Marketing Michigan Products to Schools: A Step-By-Step Guide

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Step 1: Get Started - Farmer Self-AssessmentThe following questions are designed to help you determine your interest and ability tomarket your food products to local schools. This information is not necessarily forsharing with schools but is essential for you to know and will be helpful when you begintalking with school food service directors and/or distributors about supplying food tolocal schools and/or school districts.1. Farm Business and DescriptionHave your contact and basic farm information available in writing when you beginconversations with school food service directors, including:a. Your name and farm/business name, address, phone number, fax number,email address, and website, if applicable; a business card with thisinformation is helpfulb. What are your months of operation for production, and for marketing?c. What days and hours is your farm business open?d. What days and hours are you available?Farm Descriptione. What size is your farm? How many acres are in production? Would you bewilling to expand production to additional acreage? Would you be willing orable to adjust your crop mix on your current acreage?f. What are your full costs of production per acre, and per crop, including alllabor? What is the minimum amount in profit per crop you need to continue togrow that crop?g. Farm Products and Productioni. School food service directors are often most interested in fruits andvegetables for school meals programs, but some schools are alsointerested in purchasing specialty products for special events. Otherfarm products like apples, flowers, honey, maple syrup or pumpkinsare good for school fundraisers. What types of products do yougrow/raise?□ Fruits□ Vegetables□ Meats□ Dairy□ EggsMichigan State University • C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems • www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu10 of 47
□ Specialty Products□ Herbs□ Plants, trees□ Flowers□ Fiber Productsii.If you grow fruits and/or vegetables, please note which ones in thechart below. Which products might you be willing and able to grow andsell, if schools express interest? Remember, flexibility is key.Vegetable Currently Grow and Sell Willing to Grow and SellAsparagus Beets Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Corn Cucumbers Green Beans Greens (collards, kale, etc.) Eggplant Lettuce (Romaine, Bibb, etc.) Onions Parsnips Peas Peppers Potatoes Pumpkins Radishes Salad Greens Spinach Squash, summer(yellow, zucchini) Squash, winter(butternut, acorn, etc.) Michigan State University • C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems • www.mifarmtoschool.msu.edu11 of 47
Page 2: Michigan State University • C.S.
Page 7: Step 5: Begin Selling Your Products
Page 12 and 13: Tomatoes (cherry, slicing, etc.) T
Page 15 and 16: k. What are your requirements for p
Page 17 and 18: 3. House Packing Facility: receivin
Page 19 and 20: 5. Are baskets, totes, or other con
Page 21 and 22: Step 1: Get Started - Insurance Con
Page 23 and 24: Step 1: Get Started - School Food B
Page 25 and 26: • Utilities• Trash removal• E
Page 27 and 28: Step 2: Build Community Connections
Page 29 and 30: c. Numbers servedBreakfasts served
Page 31 and 32: Educate students about local food a
Page 33 and 34: Step 3: Prepare Marketing Packet an
Page 39 and 40: Are you available to visit school(s
Page 41 and 42: Appendix I - Buying Local: Approved
Page 43 and 44: Appendix II - School Food Programs
Page 45 and 46: Geographic Preference• Provision
Page 47: Appendix III - Sample InvoiceFarm N

Marketing Michigan Products to Schools: A Step-By-Step Guide

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