Introduction

Pick-your-own strawberries are a common offering in spring. Photo by Michelle Infante-Casella

When you think about the agricultural challenges in NJ, such as market competition, rising land and input costs, encroachment from sprawl, and a complex regulatory environment, it becomes less surprising that farmers are looking for alternative ways to increase profits. In order to stay in business, farmers operating small and mid sized farms have had to look for ways to add value to the farm’s output. With the nation’s most densely populated state, it makes sense for farmers to sell directly to the consumer. As urban & suburban lifestyles pull people further and further away from a tangible relationship with land and food, concerned citizens want to find out more about what they consume.

While a trip to the supermarket may be convenient, it is difficult to know how the food was grown, where the food came from, or how long it has been on the shelf. Besides acquiring fresh foods and knowing your farmer, a trip to the farm or farmers market offers additional experiences. The opportunities direct farm markets and agritourism operations provide are beneficial to visitors, farmers, and communities alike.

Purpose

Our goals at Rutgers NJAES are to find answers to these issues, to serve as a resource for Direct Marketing and Agritourism in New Jersey. We strive to provide timely information as it becomes available to you – the farmer, agricultural educator, tourism professional, policy maker, development planner, or farm visitor.