Producers Share Direct-Marketing Strategies DAVE LEFEVER Lancaster Farming Staff MIFFLINBURG (Union Co.) Producers and processors of agricultural products ranging from beef, milk, and poultry to garlic and herbs gathered on the farm of Bill Callahan north of Mifflinburg Tuesday to share ideas about how to sell their goods directly to consumers. About 20 interested agricultu ralists, from age eight and up, toured Callahan’s pasture-based beef and poultry operation. They heard Callahan detail the meth ods he is developing to sell what he calls “source-verifiable” food to the local community, includ ing the towns of Lewisburg and Mifflinburg. The meeting was one of a con tinuing series of grazing-focused events conducted in the central Susquehanna area of Union, Snyder, Northumberland, Mon tour, Columbia, and Lycoming Counties. Begun in 1994 by Columbia County extension agent Dave Hartman, the meetings primarily offer a forum to pasture-based producers of meat, milk and HDPE PLASTIC FABRICATORS for LEAK PROOF SYSTEMS WOSSKHS3'. JH&. Cross gutter systems Push-offs for free stall barns Lining of cisterns ’ Various size boxes & liners Gravity Flow gutter systems with customized to fit your barn all seams welded riy-nm low maintenance -jjjji.73 Bam ciaaa-up Call tor free estimates - we would be glad to show you operating facilities HOMESTEAD EXCAVATING CO. 151 Meckville Rd., Myerstown, PA 17067 717-933-4366 eggs, although the direct market ing topic of this meeting at tracted vegetable producers as well. Hartman is working to form a direct-marketing group for local farmers. According to a survey he conducted last year, about 20 people from the area are interest ed in a meat-marketing coopera tive. Only about half of those, however, said they would be will ing to spend time in organizing it. Hartman pointed out that a large amount of commitment is required to make such a coopera tive work. “Change is slow to come,” Hartman said. “But there is a good niche for small producers.” In a related project, Callahan raised the possiblity of a direct marketer’s map that would high light all of the farms in the area who directly sell products. Refer ring to a similar map already published in Lehigh County, Cal lahan said such a map would provide the benefit of public as sociation between producers. “(The map) would put you in a group setting,”' he said. “It would allow you to market with producers who are already mar keting.” Callahan is working with the local Chamber of Commerce to develop the poster-sized map which would be displayed in var ious public locations around the area. The map would be another tool for small-scale marketers to compete with large-scale food vendors, Callahan pointed out. “Our products are fresh in a way (the supermarket’s) will never be,” he said. The group discussed various other marketing tactics including a new producers-only market in Mifflinburg, marketing to tour ists who come to the area for va cation, as well as word-of-mouth advertising through'places of em ployment, friends and church. Callahan said that the key to his own operation is a low-input approach to producing a final product that brings a premium price. “I buy a healthy, cheap animal and raise it inexpensively,” he said. Callahan described how he purchases week-old Jersey calves directly from a dairy farmer at bargain prices prices that reflect the undesirabili ty of Jerseys in the veal market. The calves are fed milk replacer while also learning to forage in the pasture al most immediately, picking at the grass and clover that will be their sole diet from We're #7 in the #2 Business USED EQUIPMENT FOR SALE New Idea 3929 Sidekick Spreader Good condition $5OOO Knight 8030 043 mau Spreader w / lid 21 5 x 161 Tires, Excellent condition. $14,000 Houle 12'Super Pumi w/twin Nozzlei 1000 rpm &25 Loading pipe $4500 2000 Houle oie-mau 5,250 Gal. 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