Selling Local Food & Products

Selling Local Food & Products

Vendor selling vegetables and jellies at farmers market

Selling Local Food & Products

Unlock the potential of your local food products with our dedicated page on selling in Nebraska! Here, you’ll find valuable resources and guidance for farmers, producers, and entrepreneurs looking to connect with consumers and markets. Discover insights on navigating regulations, setting up a successful sales strategy, and utilizing platforms that promote local goods. Whether you’re a seasoned seller or just starting out, we are here to help equip you with the tools to thrive in Nebraska’s vibrant local food scene.

Top Selling Resources

How to Get Started

When you're planning to grow local foods to sell there are several steps you must take before you ever actually plant the seeds.

  • Feasibility: You must look into the feasibility of selling local foods. Do you have the time? Do you have the patience? Do you have the money?
  • Research: Research your idea thoroughly. Make sure you know exactaly what it takes to grow and care for the produce. Also look into where you can sell them and what the regulations are. Look into your competitors. Look into the market, is it a good time to enter?
  • Planning: Set up a business plan for your idea. A good marketing plan starts with the customer and then works backward to the production. Lay out everything you need, what it's going to cost and how much time it will take. Contact organizations for help as needed.
  • Analysis: Weigh the cost versus the benefits of your venture. Will the benefits of selling local foods outweigh the costs it takes to grow and package them?
  • Cost: Have you considered all the costs associated? (seeds, water, stall fees, insurance, fuel, packaging, employees/assistants and your own time)
  • Compare: Visit similar businesses or growers to get a better understanding of what it takes to sell local foods.
  • Time: Do you have time to be away from the farm or other responsibilities? Selling of local foods takes time in care, transportation, harvest, packaging and selling.
  • Relationships: Establish a relationship with consumers or retail owners BEFORE growing your product. Make sure you have a place to sell your local foods before you have produce.
  • People Person: Customers of local produce like to know the story behind the foods they buy and they want to hear it from you. Make sure you're willing to share your story and interact with the customers.
  • Future: Where do you wish to be in 5 years? Consider your objectives for the future and what goals need to be reached to get you there.

Additional Resources

Nebraska Food Code - Nebraska Department of Agriculture Bureau of Dairies and Foods

Selling to Institutions

Farm to School Nebraska Logo

Farm to School in Nebraska

Buy Fresh Buy Local® Nebraska is the state's supporting partner for Farm to School! We are actively working to get more local foods in school meals through statewide programming with the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE). Farm to school assists farmers, school food managers and school administrators to increase local nutritious food into their schools and offers educational opportunities for students about how their food is grown.

  • Nebraska's Harvest of the Month features a different Nebraska-grown vegetable or fruit each month of the school year and provides resources such as school lunch recipes, taste test guides, and promotional posters for schools to cook these vegetables for their students. Learn more on the Nebraska Harvest of the Month NDE website.
  • Nebraska Thursdays is a statewide program for schools to feature a Nebraska-sourced meal the first Thursday of every month..
  • Nebraska Farm to School Month is October. There are so many ways to celebrate Farm to School month - from participating in the Mountain Plains Crunch Off, to partnering with a local school for a farm tour. Find out more on the Nebraska Department of Education's Farm to School Month  website. 
  • Mountain Plains Crunch Off is an eight state competition (CO, KS, MO, MT, NE, ND, SD, and WY). The state with the most crunches into a local apple or other crunch-able local product per capita is crowned the champion. The Crunch Off event encourages healthy eating, supports local agriculture, and helps students and community members gain a deeper understanding of the food system.
  • Nebraska Farm to Preschool includes early childhood programs encompassing preschools, Head Starts, child care centers, and day care homes serving garden or local foods, and providing hands-on nutrition educational activities like field trips to local farms, guest speakers (farmers, gardeners, chefs, etc.), cooking with children, and gardening with children.

Farm to School Resources for Farmers

Buy Fresh Buy Local® Nebraska and the Nebraska Department of Education have created resources for Nebraska farmers interested in selling to Nebraska schools.

Selling Directly to Customers

If you are a new market farmer, direct-to-customer-retail marketing is a great way to get started. You have to be a good planner, have time and enjoy meeting and talking to people.

Farmers' Markets

Direct to the consumer through farmers' markets is the way many farmers begin selling, because of the low startup costs. Farmers' markets can provide a low risk opportunity for new farmers to: try new products, build a customer base, increase marketing methods, refine people skills and promote the business brand.

