Missouri Alternatives Center's Bimonthly Electronic Newsletter 800-433-3704 "AG OPPORTUNITIES" July-August 2000 (Vol 11 No 1) * Small Farms * New Family Farms * Agricultural Alternatives How to Conduct Research on Your Farm or Ranch (Reprinted with permission from USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Network) (This is the last in a four set series.) Other Types of Research More and more, producers seeking better returns opt for alternative marketing strategies. But before launching a potentially expensive, ill-fated new enterprise, conduct market research to determine whether your new idea might fly. "Use market research to reduce the risk," says Jenny Warden, an independent marketing consultant in Virginia who has worked with farmers. "Figuring out how many units you can sell is 90 percent of launching a new product. The huge questions in any new business are: 'How many can I sell, at what price and how fast?' " Consider the following steps when conducting market research: Market analysis. Take advantage of what others have learned. Contact other producers who specialize in your product, publicly held companies that post earnings statements and government agencies. Search libraries for books, reports and journals. Contact agricultural extension offices, and search on the Internet. Be precise about the question you want to answer. The narrower your question (What cut of beef would sell best at a farmers market?), the more efficiently your research can answer it. Conduct quantitative research, such as surveys, which will offer information about projecting your sample responses to a larger population. Surveys help you determine how many people will buy your product and how much they will pay. Conduct qualitative research, such as focus groups and in-depth interviews. In-depth discussions help you determine the underlying reasons behind consumer choices, such as a preference for dried herb arrangements around the winter holidays. Resources for On-Farm Research On-Farm Research Bulletins & Reports: A Farmer's Guide to On-Farm Research by Rhonda Janke, Dick Thomspon, Ken McNamara and Craig Cramer. A step-by-step guide to conducting on-farm research, using real-life examples from Dick Thompson's Iowa farm. Rodale Book Store, 800-832-6285. AGSTATS. A statistics program for simple field trials for IBM compatible computers. Send disk and return mailer, or check for $5 to Oregon State University, addressed to Russ Karow, Crop Science Building 131, OSU, Corvallis, OR 97331. Alternative Approaches to On-Farm Research and Technology Exchange, Vol. III, by Charles Francis, Rhonda Janke, Victoria Mundy and James King, eds. This compendium presents seven papers from a 1995 symposium on alternative research approaches as well as 14 other papers on the subject. $10. From CSAS, 402-472-0917. Establishing On-Farm Demonstration and Research Plots, by John L. Havlin, John P. Shroyer and Daniel L. Devlin, Kansas State University Cooperative Extension. This eight-page report suggests guidelines for establishing on-farm demonstration or research plots, recording site characteristics and observations and evaluating results. Less than $1, plus tax and shipping. Order from KSU Department of Ag Communications, 785-532-1150 or view on the web at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/crpsl2/ On-Farm Testing: A Grower's Guide, EB1706. by B. Miller, E. Adams, P. Peterson, and R. Karow, Washington State University Cooperative Extension. A guide to designing and carrying out on-farm research, including forms for record-keeping. $1. From WSU Cooperative Extension Bulletin Office 509-335-2857 or view it on the web at http://pnwsteep.wsu.edu/OFT/oftman.html On-Farm Trials for Farmers Using the Randomized Complete Block Design by Phil Rzewnicki. Bulletin walks you through design and analysis in farmers' language, with calculations that can be done with a calculator. $2. Call IANR Communications and Computing Services, 402-472-2821. On-Farm Research Guidebook, by Dan Anderson, Dept of Ag Economics, University of Illinois. This handbook explains basic research principles and sets forth easy-to-use guidelines for conducting simple on-farm experiments. Free. Contact Dan Anderson at 217-333-1588; aslan@uiuc.edu The Paired Comparison: A Good Design for Farmer-Managed Trials, by Rick Exner and Dick Thompson, Practical Farmers of Iowa. This seven-page paper offers specifics about how to conduct a paired-comparison cropping trial, featuring real-life examples and worksheets. Free. Call Rick Exner, 515-294-5486; dnexner@iastate.edu Planning and Conducting On-Farm Agronomic Demonstrations and Research, by Phil Ryzniecki. An overview of how to site and set up on-farm research or demonstration studies in the field, including a