Farm to market

Fresh choices for farmers—and consumers

With skyrocketing energy costs driving up the other costs of farm operation management, families all over our territory are finding that creativity is the order of the day. It’s a time to be resourceful and dynamic—and to meet the demands of a choosier consumer, one that increasingly expects products to be “local” as well as fresh and affordable.

For many farming families, the answer to this evolving demand lies in the creative delivery of their product to the market—quickly, easily, and directly. These "farm to market" operations, where products are produced and sold on the farm or delivered directly to the consumer at a local public meeting place such as local groceries or farmers markets, are growing in number day by day. Take, for example, the rapid increase in local vineyards, an operation once overlooked almost entirely. "In Kentucky alone, there are 46 wineries," said Stacia Alford, Grape and Wine Marketing Specialist with the Kentucky Grape and Wine Council. "Compare that with zero just 15 years ago."

It's no surprise that farm to market programs are becoming so popular.  After all, they’re ideal for the seller, the buyer, and the agricultural community.  Farmers are able to pick produce at the peak of flavor.  Because locally grown produce does not travel as far to get to the table this saves mileage and marketing costs for the farmer, while allowing them to offer a fresher, tastier product. Buyers also realize this advantage and are replacing processed food with fresher, healthier products, greater variety and nutritional value, and better pricing. And farm to market operations also benefit the community by offering a link between rural and urban populations, opening the eyes of non-farming neighbors to the world of ag industry.