MDA Marketing Update – 2009 promotions MDA Farmers Market Conference March 12, 2009 Mark S. Powell Chief, Marketing

Trends  Locavore  Know the farmer, food safety concerns  Michael Pollan  U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack planting a garden  Schaefer Study 2009

2009 Schaefer study

Local, know the farmer Leopold Center study, Sept. 2008http://

Local, know the farmer Leopold Center, Sept. 2008

Maryland’s Best  … is growing, improving  March 2008 – March 2009 up 460 percent!  December 2007 – 554 distinct visitors  December 2008 – 2,845 distinct visitors  Almost 30,000 Marylanders have viewed 180,000 pages on the Web site since measuring started in the fall of 2007 Maryland’s Best Web site is connecting consumers with buyers, telling farmers stories

Farmer profiles tml

2009 Advertising & Promotions  Monthly promotions on WYPR, WAMU, WSCL and WVPM (Western Md.)  Maryland Life magazine, Edible Chesapeake  Maryland Public Television  Facebook, Google  Trade press – The Packer, Produce news

2009 Advertising & Promotions

2009 Promotions by Month  January/February – CSAs  March – Maryland meat, nutrition month  April – Maryland wine  May/June – Farmers’ markets, milk, vacation routes  July/August – Buy local challenge, watermelons, farmers markets  September -- Apples, farm to school  October/November – Ag tourism, turkeys  December – Christmas trees

Press Releases & Media  Regular press releases from MDA key part of promotions  Events including Buy Local Challenge  In July, will host chefs, food buyers at a picnic  Food writers & chefs are being recruited for a tour of MD farms to promote local, local, local this summer

Ideas!  Always welcome. We want to help you promote your farmers markets. Amy Crone, Farmers’ Markets Marketing Specialist, Kate Mason, Maryland’s Best Marketing Specialist, Jane Storrs, National Marketing Director, Mark Powell, Chief of Marketing,