Growing Your Farm Profits: Planning for Business Success

Marketing Resources

Marketing your products and services is a necessary part of your overall business success. It is important to understand the issues relating to the marketing and sales of your products in order to maximize your profits. The following resources will help keep you one step ahead of your competition.

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
Agricultural Information Contact Centre
Tel. 1-877-424-1300

Marketing - General

Farm Management Canada
Tel. 1-888-232-3262

Guelph Food Technology Centre
Tel. 1-519-821-1246

Small Business Enterprise Centres

Commodity Exchanges

Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT)

Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)

CME Group (CME and CBOT)

ICE Futures Canada (ICE)

Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGEX)

New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX)

Commodity Marketing

OMAFRA Factsheet: Agricultural Marketing Boards in Ontario

Approximately 60% of the value of all agricultural products produced by Ontario farms is marketed through twenty-one provincial marketing boards and three representative associations.

OMAFRA Factsheet 08-053: Managing Commodity Price Risk Using Hedging and Options

This Factsheet provides an overview of commonly-used price risk management tools and definitions of terms used by those providing risk management advice.

Grow Our Farms

Daily Livestock Report

DTN

Farm Forward

Ontario Agricultural Commodity Council
Tel: 1-519-821-3564

Farms.com
Tel. 1-877-438-5729

Farm Credit Canada
Tel. 1-888-332-3301

Ridgetown College
(University of Guelph Agrilink and Farm Market News including commodity markets)

Timing Charts

Direct Farm Marketing

Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association (OFFMA)
Tel. 1-905-841-9278

Farm Management Canada
Tel. 1-888-232-3262

  • Marketing on the Edge - Processing and Marketing Your Own Products
  • Building Added Value Through Farm Diversification
  • Cultivating Agri-Tourism - Tools and Techniques for Building Success

Farmers' Markets Ontario (FMO)
Tel. 1-800-387-3276

North American Farm Direct Marketing Association (NAFDMA)
Tel. 1-888-884-9270

Alberta Agriculture
(Agri-Tourism)

Regulation and Legislation Affecting Direct Farm Marketing - Related Sites

OMAFRA Factsheet 15-005: Managing Risk on Farms Open to the Public

There are safety risks and hazards involved with any business venture. Operating an agritourism business is no exception. This Factsheet will identify the types of risks and outline several ways to minimize them.

OMAFRA Factsheet 14-029: Customer Service Strategies That Work

Current trends tell us that successful businesses focus on building customer loyalty above all else. This Factsheet will introduce a number of customer service strategies to compliment a business marketing plan.

Food Processing

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  1. OMAFRA List of Approved Provincial Abattoirs
  2. OMAFRA On-farm Food Safety
  3. Local Health Units

Taxation

OMAFRA Ag Business Financial Management website

Municipal Property Assessment Corp.

Zoning/Bylaws

Jurisdictional Analysis and Best Practices for Land Use Planning Affecting Direct Marketing and Agri-tourism Operations in Ontario

Association of Municipalities of Ontario

Liability/Insurance

Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal

Insurance Canada

Signage

Tourism Directional Signage

Marketing and Business Assistance

Community Futures Development Corporations

Small Business Enterprise Centres in Ontario

Commodity Exchanges

ServiceOntario

Other Resources

Sell what you Sow! The Grower's Guide to Successful Produce Marketing, Eric Gibson, New World Publishing, 1994

Organizing Your Roadside Market, Bob Cobbledick - Consultant to the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association


For more information:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca