.
Alberta Agriculture’s Farm Direct Marketing Initiative team focuses on planning programs and services to meet the needs of Alberta farm direct marketers. To do this, the team required baseline data about the farm direct marketing industry. This report outlines the findings of a telephone survey and the recommendations resulting from those findings. The purpose of the survey was to:

Develop a profile of farm direct marketers in Alberta.
Determine the types of products sold in Alberta through farm direct marketing channels.
Identify the types of farm direct marketing channels used in Alberta.
Determine an approximate value of the Alberta farm direct marketing industry.

Because it is so difficult to identify farm direct marketers, the findings from the telephone survey cannot be generalized or transferred outside of the survey sample of 299 Alberta farm direct marketers. The results do, however, provide some interesting findings related to the survey respondents and some insight and guidance for future research.

Profile of farm direct marketers in the survey
Farm direct marketers in the survey sample tended to be first generation producers between the ages of 36 and 55 years. Most had been selling their product through farm direct marketing channels for two to five years. Motivation for farm direct marketing was direct consumer contact, additional income, and enjoyment or recreation. Most farm direct marketing operations are owned by one or two people and have some paid employees.

Types of products sold through farm direct marketing channels
Products most commonly sold through farm direct marketing channels were fresh produce, value-added product, and meat combined with value-added products. Meat was the highest income product followed by produce and value-added products. The high number of respondents reporting meat along with value-added meat products seems to indicate that this commodity is perhaps one of the most established in Alberta’s farm direct marketing industry.

Types of farm direct marketing channels used
The findings indicate that on-farm direct marketing is most prevalent among the respondents. On-farm marketing includes such channels as farm stores, stands, U-pick, and consumers going to the farm to make their purchases. The findings also indicate that although many farm direct marketers offer activities and services, these are not offered as a source of income. The literature indicates that farm direct marketers often use events to attract customers to their farm in order to sell other products.

Value of farm direct marketing in Alberta
It is very difficult to estimate the value of the farm direct marketing industry in Alberta using only the findings from this survey. The sample was limited, results cannot be generalized or transferred, and the income information gathered was not specific enough. Respondents are generally very hesitant to divulge financial information that would lead to specific conclusions about profits.

Most respondents reported their gross farm direct income as under $10,000. This finding seemed to confirm that motivation for farm direct marketing is to provide additional income. With increased number of years in farm direct marketing, income was reported to increase. It appears that many farm direct marketers are planning to expand, which could indicate that they are positive about the results they are getting from these marketing channels.

For more information
To view a .pdf version of the entire survey report, click here (1058 KB).

If you are a farm direct marketer and would be willing to participate in future research, please provide your name, address, phone number and e-mail to Lisa Sharp.

Alberta Farm Direct Marketing Research Report

The contents of this page are no longer available.

For more information about the content of this document, contact Kerry Engel.
This information published to the web on August 27, 2003.
Last Reviewed/Revised on May 25, 2007.