submitted online.

For more information about this program, contact Mark Thomas, MSU Extension 269-384-8061 mthomas@msu.edu