worksheet to track applications. Free. Contact Marvin Hall, 814-863-1019. Seeing is Believing: Encouraging Change Through On-farm Demonstrations, by the Nutrient and Pest Management (NPM) program, University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension and UW-Madison, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. This 75-page guidebook focuses on creating successful on-farm demonstrations, which provide a wider forum for your research results. Free from NPM, 608-265-2660. Market Research Resources: How to Do Low-Cost Market Research, by David Frigstad. This how-to book explains the importance of market research to the entrepreneur as well as the established business owner. $19.95. Contact The Oasis Press (www.psi-research.com/kymk.htm); psi2@magick.net Successful Marketing Research: The Complete Guide to Getting and Using Essential Information About Your Customers and Competitors, by Edward L. Hester. A complete guide to getting and using essential information about customers and competitors. Aimed at both potential and established small business owners. $19.95. Contact John Wiley & Sons, 800-225-5945. Farmer/Researcher Networks Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO). AERO, a grassroots membership organization dedicated to sustainable resource use and rural vitality, helps organize farm improvement clubs, groups of farmers and ranchers interested in exploring sustainable techniques and alternative crops. Call 406-443-7272; aero@aeromt.org The Innovative Farmers of Ohio (IFO). Since 1994, IFO members have conducted on-farm trials and field days and helped other producers interested in running experiments on their farms. They work in collaboration with Ohio State University researchers in farm systems studies. Call Jeff Dickinson, 614-363-2548. Practical Farmers of Iowa. A 600-member organization founded in 1985, PFI is dedicated to sharing information that supports farmers, their environment, and their communities. PFI's on-farm research network has carried out approximately 400 replicated trials. Call 515-432-1560. http://www.agron.iastate.edu/pfi/ Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA (RAFI-USA). Based in North Carolina, RAFI-USA addresses equity, diversity and sustainability in agriculture and rural communities. Peanut and tobacco farmer networks are working to develop more sustainable production methods. Call 919-361-1844; smarlow@rafiusa.org Nebraska Soybean & Feed Grains Profitability Project. Works with farmers in eastern Nebraska to help them conduct on-farm research and publish their results. Call 402-624-8030. New Marketing Opportunity for Fruit and Vegetable Growers University Outreach and Extension has developed a database of Missouri fruit and vegetable growers that is available on the AgEBB World Wide Web page. This new marketing tool will allow potential buyers to search for Missouri growers who produce specific crops. They will be able to limit their search to a specific region of the state, if the crop is organically or conventionally produced, the marketing method, and other parameters. A list of fruit and vegetable producers will then be generated which meets the search criteria that the purchaser is looking for. The grower's name, address, phone number, and e-mail address (not required) will be shown. It also will show how the grower markets his crop: wholesale, u-pick, roadside stands, farmer's markets, mail order, etc. There will be no charge to be listed in this database. If you are interested in having your farm included in this new marketing tool, please contact the University Outreach and Extension person in your region listed below. You will be sent an application. Northwest Region Keith Hawxby St. Joseph 816-279-1691 hawxbyk@missouri.edu Northeast Region Polly Kaufmann Kirksville 660-665-9866 kaufmannp@missouri.edu Central Region Tim Schnakenberg Versailles 573-378-5358 schnakenbergc@missouri.edu West Central Region Tom Fowler Platte City 816-858-2165 fowlert@missouri.edu East Central Region Scott Killpack St. Charles 314-970-3000 killpacs@missouri.edu Southwest Region Gaylord Moore Springfield 417-862-9284 moore@missouri.edu South Central Region Allan Boesch Rolla 573-364-3147 boescha@missouri.edu Southeast Region Tim Baker Kennett 573-888-4722 bakert@missouri.edu Grocery store successfully aims IPM messages at consumers How do you convince consumers to purchase IPM-labeled products? The success of the Rochester, New York-based Wegmans Food Markets over the last five years shows it's a combination of understanding consumer attitudes and the marketing approach you take. William Pool, Wegmans' agricultural production and research manager, told attendees at the recent Adding Value Through Environmental Marketing conference in Madison, WI