Farm and Food Business
Keeping ag entrepreneurs, farmers, and business owners informed about business marketing, economics, and emerging industry issues; and providing the tools needed for growing successful businesses.
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How Do We Meet Consumer Food Expectations and Demands?
May 9, 2013
by John Berry, Extension Educator, Lehigh County
As I explore conditions with which "my" direct-to-consumer farm marketer clients manage their enterprises, the most frequently noted comments center on understanding the changing and apparently flexible nature of consumer expectations. Sometimes, we expect our buyer to think and act similar to ourselves. Often, they do not.
Looking at recent
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Real-Time Monitoring of Your Farm Equipment
May 3, 2013
Farmers rely on their equipment everyday to run their farms. It's imperative to have good data on how each piece of equipment is used and how much it costs to operate in order to optimize machinery to it's fullest potential (read more about machinery optimization in my past post).
To collect data in real-time, AgCo has developed AgCommand, a device that collects data about a specific piece of
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Finding Local Foods on Your Next Road Trip
April 25, 2013
As you're driving down the highway on your next road trip, take a look at the signs advertising what food options are available at the next exit. Almost all of the food options are fast food. Obviously, fast food is convenient and predictable, but what if you want to eat something different?
SHFT, a multi-media platform company, recently released a smart phone app called Food Tripping to help
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US Ag Exports at an All Time High
April 18, 2013
Last week, the USDA released some wonderful news about agricultural exports. From fiscal years 2009 to 2012, $478 billion in US ag products were exported, the highest 4 years in history. Even better, 2013 is expected to break this record.
In a blog post by the USDA, these record-breaking sales were highlighted with a few examples. 2012 was the first year ever for China to reach an agreement
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Is Smartphone Usage Hurting Retailer Sales?
April 11, 2013
For those who own smartphones, you know how easily you can use one to compare prices. This practice, known as "showrooming", is great for customers' wallets, but hurting sales at brick and mortar stores. A store in Australia specializing in gluten-free items has taken a rather extreme measure to prevent showrooming. The store is charging anyone who comes in the store a $5 "just browsing" fee,
