Major issues to be addressed (can be thought of as horizon issues for the purposes of plan of work support for agents) / Commercial Horticulture Crop Marketing
Outputs and Activities / -Merchandizing classes
-Market Ready training
-One-on-one meetings with growers
-Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference
-Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association Conference
-Marketing and agritourism farm tours
Short Term Outcomes
(1 year) / -Growers will increase knowledge about:
-advertising, pricing, and merchandizing products
-available resources to assist with marketing products and developing market access
-the different types of markets
-the use of technology as a marketing tool, including website creation, newsletters, blogs, Facebook, and other social media
-how to market their businesses.
Intermediate Outcomes
(2 years) / Growers will:
-establish a new marketing relationship
-increase sales
-establish markets to sell products
-create a marketing website and/or other use of technology such as social media to market products
-increase participation at local farmers markets
-develop a written business marketing plan with KCARD
-gain more brand recognition
-take on smaller ventures to develop a more commercial role (pricing bridge)
-The number of producers participating in farm-to-school (as a market option), farm-to-restaurant, farm-to-table, and farm-to-food bank will increase.
Long Term Outcomes
(3-5 years) / -Growers increase production of an existing crop because of an expanded market
-Growers’ businesses are more profitable.
-Improved commercial horticulture business infrastructure in communities.
-Growers are able to invest above maintenance (e.g. make business expansion/upgrades).
-More citizens buy products at local farmers market.
-Citizens will be healthier as a result of local product availability.
-Citizens know where to buy fresh products locally.
Social/Community level outcomes or dimensions / -Increased crops/varieties are offered for sale at local farmers markets.
-Citizens know where to buy fresh products locally
-Children in school are healthier as a result of fresh products provided in school meals.
-Provide more local produce at a competitive price
Economic level outcomes or dimensions / -Increased profitability and sustainability of businesses.
Environmental outcomes or dimensions / -Maximizing land use to maximize profits and sustainability
Agent Questions
1. Very Low = Don’t know anything about this topic.
2. Low = Know very little about this topic
3. Moderate = Know about this topic but there are more things to learn
4. High = Have good knowledge but there are things to learn
5. Very High = Know almost everything about this topic
How do you rate your knowledge about (the following) after participating in this program/attending this training?
Short Term
1) Advertising your products
2) Pricing your products
3) Merchandizing your products
4) Locating resources to assist with marketing products and developing market access
5) Different types of markets
6) Using technology as a marketing tool (e.g. websites, newsletters and social media)
7) How to market your business
As a result of this program, I intend to: / No / Maybe / Yes / Already doing this1. Utilize a new method to advertise my products / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
2. Merchandize my products differently / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
3. Utilize resources provided to me for marketing my products / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
4. Utilize resources provided to me to help me develop market access / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
5. Explore selling my products in other types of markets I do not currently employ. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
6. Create a website to market my business. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
7. Create a newsletter to market my business. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
8. Utilize Facebook, Twitter or other social media to market my business. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
9. Write a blog to market my business. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Intermediate Term
Have you talked to a buyer and established a new relationship?
Have you noticed an increase in the quantity of product sold as a result of increased marketing?
Do you have more brand recognition?
As a result of participating in Extension programs, I: / No / Maybe / Yes / Already doing this1. Utilized a new method to advertise my products / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
2. Merchandized my products differently / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
3. Utilized resources provided to me for marketing my products / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
4. Utilized resources provided to me to help me develop market access / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
5. Explored selling my products in other types of markets I do not currently employ. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
6. Created and maintain a website to market my business. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
7. Created and maintain a newsletter to market my business. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
8. Utilize Facebook, Twitter or other social media to market my business. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
9. Wrote and maintain a blog to market my business. / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
Long Term
As a result of gaining new knowledge and implementing new practices I learned from participating in Extension programs,
Yes, no, not sure
1) My production has increased because of an expanded market.
2) My business is more profitable.
3) More citizens purchase my products at local farmers markets.
4) I have increased the number of markets in which I sell my products.