that consumers present certain barriers to success. "They won't switch stores for IPM or organic (products)," Pool says. In addition, many consumers aren't familiar with IPM and have "no connection to agriculture. You need to give consumers reasons to care." Among consumers' common perceptions are that all fruits and vegetables are "loaded with chemicals" such as pesticides and herbicides, Pool says. Another common perception is that imported foods are grown to lower standards than domestic foods. Five years ago, Wegmans began an extensive IPM education campaign for its customers. The campaign has included brochures, signs, an in-store video, television spots, and newspaper ads. The idea behind the consumer education pieces is to relay simple messages that reinforce the attributes of IPM and "give consumers a connection to agriculture," Pool says. Here are two examples of the messages Wegmans has used in its consumer education campaign. Both accompany the statement that IPM is "a sustainable approach to farming that minimizes the amount of chemicals growers apply to their land." Selective Spraying If a spray is applied, IPM growers... • Scientifically determine the best time to spray. • Calibrate equipment for precise applications. • Spray in weather conditions that minimize drift. Quality Soil and Plants To minimize chemical applications, IPM growers... • Plant insect- and disease-resistant varieties. • Test soils before adding fertilizer. • Rotate crops. Wegmans' efforts have paid off. What began with the marketing of IPM-labeled fresh market sweet corn in one store five years ago has grown to the point where Wegmans now provides its customers with IPM-grown fresh market sweet corn in most of its 59 stores. The supermarket also offers IPM-labeled sweet cherries in half of its stores, and asparagus and greenhouse tomatoes in its Rochester market. (Reprinted with permission from IPM Solutions, http://www.ipmalmanac.com) *** In the News *** The USDA's North Central Region (NCR) Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program is calling for collaborative teams of researchers, educators, farmers and others to apply for competitive grants to study or educate others about environmentally benign agricultural systems that are profitable and supportive of local communities. The initiative will be outlined in a July 14 Call for Preproposals, emphasizing potential impact and outcomes of 2001 projects. Applications are available July 14, 2000. Call 402-472-7081, or ncrsare@unl.edu. The Call for Preproposals can be found at www.sare.org/ncrsare on July 14. Preproposals are due on Sept 8, 2000. The Administrative Council will invite project coordinators to develop preproposals into full proposals in Dec 2000; selected full proposals will be recommended for funding in May 2001. Funds will be available in the fall of 2001 to begin project work. Certified organic cropland more than doubled from 1992 to 1997, with two organic livestock sectors-eggs and dairy-growing even faster, according to a new report on US organic agriculture by the USDA's Economic Research Service. Organic farming became one of the fastest growing segments of US agriculture during the 1990s, the report said. But the overall adoption level is still small: only about 0.2 percent of all US cropland was certified organic in 1997. About 0.1 percent of the top US field crops-corn and soybeans-were grown under certified organic farming systems, the report found. However, about 2 percent of top fruit and vegetable crop acreage-apples, carrots, lettuce, and grapes-was managed organically in 1997. Farmers in 49 states dedicated 1.3 million acres of farmland to organic production in 1997. Two-thirds of the farmland was used for growing crops, with the top-producing states being ID, CA, ND, MT, MN, WI, CO, and IA. CO and AK had the largest amount of organic pasture and rangeland. The USDA report is available on the Internet at http://www.ers.usda.gov/whatsnew/issues/organic/. US garlic use has soared, hitting a record-high 3.1 pounds per person in 1999, three times the level in 1989. Despite impressive growth for vegetables such as broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots, no other vegetable has experienced stronger growth in demand over the past 10 years. The strong surge in use during the 1990s likely reflects: rising popularity of ethnic foods and restaurants, persistent publicity about the health benefits of garlic, and demand from the health supplements industry. Vigorous demand has resulted in a doubling of US garlic production over each of the last two decades. Output was record large in 1999, and wholesale garlic prices this spring are a third lower than a year earlier. Farm value of the US garlic crop is about $200 million. *** In