Source: PRESS RELEASE, 10/2/17

As the result of receiving a $250,000 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) is launching a two-year initiative to develop
an innovative online platform that that will modernize the way farmers do business directly with their customers.

“It’s time for farmers to own their data and their marketplace,” said Lindsey Lusher Shute, Executive Director and Co-Founder of NYFC. “With USDA’s support, we will start to build the first farmer-owned online sales platform. Our goal is to make local food more accessible to consumers, and direct sales more profitable for farmers. It is a rapidly changing marketplace, and the farm community needs to catch up—fast.”

NYFC is partnering with the mission-driven creative web developers Evolving Media Network to build software that will be shaped by a participatory design process with farmers.

The software will help direct-market farmers to meet their most critical business needs, and effectively manage sales and customer communication across direct outlets.

The National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) is an advocacy network of farmers fighting for the future of agriculture. Visit NYFC on the web at www.youngfarmers.org, and on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.