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  • From: "mtlivestock" <crublee AT libby.org>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] RE: farm club/formerly: livestock sales-VERY LONG!
  • Date: Mon, 10 May 2004 21:19:20 -0600

Hello everyone! I had no idea my post would generate so much interest! I
did try to reply to a few of the emails directly. Most of the information I
felt was best posted once below. If you have further questions, please do
not hesitate to ask.

And I do want to say a quick hello to Mimi!


I attempted to send a pic of our club booth from July 4, 2003. I hope it
sends okay! The t-shirts were raffled off for FREE to get people into the
booth.

Let me say this first:
I do not believe I formed my club "in the right way". I think there are
smarter ways to form a club. I did it totally out of frustration for lack
of something USEFUL in my area. I would love to have done it different-with
more money and input-but I am not one to wait until the conditions are
"ideal" to start something!

I am including the Marketing Plan I formulated for the club. The "Target
Market" is included to give you are an idea of our market. Our club members
are direct sellers of livestock, feed, and agricultural services. Those with
other outlets beyond direct sales will have a different target market. I
did not include the demographics of our sales area, but I highly suggest
starting with a clear picture of your local population if you want to direct
sell locally.

I started by seeking all current opportunities/clubs for farmers and
ranchers. NONE! I then built a marketing plan by researching the
demographics if the area. I also interviewed past presidents/members of
clubs/organizations no longer in existence to determined why those did not
survive.

I learned a great deal about the farmers and ranchers in our area. I stuck
my neck out a few too many times and had to duck the laughter a few times.
I even had to tolerate the local extension agent (at that time) tell me
there was NO farmers in our town! Thank goodness his secretary pulled me
aside as I was leaving with my head held low. How did I get it so wrong?
She set me straight. And she gave me contacts, support, and much needed
encouragement.

The club offers a monthly newsletter. It is our least priority and is not
always monthly. I sometimes combine months to save on postage or because I
simply run out of time! The newsletter is a great communication tool. I am
giving more priority than in the past. It is needed but so expensive! I
don't think the average person knows the time and money that goes into six
to eight pages of text, graphics, photos, and charts. One note of advice: I
tried to send newsletter every other month. Less time for me, and less
costs for the club. It didn't work. Members want that monthly contact. I
think growers may be more open to seasonal newsletters, but we have only two
grower members at this time.

We advertise in local and regional papers. I also advertise on the Internet
on yahoo group lists and at various farm classified websites (free). We
also send mailings four to six times each year. The mailings may be
postcards, letters, or flyers depending upon the time of year and items for
sale by members.

The website is useful, but it is time-consuming. I do a free one on
geocities. I am trying to promote it more in the area. It works well to
create repeat buying.

I am the contact person for the club. This helps to get repeat and multiple
sales. People don't need to remember the farmer they bought the cow or
where berries can be purchased locally. They only need to call the club
contact. She has the names and phone numbers! And I answer any questions.
How much will a cow yield in meat? How should I choose a feeder? What do I
feed my geese? etc, etc, etc.

The club emphasis is on local education of buying local. It is imperative
the local residents get in the habit of buying local. And the club must
inform the public on the who, what, where, how, and why. I take this as a
very serious responsibility as the representative of our club.

If you are seeking a totally volunteer group, it may not fly. People just
don't want to get involved. Farmers are independent, and any successful
club must allow members to remain independent. This allows each to set
their own prices and actually cuts down on competition. I have always
strived for members to find niches or form alliances instead of competing.
Only the buyers win where there is competition among the farmers.

I just got back as someone just stopped by looking for feeders, Hamburg cow,
and what else do we do? Yes, we did the whole discussion on all items and
services available in the area. The gentleman had called last week. He
just came from the member up the road. He went home to call two other
members about their feeders. One contact also sells grain, so he will check
about grain for fattening the feeders. Oh, he will need the slaughter guy
(my husband and member) to take care of those feeders this fall. And a
whole lot more was discussed.

Well, I hope I have got some folks started thinking about this. It is a
great deal of work. No direct profit for me. In fact, I chip in a bit (and
pay the yearly fee). But our farm business has grown. My husband's
business has found many new clients through the club. It works for us, and
our members. Would I like to do more? SURE! Would I like to have less
work? SURE! Would I stop tomorrow if I could find someone as equally
passionate to continue? SURE, YOU BET! Would I decide to quit in the near
future? NO! I believe in the club and will continue as long as we have
members!

I will happily answer specific questions. Please visit our website or feel
free to join my list, Montana Livestock and Feed. (Okay if you are outside
of area.)

Club Marketing Plan
1.. Build Awareness. Inform public of the club's potential to provide
items for their freezer, their backyard, their pasture/land, and their
table.
2.. Assess Consumer Needs. Use test marketing and other measurable
methods to learn the needs and desires of local consumers.
3.. Build Partnerships. Coordinate farmers to meet the demands of
consumers.
4.. Reinforcement of Buy Local Message. Advertising and events will
reinforce the national movement to "buy local". The club will capitalize on
existing advertising in state and national media.
5.. Create Local Buying Changes. Urge local consumers to change their
buying habits toward buying local, at least some of the time.
6.. Accept What The Club Cannot Change. The United States food system,
for all its problems, is not going to be changed overnight or to become
completely localized.
Our club Target Market:
1.. Consumers unwilling to try local goods.
2.. Consumers willing to buy local goods but have never purchased local
farm goods.
3.. Consumers currently buying local goods but are not buying on a
consistent basis.
4.. Do-It-Yourself customers. These are consumers which do not see
themselves as farmers but purchase farming supplies such as hay, feed,
feeders, weaners, and other livestock. This group often needs services such
as custom feeding, slaughtering, and processing.
5.. Backyarders. These consumers raise limited livestock for their own
use or wish they could. These potential customers wish to build
relationships within the local agricultural community but feel they are not
welcomed because they are not "true farmers".
Conclusion:

Our strength is in the honest business men and women of our club. The
strive to conduct business fairly. It reflects well on the entire club.



Our weakness is our diversity. We try to make it a strength, but it is
difficult to advertise to many types of buyers. Feeders (for farmers); eggs
(for city-dwellers); horses (ranchers); feed (for backyarders-weekend
farmers & farmers/ranchers) may all need to be listed in an ad to be fair.
Writing an ad to attract a rancher for quality bulls and a city dweller for
her first buy of pastured poultry is tough!!!!!





Christina
Farmers' Exchange Club
http://www.geocities.com/mtlivestock/index.html

Group name: montanalivestockandfeed
Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/montanalivestockandfeed
Group email address: montanalivestockandfeed AT yahoogroups.com







  • [Market-farming] RE: farm club/formerly: livestock sales-VERY LONG!, mtlivestock, 05/10/2004

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