As the growing season gets underway, farmers across the Carolinas are tilling fields, tucking seeds into the soil, and gearing up to sell the harvest.

Just as each season brings a new set of obstacles and opportunities on a farm, so, too, does the ever-changing nature of marketing what you grow. As many of you are far too aware, it is becoming increasingly challenging to make a living direct marketing – farmers’ markets have multi-year waiting lists, CSA members are in short supply, and roadside stands just don’t bring in enough to keep up with operating costs. As lack of direct marketing access becomes an increasingly significant barrier to small farmers, a new opportunity is emerging: wholesale.

The demand for local foods and strong local economies is growing quickly and it is precisely this demand that is opening doors in the most unlikely places. Major grocery store chains that once only purchased by the semi-truck load from aggregators are beginning to buy direct from individual farmers. Hospitals, prisons, and public schools are beginning to earmark funds for local produce purchasing. Corporate cafeterias are featuring local farms on their daily lunch menu.

There is much for farmers to learn about navigating the wholesale marketplace and CFSA is working hard to bring farmers the resources they need to meet the demand.

On that note, we’re excited to share with you our new service: Building Wholesale Capacity. This consulting service will be led by Sarah Bostick, CFSA’s newest Farm Services member. While we go further in depth in introducing Sarah below, we cannot help but share that with 15 years of organic farming and marketing experience, we feel like she is just the resource needed to bridge this gap for our members. Part of Sarah’s new service will include workshops on Post-Harvest Handling Infrastructure and Building Wholesale Capacity (dates and locations coming to the Events page soon!).

Karen McSwain, CFSA’s Director of Farm Services and Food Systems