Specialty Crop Production and Marketing
The Food Industry Program is research, education and outreach focused on strengthening farm to retailer connections and promoting locally produced foods.
Research
Assessing High Tunnel Production for Organic Berries
The production of raspberries and blackberries in Arkansas is growing as more consumers demand a local supply of fresh, high-quality fruit. Demand for these fresh berries still typically exceeds supply in much of the state particularly early and late in the production season.
Commercial production with high tunnels offers promise for those producers willing to make the necessary capital investment for early and/or late-season production. Raspberry and blackberry interactive budgets can help producers in estimating the costs of production and in conducting what-if analyses around costs, revenues and production levels.
Contact:
Jennie Popp: jhpopp@uark.edu
Heather Friedrich: heatherf@uark.edu
Workbooks for Growers:
Budgets:
Presentations:
Missouri Organic Association: Feb. 6-8, 2015, Springfield, MO.
- Tools to Assess Economic Returns to High Tunnel
- Organic Strawberry Production in High Tunnels
- Berry Production in High Tunnels
Horticulture Industry Show: Jan. 16 & 17, 2015, Ft. Smith, Ark.
Modifying High Tunnels for Improved Performance- Performance of Berries in Field and High Tunnel Berries
- Presentation at 2010 Horticulture Industry Show
Other Presentations:
- High Tunnel Construction
- Economic Analysis for Raspberry Production Using High Tunnels
- Economic Analysis for Blackberry Production Using High Tunnels
- Organic Apple Production Using Interactive Budgets
- Use of Interactive Budgets in Fruit Production
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:
- Rodríguez, H.G., J. Popp, M. Thomsen, H. Friedrich, and C. Rom. 2012. Economic analysis of investing in primocane blackberry production in northwestern Arkansas. HortTechnology. 22(2):245‐251.
- Rodriguez, G.H., J. Popp, C. Rom, H. Friedrich and J. McAffee. 2014. An Interactive Economic Decision Support Toll for Risk and Return Analysis of Organic Apple Production. HortTechnology December 2014 vol. 24 no. 6 757-770.
HortTechnology Spotlight:
Establishing a Vendor Agreement with Walmart
Due to consumer demand for local products, local producers have new marketing opportunities in large retail outlets, such as Walmart. Walmart is interested in sourcing local products in their stores. Becoming a Walmart vendor may be a profitable marketing strategy for a producer. With the help of Walmart, CARS developed this fact sheet that outlines the important considerations and steps in becoming a vendor for Walmart.
Contact Information
Jennie Popp: jhpopp@uark.edu
Organic Certification and Marketing
As demand for local food has increased so has interest in organic certification and marketing. CARS has developed two fact sheets that address some of the legal and economic considerations of producing and marketing organic produce.
Contact:
Ron Rainey: rrainey@uark.edu
Harrison Pittman: hmpittm@uark.edu
Jennie Popp: jhpopp@uark.edu
General Resources
Veggie Compass – Veggie Compass is a whole-farm profit management tool for diversified small to mid-sized vegetable growers developed by the University of Wisconsin.