Distribution & Marketing

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What We Do

Distribution covers all of the activities needed to get a final product to the consumer. Marketing includes identifying your product offerings, setting prices, determining the places to sell your products and promotion of your business. Together, distribution and market are essential parts of the overall food system. NERFSI works closely with producers to assist with marketing best practices and developing new market opportunities, like Nebraska MarketMaker, farm to institution efforts and direct-to-consumer outlets like farmers markets.

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Farm to School

Nebraska Extension’s Regional Food System Initiative (NERFSI) and the Food, Nutrition and Health (FNH) team are excited to announce our recently awarded USDA Farm to School grant. In partnership with the Nebraska Department of Education, this grant is intended to increase capacity within Extension to engage in farm to school programming with schools and communities across the state. This project will create opportunities for collaboration across Extension programs. Extension professionals across the system are already bringing value to communities by engaging with local school stakeholders and we want to add to those existing efforts.

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map of Nebraska markets, vendors, and producers

MarketMaker

MarketMaker is a database featuring a diverse community of food-related businesses: buyers, farmers/ranchers, fisheries, farmers markets, processors/packers, wineries, restaurants and more. MarketMaker provides simple yet powerful search tools to connect with others across the production and distribution chain.

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Farmers Market Resources

Each of us is a cultivator with the ability to make our town thrive, and one of our most powerful roots is in our farmers market. Whether it’s a pickup loaded with corn or tents full of jams and jewelry, our market only grows if we go. And when it grows, so does our economy, our companionship and our community. Farmers’ markets are a lot more than buying and selling produce, foods, and crafts. It is a time to catch up with neighbors, friends, and your favorite vendors.

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Resources

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Buy Fresh Buy Local

Buy Fresh Buy Local® Nebraska (BFBLN) is a member-based marketing, promotion, and education program. BFBLN focuses on supporting farmers, ranchers and producers to increase their knowledge of food safety regulations and increase their market share in both rural and underserved urban communities, thus developing a sustainable food system that nurtures resilient relationships across the local food supply chain.

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Choose Healthy Here

Choose Healthy Here (CHH) promotes local business and community health through smart marketing, nutrition education and careful evaluation. CHH increases both the supply and demand of healthful foods while decreasing the demand and supply of less healthful foods in Nebraska communities.

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Nebraska Cooperative Development Center

The Nebraska Cooperative Development Center (NCDC) is Nebraska’s center for cooperative based business development. NCDC provides education, training, and technical assistance for all types of business enterprises.

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Partnerships