Points to Consider:

  • Tend to be seasonal
  • Farmers generally receive retail prices or higher for their products
  • Vendor startup costs can be very inexpensive
  • Collaborative selling attracts more customers
  • Have competitive price pressures from fellow vendors
  • Increase time spent away from production

Farm Stands

Customers who stop and shop at roadside stands like to see colorful plantings, neat crop gardens, healthy animals and old farm tool displays. Farm stands tend to be located on the farm, on a well-traveled road with good access/parking.

Points to Consider:

  • Can be in operation seasonally or all year depending on offered products
  • Need quality displays of produce
  • Roadside markets usually charge near retail prices
  • Clean & wash produce before selling and encourage customers to wash
  • Farm stands/markets are structures and may be subject to local building codes and highway setback regulations/signage

U-Pick Farms

Pick-Your-Own farms grow crops specifically to be harvested by customers. This type of direct sales appeals to individuals and families who want to experience "where their food comes from".

Points to Consider:

  • Priced received is often very close to retail
  • Selling your crops through u-pick farms can save you work
  • Potentially hurt your crop if customers do not know how to pick properly
  • Opportunity to educate your customers about your crops & how to handle crops correctly

CSA - Community Supported Agriculture

Community Supported Agriculture or CSA's are about creating a relationship between farmers and consumers where the bounties and risks are shared. CSA customers purchase shares for a season by paying a fee in advance and in return they receive a regular (weekly) selection of food.

Points to Consider:

  • Having cash in advance provides financial security for the producer
  • Shared risk of low production and crop failures eases strain
  • Shared benefit of food strengthens the farmer-consumer bond
  • Opportunity for consumer education about your agricultural practices

Agritourism

Agritourism appeals to customers who want to visit a farm and experience its activities. Options include: on-farm bed and breakfasts, Christmas trees, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, petting zoos, festivals, school tours and catered parties.

Points to consider:

  • Your operation can also be blended with other direct marketing techniques
  • You can charge a fee
  • Can involve other farmers in the area
  • Opportunity to educate visitors about agriculture
  • Economic potential for your rural community

Restaurants

As local restaurants are starting to cultivate relationships with farms for high quality, local food, many producers are starting to market directly to restaurants. Selling directly to restaurants eliminates steps in the market channel, which adds to your product value.

Points to Consider:

  • Eliminate the middlemen but you assume the associated costs
  • May not be able to charge full retail price
  • Restaurants may note your farm and products on their menu
  • Chefs demand the same consistent quality and service of a wholesaler from you
  • Responsible for invoicing, which must meet restaurants requirements
  • Keys to a Successful Relationship: Tools for Selling to Restaurants, Retailers, and Institutions,

Grocery Stores and Co-op

Many of our local independent grocers, indoor year round farmers' markets, health food stores and co-op stores are purchasing locally grown food.

Points to Consider:

  • Demand the same consistent quality and service of a wholesaler from you
  • Partial cases, clean produce, frequent delivery schedules, convenient ordering and expert advice. (See the restaurant section for further information.)

Home Delivery

With home delivery consumers value the convenience offered and believe the products are superior to other outlets.

  • Requires additional time, transportation costs, strong advertising, catalog and reliable delivery system
  • Consumers enjoy keeping in touch with the farmer they purchase from
  • You can combine with a CSA

Online Selling to Consumers

Online selling directly to consumers requires time, patience, technology and an user-friendly outlet. Some producers choose to sell through organizations, giving them the benefits of online selling without the hassle of managing a website. 

Points to consider:

  • Distribution system were the consumers place orders on-line
  • Membership fee
  • You set your own prices
  • Reduce your time and cost of marketing and distributing your products
  • Retain your farm identity

Additional Resources

  • Nebraska Food Cooperative Inc. - A year-round marketing and distribution service designed to improve market access for farmer producers and local food access for consumers.
  • Cottage Food Law - In 2019, Nebraska passed a bill allowing individuals to sell homemade foods already authorized for sale at farmers’ markets directly to consumers from the producer’s home, fairs, festivals, other public events or online for pick-up or delivery—all within the state of Nebraska. Nebraska producers can sell food outside of the farmers’ market season with no sales limit, as long as they are in adherence with Cottage Food Law.

Wholesale Selling

Wholesaling through a distributor gives you access to a variety of business customer and saves you time and expense in finding customers.

Points to Consider:

  • They set the price
  • You will have additional cost: product liability insurance, invoicing, additional labor, additional equipment for picking, grading, cleaning, packaging, labeling,
  • Price you receive for your product may fluctuate with the market
  • Good choice if you have limited time for face-to-face meetings
  • May not get paid immediately as in direct marketing
  • Can market large quantities at one time
  • Need to grow large quantities and guarantee the delivery of the contract