California certified organic farmers (CCOF), INC has over fifty years experience working with organic producers and is now the largest member-based organic agriculture organization in california and…

This Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service under the Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) Program (CFDA 10.188) provides $4,717,941 to California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), Inc. to improve and expand market access for small and underserved organic farmers. The key goals are to address obstacles to organic sales growth, create new market paths for small/underserved organic producers, and educate farmers on effectively marketing organic products. This will be achieved through a multi-channel marketing campaign, a marketing toolkit and trainings for farmers, and an updated organic sourcing directory for buyers. The expected outcomes are increased consumer and buyer knowledge about organic products, and increased organic production by small/underserved producers to meet the resulting demand through direct-to-market channels and buyer transactions.

California certified organic farmers (CCOF), INC has over fifty years experience working with organic producers and is now the largest member-based organic agriculture organization in california and owns the largest organic certification company in the U.S.the purpose of this grant is to improve and expand market access for small and underserved organic farmers. There are three goals of this grant. First, to addresses two key obstacles restricting growth in organic sales, the lack of consumers clarity on what organic means and their lack of confidence in the seal. Second, to create market paths for small and underserved organic producers by linking them with buyers actively looking to source their products. Third, to educate farmers on how to talk to consumers and buyers about organic and provide them with the tools to do so. These goals will be achieved by launching a multi-channel marketing campaign, creating a marketing toolkit and marketing trainings for farmers, and updating and disseminating an organic sourcing directory to school and retail buyers. The expected outcomes of this project are that consumers and buyers will gain knowledge about organic products and that small and underserved producers will increase organic production to meet the resulting increased demand through direct-market channels and buyer business transactions.