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FarmToMarkets.com
Connecting Ohio Buyers and Sellers
A new venture has started in Ohio to connect agricultural
products and services with retail and wholesale buyers
and consumers. Traditional methods of direct agricultural
marketing of products and services have been either
localized or difficult to communicate to specific buyers
and consumers, particularly for Ohio grown products
and agricultural entertainment. The Ohio State University
Extension and the Ohio Direct Agricultural Marketing
Association have partnered to build an online marketplace
to connect sellers with buyers. Visit www.farmtomarkets.com
today!
An integrated network is being created to find value-added
alternatives of agriculturally grown products and other
services. Buyers who are interested in obtaining Ohio
grown products include retailers and wholesalers or
may be consumers who directly use the end product. This
marketplace integrates agricultural products, tourism
efforts, and rural community assets into a complete
market experience for the consumer.
Retail buyers are considered as grocery stores, specialty
stores, institutions, road side markets, and restaurants.
The wholesale buyers include value-added processors,
brokers, franchise stores, institutions, cooperatives,
alliances, and specialty stores. Sellers include direct
agricultural marketers of agricultural and natural resource
products at the retail and wholesale level. Products
available through the online marketplace include edible
food items, floral, beverages, entertainment, wood products,
Christmas trees, and decorations.
Partnering with other organizations will make this
project sustainable. Additional partners from the Ohio
Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Development
- Office of Tourism, Farm Bureau, and other organizations
are collaborating to emphasize and extend this online
marketplace. Together we will create a holistic online
marketplace for value-added agricultural products for
enhancing sustainable rural communities and agricultural
ventures.
Currently there is no online market in place like this
one to effectively connect buyers and sellers of agricultural
products in Ohio. This online marketplace takes on a
different approach for e-business models and will be
one of a kind integrating products across multiple venues
and introducing a comprehensive online marketplace for
consumers, retailers and buyers.
The objectives of the Farm to Markets project is to:
- Develop a comprehensive Internet decision support
system for connecting buyers and sellers of specialty
products in Ohio
- Establish an online existence for the Direct Agricultural
Marketing Association of Ohio
Farm To Markets Online Marketplace
The online marketplace is designed to provide the opportunity
for sellers of agricultural product and services in
Ohio to connect with potential buyers through the Internet.
An online market web site will be developed for businesses
seeking to sell a wide range of value-added products
and services. Sellers who are eligible to be included
in the online marketplace have to become members of
the Ohio Direct Agricultural Marketing Association and
pay a fee for registering their products and services
online.
Sellers will be required to complete an online registration
profile that will include information about their products
and services. Persons submitting information to the
database will be required to login. They will be able
to edit their profile information at any time by using
their email and password. Before the information get's
accepted to the database it will be reviewed by our
project management team within 1 to 5 working days.
Seller features available to be searched on the web
site will include contact information, product name,
quantities and times available, size, quality and/or
packing available, delivery options, distance willing
to travel for delivery, directions to facility, categorization
for certified organic/organic/non-organic, value added
features, wholesale/retail, hydroponic, on-site recreation/entertainment,
handicap accessibility, restroom information, hours
of operation, and additional comments.
Buyer features available to be searched on the web
site include contact information, buyer type, product
list description needed or preferences, typical quantities
ordered and times, size requirements, quality requirements,
packing requirements, delivery requirements, hours of
operation, UPC code needed, directions to facility,
and additional comments.
There are currently very few agriculture businesses
that have a web site. Therefore, a centralized web site
will allow each seller and entrepreneur access to existing
and potential buyers and customers. It is important
to get sellers to enter information into the profile
as soon as possible. This is important to establish
so that buyers have several options to choose from.
It will provide an opportunity show value of the e-business
system so others will be interested in contributing
to the online marketplace. Through evaluation of the
e-business site through the year we can identify particular
products and services that may warrant individual attention.
Future considerations can include an online payment
system (e-commerce shopping cart) for online purchasing.
In addition, email and wireless news alerts can be made
available for buyers for notification of specific items
in database.
The online marketplace will be sustained in the future
from Ohio Direct Agriculture Marketing Association membership
dues and online advertising.
Ohio Direct Agricultural Marketing Association
The other component to this project is the development
of the Ohio Direct Agricultural Marketing Association
web site http://www.farmtomarkets.com/dama.
This organization will have resource pages to allow
membership registration, news that is important to direct
marketers, information on current events and activities,
and additional resource materials important to business
growth and development.
Project Management Team
The project management team will be lead by Eric Barrett. The Ohio Direct Agricultural
Marketing board are also involved in the project planning
and promotion of the project. Kim Sherlock Drayer, Information Assistant, will
be responsible for maintenance and keeping
seller profiles current. Nathan Watermeier serves as
the E-Business Manager and architect for the online
marketplace and will be responsible for coordinating
IT communications, web planning, database development,
e-commerce, and maintenance.
For More Information
Eric Barrett
Advisor Ohio DAMA
Extension Educator
County Extension Director
OSU Extension, Washington County
202 Davis Avenue
Marietta, OH 45750
740-376-7431
Charla Devine
Member Ohio DAMA
672 National Road
Hebron, OH 43025
740-928-8310
Kim Sherlock Drayer
Information Assistant
FarmToMarkets.com
OSU Extension, Washington County
202 Davis Avenue
Marietta, OH 45750
740-376-7431 MWF
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