Print *** *The Market Farming List* market-farming@franklin.oit.unc.edu is a mailing list/newsgroup/webforum for networking among farmers of small acreage whose primary marketing outlets are consumer-direct and local. *CSA-List* Details on subscribing can be found at http://www.prairienet.org/pcsa/CSA-L. Send message to "listproc@prairienet.org" with "subscribe CSA-L Firstname Lastname" in the message. Put your first and last names in place of Firstname and Lastname and omit the quotes. Leave the subject line blank. *Organic View* - An e-mail publication of the Organic Consumers Assn. The Organic Consumers Assn is affiliated with the Bio-Democracy Campaign. To subscribe to Bio-Democracy, a free email publication on genetic engineering and other adverse effects of industrial agriculture, go to: http://www.purefood.org *New CSA List* Posting address for list: csa@franklin.oit.unc.edu This is a mailing list/newsgroup/webforum for networking among farmers involved in operating a CSA. *Organic Growing Newsgroup* organicgrowing@egroups.com To post a message, send to: organicgrowing@eGroups.com. *Aquaponics* mail group is an open list specifically for aquaponics - the combined systems of aquaculture and hydroponics. The list is a general information exchange forum of folks who share a common interest in aquaponics and related subjects. Subscription information is: Send a message to aquaponics-request@townsqr.com In the body type SUBSCRIBE *Dairy Creamery list* For persons interested in traditional, grass based dairy farms that have small herds of cows/goats/sheep, and for persons interested in small-scale dairy processing facilities that are pasteurizing and bottling milk, and making value added dairy products such as sweet and sour cream, soft and hard cheese, yogurt, butter, and ice cream, and who are selling direct from their farm or within a region. We feel we are distinctly different from existing Dairy discussion groups because of our emphasis on small-scale, grass based, value-added and direct marketing. Anyone can subscribe or unsubscribe by going to dairycreamery@onelist.com. *** On the Calendar *** July 11-12-Special Grazing Workshop for Veterinarians. Call 573-882-7848. July 11-13-Grant Writing Workshop II, Springfield, MO. Call Southwest RC&D, 417-732-6485. July 29-Aug 6-Ozark Empire Fair, Springfield, MO. Call 417-833-2660. July 30-Aug 1-MO Landscape & Nursery Assn Summer Meeting & Trade Show, Kansas City, MO. Call 816-233-1481. Aug 4-6-Strawbale Construction Workshop, Rutledge, MO. Call 660-883-5511. Aug 8-10-Grant Writing Workshop III, Springfield, MO. Call Southwest RC&D, 417-732-6485. Aug 10-20-MO State Fair, Sedalia, MO. Aug 20-24-American Fisheries Society 130th Annual Meeting, St Louis, MO. 573-526-6666. Aug 28-29-Alternative Agriculture Expo, Sioux City, IA. Call 712-546-8858. Aug 31-Sept 1-Fiber Expo, Bethel, MO. Call 573-681-5551. Sept-MO Women in Agriculture Conference, Hannibal, MO. Call 660-327-4117 x 3. Sept 2-3-Strawbale Construction Workshop, Rutledge, MO. Call 660-883-5511. Sept 8-10-American Ginseng Production in the 21st Century, Leeds, NY. Call 518-622-9820. Sept 9-Third Annual Goat Marketing Conference, Marshfield, MO. Call 573-681-5554. Sept 19-21-Advanced Grazing School, Forage Research Center, Linneus, MO. Call 573-499-0886. Sept 22-24-Strawbale Construction Workshop, Rutledge, MO. Call 660-883-5511. Sept 28-30-US Trout Farmers Assn Conference and Trade Show, Branson, MO. Call 573-526-6666. Oct 4-6-3rd Annual Ag Fiber Technology Showcase, Memphis, TN. Email fiber@nettn.net Oct 6-8-Ozark Fall Farmfest, Springfield, MO. Call 417-833-2660. Oct 13-14-MO State Beekeepers Assn Conference, Lake Ozark, MO. Call 314-398-5014. Oct 10-12-Three Day Beginning Grazing School, Forage Research Center, Linneus, MO. Call 573-499-0886. Oct 19-20-Eco-labels Conference, Portland, OR. Call 206-524-5302. Oct 20-21-Alternative and Herbal Livestock Health Conference, Storrs, CT. Call 860-486-6271; ssyme@canr.uconn.edu. Dec 10-12-MO Governor's Conference on Agriculture, Tan-Tar-A, MO. Call 573-751-5622. Jan 5-6-Great Plains Vegetable Conference, St Joseph, MO. Call 816-279-1691. Feb 4-6-Midwest Regional Grape & Wine Conference. Call 800-392-WINE. Feb 19-21-MO Small Fruit Conference, Springfield, MO. Call 417-926-4105. Farm Tours at MU Research Centers Aug 3-Greenley Research Center, Novelty Aug 22-Graves Memorial Experiment Center, Corning Aug 31-Delta Center, Portageville Sept 6-Thompson Farm, Spickard Sept 7-Hundley-Whaley Farm, Albany Sept 8-Southwest Research Center, Mount Vernon Sept 15-Wurdack Farm, Cook Station Sept 28-Forage Systems Research Center, (FSRC), Pasture Day, Linneus University Outreach and Extension does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran in employment or programs.