Good Meat Project

DESPITE AN ESTIMATED 30-50% SURGE IN LOCAL FOOD PURCHASING IN THE PAST YEAR, MEAT PRODUCERS SELLING LOCALLY VIA DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER MARKETS REPORT THEY LACK THE MARKETING SKILLS, MATERIALS, AND TRAINING NECESSARY TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN CUSTOMERS AND GROW THEIR BUSINESSES. THE GOOD MEAT PROJECT: EXPANDING DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER MARKETS FOR MEAT PRODUCERS THROUGH MARKETING ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING WILL IMPROVE PRODUCERS' OVERALL MARKETING CAPACITY BY PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNING SHAREABLE MARKETING MATERIALS AND BY EXECUTING TECHNICAL TRAININGS ABOUT DIGITAL/IN-PERSON MARKETING STRATEGIES AND TECHNOLOGIES, MESSAGING AND SALES TACTICS, PRICE SETTING, AND CUSTOMER-FOCUSED COMMUNICATIONS. A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE GOOD MEAT PROJECT AND FIVE PRODUCER-LED COLLABORATOR ORGANIZATIONS IN FIVE STATES (OREGON, WISCONSIN,IOWA, NEW YORK, NEW MEXICO), THIS PROJECT WILL 1) WORK WITH 300 PARTICIPATING PRODUCERS SELLING DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER BEEF, PORK, CHICKEN, LAMB AND/OR GOAT TO IDENTIFY REGIONALLY-SPECIFIC MARKETING NEEDS, 2) BUILD A SHARED RESOURCE BASE OF PROFESSIONALLY DESIGNED MARKETING MATERIALS SUCH AS GUIDES TO BULK-BUYING MEAT, SOCIAL MEDIA KITS, AND COOKING VIDEOS, THAT PRODUCERS CAN USE TO EDUCATE AND ATTRACT CUSTOMERS, AND 3) EXECUTE 10 TECHNICAL MARKETING TRAININGS WITHIN EACH COLLABORATOR ORGANIZATION'S PRODUCER NETWORK. BY GRANT END, 3,757 LOCAL MEAT PRODUCERS WILL RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL MARKETING TRAINING, OUR PARTICIPATING PRODUCER'S CUSTOMER BASE WILL GROW BY 20%, AND THE RESULTING MATERIALS AND TRAININGS WILL BE DISSEMINATED TO AN ADDITIONAL 4,000 PRODUCERS IN OTHER REGIONS THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE, PURPOSE-BUILT ONLINE MARKETING PORTAL. BY HELPING PRODUCERS INCREASE THEIR MARKETING CAPACITY, THIS PROJECT WILL BRING THEM STRONGER RECOGNITION IN LOCAL MARKET CHANNELS AND MORE RESILIENT BUSINESS STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINED GROWTH.