Processed Foods

*Each resource within the Four Corners region will be marked with an asterisk

See also:

Four Corners Marketing Programs & Services listings of regional resources applicable to a variety of topics.
Direct Marketing to Consumers for more marketing resources for selling directly to customers.

Colorado Resources

*The Business Incubator Center, Grand Junction, CO
The Business Incubator Center is located in Grand Junction, CO. To meet the needs of culinary entrepreneurs, a fully equipped licensed commercial kitchen is available. This is a shared use facility where food producers can legally prepare, process, cook and store perishables. It is a fully licensed facility for catering, food preparation, and specialty food production.
http://www.gjincubator.org/campus/kitchen.htm

*Colorado Department of Agriculture: List of Kitchen Spaces Available to Rent
This is a list of certified kitchens in the state of Colorado that are available to rent for the processing of value-added food products. The list of kitchen spaces to rent is at the bottom of the “co-pack” page.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Agriculture-Main%2FCDAGLayout&cid=1178305633281&p=1178305633281&pagename=CDAGWrapper#Kitchens

*Northern Colorado Food Incubator, Ft. Collins, CO
The Northern Colorado Food Incubator (NCFI) is dedicated to fostering local food-related businesses. If you are starting a food business in Fort Collins or nearby -- a restaurant, a catering firm, or technology related to the food industry- NCFI is dedicated to providing support and assistance.
http://www.nocofoodincubator.com/

New Mexico Resources

*New Mexico: Taste the Tradition Program
The NEW MEXICO—Taste the Tradition® and NEW MEXICO—Grown with Tradition® Logo Program was developed by NMDA in 2000 in efforts to help identify and promote all New Mexico agricultural products (food, fiber, wine, produce, nuts, nursery products, and livestock) through the use of one, easily recognizable logo.
http://nmdaweb.nmsu.edu/marketing-and-economic-development/New%20Mexico%20Taste%20the%20Tradition%20and%20New%20Mexico%20Grown%20with%20Tradition.html

Utah Resources

Value-Added Agricultural Products: An Introduction
This resource guide was developed by the Diversified Agriculture Consortium, which is based in Utah.
http://diverseag.org/files/uploads/marketing/Intro-VAT-1%203.pdf

Organizations and Web Resource Lists

Pathway to Organic for Processors
This is a resource website devoted to helping organic processors access information about; starting an organic business, organic certification, regulatory issues, marketing, and production advice. This website has been put together by the Organic Trade Association.
http://www.howtogoorganic.com/index.php?page=processors

Rutgers Food Innovation Center
An economic development outreach center of Rutgers University, and part of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) network and Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension (RCRE). Clients are provided comprehensive expertise in business development, market research, product and process development, workforce development and training, regulations and compliance support, and quality assurance and food safety.
http://www.foodinnovation.rutgers.edu/

Farm Made: A Guide to On-Farm Processing for Organic Producers
Farm-Made is intended for the organic farmer, or prospective organic farmer, who is considering adding a processing enterprise and needs to know the additional challenges and requirements that organic certification presents, as well as some of the unique opportunities.
http://www.kerrcenter.com/publications/FarmMadeReport09.pdf

Starting a New Food Processing Business

*Checklist for Start-Up Food Processors
Starting a food processing business involves a doable but sometimes difficult process. Checklist for Start-Up Food Processors is a basic list of critical steps in setting up a food processing business. Each step will involve various contacts before it is complete.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1178305553581&pagename=Agriculture-Main/CDAGLayout

*Do’s and Don’ts for Food Processors
This is a resource page produced by the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Division of Markets. This guide will help you properly analyze what to do and what to avoid when developing a food processing business.
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1178305553692&pagename=Agriculture-Main%2FCDAGLayout

Starting a New Food Business Website
This resource website of the University of Georgia Extension provides information about food safety issues and regulations when starting a new food business.
http://www.efsonline.uga.edu/EFS_NFB/

Marketing Processed Foods

Adding Value to Farm Products: An Overview
This publication discusses the concept of adding value to farm products, the differences between creating and capturing value, and the implications for value-added enterprises. It describes some different approaches to adding value, including starting a food processing business, with a brief look at nonfood products. Resources to learn more about value-added agriculture and planning a value-added enterprise are included.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/valueovr.pdf

Adding Value through Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship: Overview and Resources

This publication provides a list of resources to assist farmers in developing and managing value-added agricultural enterprises and approaches.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/value-addedResource.html

