Value-Added Marketing Benefitting Small and Medium Cattle Producers

As more cattle producers look to find new ways to drive revenue, particularly for smaller operations, many are looking to value-added and direct marketing.

University of Tennessee’s Rob Holland Jr. said some of the producers he’s seen try to cut out the middle man.

“More families are beginning to set up booths at farmers markets and everybody can contact directly the public. They’re beginning to sell meat products from the animals that they had raised and finished on their farm.”

Not only do they get to drive down costs and increase revenues, but they can answer questions from the public who might have concerns about their practices.

Holland said it has also opened the door to other opportunities.

“Where they would make an on-farm market or store on the farm where they can sell products direct to the public. Many times they’ll continue to add value by setting up some type of delivery system in the local area. Maybe they’ll go door-to-door or they have a central point in the community where they deliver products to customers who pre-ordered and they’ll do that a certain number of days of the week.”

Many producers also pair these practices with more traditional opportunities like grocery stores to maximize revenue.