While significant opportunity exists to build on the demand for local products in local markets, many farmers are hesitant or unprepared to meet the transactional requirements required by these buyers to manage their own food safety, insurance, product quality, and traceability risks. MarketReady addresses these issues and seeks to educate and help our fabulous food suppliers succeed in today's markets and continue to be profitable, in order to keep farming. The training is based around best business practices identified by buyers in these markets that are actively seeking to engage local suppliers. MarketReady will help farm vendors selling dairy, fruits, meats and vegetables design a better business strategy to succeed.

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Business functions covered by the MarketReady Training:

• Communication and Relationship Building
• Packaging
• Labeling
• Pricing
• Supply
• Delivery
• Storage
• Invoicing
• Insurance
• Quality Assurance & Temperature Control, Audits & Certifications
• Satisfaction Guarantee
• Working Cooperatively
• Marketing
• Local Products for Local Markets

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The training consists of the Restaurant Sales unit from 9-11:30 with a panel of chefs and restaurant buyers from 11:30-12, then we will provide a local lunch, and from 1-2:30 we will cover the Grocery/Wholesale Sales unit and from 2:30-3 we will have a panel of grocery/wholesale buyers.  We ask for a $25 registration fee to cover lunch, refreshments and all training materials.  Agents will receive in-service credit for attending.