What is Direct Farm Marketing?

Direct farm marketing is selling food and farm products or services directly to consumers without using an intermediary.  These opportunities include roadside markets and farm stands, farmers’ markets, u-pick operations, community supported agriculture, direct sales to restaurants and stores, agritourism and education, and on-farm recreation.  These efforts attempt to establish personal contact between the people who raise the food and the people who eat or prepare the food.  The ultimate result is a shortening of the chain that brings food to the marketplace. Direct marketing sales have substantially increased during the past 10 years now exceeding $50,000,000 in Washington State. 

Direct farm marketing benefits both consumers and growers.  Those purchasing these products can usually enjoy fresher and better tasting foods and both consumers and growers typically gain economic advantages.  Farmers receive a greater share of the food dollar and consumers obtain foods that are unique in quality and features. Typically, these unique qualities are not found elsewhere in the marketplace such as heirloom varieties, pastured poultry or grassfed beef.

There is a growing interest among the public to visit or stay at farms to learn experientially what a farmer/rancher does, including crop production, livestock production and wildlife management.  These farm stays typically involve the visitor in some production work, may involve lodging and meals and will likely become a significant opportunity for small and mid-sized farms.