Online Tools
There are so many online tools out there to help producers make decisions and educate themselves. Check out some of the online resources below that we find valuable:
The Center for Crop Diversification has price reports, production budgets & resources, and marketing tools & tips for producers of all backgrounds and interests. The Center is a great resource for producers because they have resources for specific fruits and vegetables, as well as resources for social media, offseason marketing & customer retention, and much, much more!
Cornell University has developed a decision tree for farm food safety. The purpose of a decision tree is to help producers identify risks and practices which reduce them; prioritize using limited resources wisely; and familiarizing producers with terms and methods needed to understand and implement requirements and expectations for food safety from buyers, farm markets, school, and federal regulations. Click the tree to learn more!
Kentucky MarketMaker is an interactive eCommerce platform which provides food marketing information to food entrepreneurs (agricultural producers, buyers, processors, wholesalers, food retailers, restaurants, etc.). MarketMaker is an electronic farm directory, food marketing, and education tool providing information about products availability, affiliations, etc.
The Kentucky Small Business Development Center provides consulting and training services that help existing business owners and potential entrepreneurs succeed. The SBDC has online resources as well as one-on-one management consultations, training workshops, market research, loan packaging help, assistance with financial projections, and much more. Click the icon to visit their website!
Blue Book Services is one of the industry leading providers of credit and marketing information for the fruit and vegetable industry serving suppliers, buyers, brokers, and transporters. They provide current financial data and marketing opportunities on produce and transportation companies.
Red Book Credit Services (RBCS) provides access to the latest databases from the fresh produce industry. RBCS is an essential prospecting tool that assists in ensuring the sustainability of its subscribers.
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) is the largest foodservice trade association supporting over 500,000 restaurants. In partnership with state-based associations, they empower owners and operators to achieve their goals. They save members time, money, and headaches by helping them with issues such as protecting economic interests, sharing best practices, and aligning them with emerging trends.
The National Grocers Association (NGA) is the trade association representing retail and wholesale grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. Also represented are affiliated associations, manufacturers, and service suppliers, as well as other entrepreneurial companies. Their mission is to ensure independent, community-focused retailers and wholesalers the opportunity to succeed and better serve the customers though its policies, advocacy, programs, and services.