Considerations for a Value-Added Agribusiness

University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service.
Includes chapters on agricultural business planning, marketing, financial feasibility, product development, and value-added opportunities

http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pbfiles/pb1642.pdf

*Do’s and Don’ts for Food Processors

This is a resource page produced by the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Division of Markets. This guide will help you properly analyze what to do and what to avoid when developing a food processing business.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1178305553692&pagename=Agriculture-Main%2FCDAGLayout

Feasibility Study for Energy-Efficient on Farm Poultry and Small Ruminant Processing Plants

The study will evaluate the potential energy savings from reducing transportation for processing at remote sites, constructing a state-of the- art, energy efficient facility, and using innovative methods such as composting.

http://www.cadefarms.org/pdf/Feasibility%20Study.pdf

Food Dehydration Options

This publication focuses on commercial-scale food drying methods and equipment. It also outlines solar food drying technology that tends to be of lower cost and smaller scale in its application.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/dehydrate.html

Keys to Success in Value-Added Agriculture

This publication presents important lessons learned by farmers in adding value to their farm products and marketing directly to consumers. The keys to their success in value-added agriculture include high quality, good record-keeping, planning and evaluation, perseverance, focus, and building long-term relationships with customers.

http://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/keystosuccess.html

The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing

This guide, written by Neil D. Hamilton of Drake University, explains various legal aspects of direct marketing. Topics in the book include; types of direct marketing, land use issues, marketing, labor and employment issues and information on insurance and liability.
http://www.statefoodpolicy.org/legal_guide.htm

*Linking Arizona’s Sense of Place to a Sense of Taste: Marketing the Heritage Value of Arizona’s Place-Based Foods

This publication looks specifically at the traditional and native foods unique to Arizona. This book not only tells the historical story of Arizona’s heritage foods; it examines the role these foods can play in a modern era.

http://www.environment.nau.edu/publications/AZHeritageFoods.htm

*Recognize and Investigate Value-Added Opportunities and Constraints

This paper by explains value-added products, provides examples, provides guidelines to help evaluate value-added opportunities, and discusses marketplace evaluation, business/community networking, processing efficiency, and more.

http://ag.arizona.edu/arec/va/valaddopp&const.html

Value-Added Business Ventures through Producer Alliances

This publication identifies the factors that producers should evaluate when considering investment in producer alliances. The success of a value-added business depends upon whether the alliance is organized and has a solid business sense.

http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/ID/ID-318.pdf

Value-Added Enterprises for Small-Scale Farmers

This is a fact sheet produced by the Washington State University that identifies keys to success in value-adding.

http://www.king.wsu.edu/foodandfarms/documents/ValueAdded.pdf

Incubator Kitchens

*The Business Incubator Center

The Business Incubator Center is located in Grand Junction, CO. To meet the needs of culinary entrepreneurs, a fully equipped licensed commercial kitchen is available. This is a shared use facility where food producers can legally prepare, process, cook and store perishables. It is a fully licensed facility for catering, food preparation, and specialty food production.

http://www.gjincubator.org/campus/kitchen.htm

*Colorado Department of Agriculture: List of Kitchen Spaces Available to Rent

This is a list of certified kitchens in the state of Colorado that are available to rent for the processing of value-added food products. The list of kitchen spaces to rent is at the bottom of the “co-pack” page.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Agriculture-Main%2FCDAGLayout&cid=1178305633281&p=1178305633281&pagename=CDAGWrapper#Kitchens

Rutgers Food Innovation Center
An economic development outreach center of Rutgers University, and part of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) network and Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension (RCRE). Clients are provided comprehensive expertise in business development, market research, product and process development, workforce development and training, regulations and compliance support, and quality assurance and food safety.
http://www.foodinnovation.rutgers.edu/

Case Studies and Success Stories

Analyzing and Developing Marketing Strategies for Tennessee’s Value-Added Agriculture: Using Case Studies to Enhance Success

As part of an 18-month cooperative Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, USDA, and The University of Tennessee Agricultural Development Center conducted case studies for four value-added agri-businesses in Tennessee and conducted specific market development studies for the industries these case studies represent. This publication documents those case study reports.

http://cpa.utk.edu/pdffiles/fsmipstudy.pdf

Home based Processing and Micro-processing in Kentucky
The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, Kentucky Department of Agriculture and Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services are partnering to support farm friendly legislation. House Bill 391 and Farmers Market Legislation allows Kentucky farmers who grow and harvest produce to process value-added products and sell them from designated farmers markets, certified roadside stands and the processor’s farm. This is inspirational legislation that can serve as a model for other states.
http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/micro/

Funding Resources

Please see:

Financing for general resources to help fund agricultural marketing ventures.