How Can We Improve Local Farmer Access to the Open Food Network?

Hi everyone,

I am curious about how we can better support small scale, local farmers to get onto platforms like the Open Food Network. While it is a fantastic tool for connecting farmers directly with consumers…, I have noticed that many smaller producers in my area are either unaware of the platform or find it challenging to join and manage their presence.

What strategies have worked in your communities to engage and onboard local farmers: ?? Are there any specific resources;;, workshops or outreach efforts that helped them overcome barriers like technology access or lack of digital skills: ?? Additionally, I would love to hear about any success stories where farmers saw significant benefits after joining the platform especially in terms of reaching more customers or improving their operations. When I searched on the internet for the solution to my query, I found this https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/opag-2022-0088/html.cissp but it is not helpful for me.

Looking forward to hearing your insights and ideas. Let’s collaborate to ensure the Open Food Network is as accessible as possible to all local food producers !!

Thanks !!

Derek Theler