Respondents were asked to review a list of marketing outlets to indicate what percent of gross sales passed through these outlets. They were also given an opportunity to add to the list. Of the 141 survey respondents, 124 gave an indication of their means of marketing. Gross sales percentages were used to report the priority ranking of markets as primary or secondary.
Percent of respondents (n = 124)
34% Though a broker 24% Direct contact with consumer by roadside stand, your own store, or farmers market 19% Direct contact with retail stores 5% Direct contact with consumer by CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
Most frequently written-in primary markets were: 5% direct to processor, 2% direct to consumer such as friends or neighbors, and 2% direct to restaurants.
Ninety-three percent of those who use a broker for the primary market outlet grew agronomic crops. For 19% of survey respondents, going through a broker was their only market channel. This group of respondents was made up of nearly all field-crop producers.
Fourteen percent of survey respondents used direct contact with consumers by roadside stand, own store, or farmers market as their only market outlet.
Nearly all (91%) of the growers who use direct contact with a retail store as the primary market channel rely on additional market outlets.
Forty-seven percent of survey respondents had at least two market channels.
Percent of respondents using as a second market:
18% Direct contact with consumer by roadside stand, your own store, or farmers market 7% Direct contact with consumer by CSA 6% Direct to processor 4% Direct to consumer (friend, neighbor) 3% Sell to another farmer 2% Direct sale to restaurant 7% Use miscellaneous means of marketing (additional means include: word of mouth, produce auctions, livestock sales, conventional milk market, website, wholesale to greenhouse, local paper)
Some 13% of the survey respondents use more than two markets. For a third market, 6% use a CSA, 3% use direct sales to a restaurant, and 4% use miscellaneous means. Only one respondent indicated using a fourth market channel. In that case, it was direct sales to a restaurant.