Farm to Grocery Toolkit: Opening New Farm to Grocery Market Channels to Help Increase Access to Minnesota Specialty Crops and Local Foods

Abstract

Farm-to-Grocery provides opportunities for increased sales and market access. Diversified supply chains, such as farm-to-grocery, are important for a resilient food system. This farm-to-rural grocery toolkit is a resource for farmers and grocers to help facilitate the sale of farm-grown products to grocery stores, particularly those stores in rural Minnesota. The toolkit covers legality and methods of selling and buying local foods, includes a legal product checklist and various templates (labels, farm feature, invoicing), provides tips on building a successful business relationship, and guidance on processing local foods for sale.