• USDA offers new help to expand direct marketing to consumers
   
• New nichepork.org website launching this month
   
• Niche Pork logo gives Checkoff program a “look” and identity in the marketplace
   
• National print advertising features new Niche Pork ad
   
• Michigan NichePORK Conference draws many producers and good reviews
   
• Producers: Click here to view your checkoff responsibilities or call (515) 223-2617

USDA offers new help to expand direct marketing to consumers

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will award new competitive grants to help expand opportunities for direct producer-to-consumer marketing. Authorized by the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), the grants are designed to help improve and expand domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. Entities eligible to apply include agricultural cooperatives, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers market authorities and Tribal governments. The FMPP was authorized through a recent amendment to the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976. There is approximately $1 million allocated for fiscal year 2006, with no single proposal allowed to receive more than $75,000. Applications are due May 1. For more information, go to: http://www.ams.usda.gov/tmd/MSB/index.htm

The agency also released the “Farmers Market Resource Guide,” which is a list of more than 100 grants, programs and other financial and information resources available from public and private organizations. Developed by the newly formed Farmers Market Consortium (FMC), the Guide contains information about each participating agency or foundation and gives details about more than 100 projects and grants available to help start or improve farmers markets. The FMC is a public and private partnership dedicated to helping promote farmers markets and includes the Department of Health and Human Services, the Ford Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation, the Project for Public Spaces and several farmers’ market non-profit groups. The Farmers Market Resource Guide, which will be periodically updated, is available online at http://www.ams.usda.gov. 

New nichepork.org website launching this month

Nichepork.org, the Pork Checkoff website developed to help niche producers and people looking for niche pork products make connections, has been restructured to be more user-friendly. The site now features different areas dedicated to producers & processors and to chefs & retailers. A section dedicated to consumers will be launched later in 2006. Search engines for the producer and processor databases have also been updated to be more user-friendly and a mail-order category listing has been added. If you’re part of the nichepork.org databases be sure to revisit your listing and call the National Pork Board at 1-800-456-PORK if you’d like to make any changes or updates.

New Niche Pork logo gives Checkoff program a “look” and identity in the marketplace

To support an established look and identify in the marketplace for the Niche Pork Checkoff program, a logo was developed. The logo tagline “Find What You’re Looking For” captures the spirit of this Checkoff program to help make sure pork doesn’t lose ground to other niche proteins among customers who are “looking for something different”. The new logo will be used in all Niche Pork Checkoff marketing support among the target audiences of producers, processors, chefs, retailers and consumers.


National print advertising features the new Niche Pork ad – “To A Great Find”

Starting in April, a new Niche Pork ad will start running in the premiere national print publications targeting executive chefs, chefs and owners throughout 2006. The 2006 schedule will feature a new ad, “To A Great Find”, based on the idea of producers and chefs working together to supply pork with the special attributes their customers appreciate. The ad directs chefs to the new nichepork.org website to find out more. Click here to view a pdf of the ad.

Michigan NichePORK Conference draws many producers and good reviews

Eighty pork producers attended a Niche Pork Producer Conference on February 17 in Kalamazoo, Michigan despite the challenging weather. Producers had the opportunity to hear from nearly 20 different speakers including producers and other industry experts on niche-related topics such as:

• Defining and Serving a Niche Market
• Importance to Consumers of Certain Niche Attributes
• Marketing Your Niche Product
• Niche Production Practices
• Getting Started in Niche Pork

In evaluations completed by attendees, the conference was rated 4.4 out of 5.0 for overall quality. Speaker presentations are being posted on nichepork.org. The conference was brought to producers by Michigan State University Extension and the National Pork Board through the Pork Checkoff with sponsorship by the Michigan Pork Producers Association, MIFFS (Michigan Integrated Food and Farming Systems) and NSR Commercial Solutions.

Producers: Click here to view your checkoff responsibilities or call (515) 223-2617