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COVID-19 has created disruptions in nearly every aspect of our lives, mandating a need for social distance, slowing supply chains across industries, and forcing public markets and restaurants to shut down. However, in a time of fast-paced change, many small-scale, local produce growers are reaching customers in entirely new ways. Utilizing digital agriculture marketing and social networking, they're not only weathering the pandemic, they're growing stronger and more resilient.

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Their rapid adaptations—from sourcing and managing itinerant workers to selecting what to plant and how to market products—may prove to be part of the small-scale farming landscape from here on out.

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"With the pandemic, the thing is, most of the farmers [faced] kind of a dilemma," said , founder of In Loco, a nonprofit that helps support small-scale farmers in southern Portugal. "Do I shut down, or do I reinvent myself?"  

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In Loco helped many seasoned small produce growers—half over age 60—to reinvent themselves by assisting them in lining up with online distribution platforms and teaching them a new method of farming marketing: how to sell and deliver products directly to consumer households. "Old-school farmers have very limited skills in getting products to market," concedes Gregório. "They don't manage to get to people who could enjoy and put a value on their wonderful products."

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By suggesting new tools and marketing ideas, In Loco began to see instant results with the smallholder and small-scale farms the nonprofit assists. Gregório said: "In some cases, farmers had a 400% increase in sales in the first confinement period." 

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While many farmers around the globe were willing to try selling into new channels, often directly to consumers, few were ready to tackle their own marketing—at least, not without help and new sales tools.

That'sÌýwhere experts such asÌý, a Penn State University Extension educator,Ìýstepped in to help. Moyer, who teaches a social media marketing course aimed at farmers, says selling direct has caught on because many urban consumers now prefer to buy directly from a trusted source—especially if theyÌýdon'tÌýhave to venture out to the countryside.

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While the new market is appealing, the challenge for many small-scale farmers is that theyÌýhave toÌýspend up to 30% of their time on direct marketing,ÌýestimatesÌýMoyer.Ìý"About this time last year,Ìýmy conversation with farmers was about being able to manage it all during the harvest season,"Ìýhe says.

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He'sÌýseen a healthy rise in participation by small-scale farmers in marketingÌý"farm boxes,"Ìýbased on a subscription model in which farmers ship or deliver a weekly box of what they harvest in a particular growing season. Moyer says the sales are typically going toÌý"a whole group of customers youÌýdidn'tÌýreach before, generally younger families."ÌýÌý

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Still, packaging boxes and the logistics of shipping them remainÌýbarriersÌýfor small-scale farm operations—and an opportunity for farm consultants to help organize that form of distribution.Ìý"It'sÌýanother business to manage,"Ìýsays Moyer. He adds thatÌýfarmers may needÌýto invest in online ordering systems, point-of-sale systems,ÌýandÌýlabor toÌýfill ordersÌýandÌýmonitorÌýsales. Is it worth it?ÌýYes, but theÌýkey,Ìýhe says,Ìýis developingÌýefficienciesÌýso costs become more manageable. 

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Other options are emerging, too.ÌýSmall-scale farmers joined forces with new services that form membership clubs for consumers looking for directÌýrelationshipsÌýwith businesses,Ìýincluding regular deliveries from growers.ÌýOne ofÌýtheÌýclubsÌýevenÌýincluded a story about the farmersÌýwith every delivery.

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Even for thoseÌýgoing itÌýalone, getting the word out is becoming less of a problem.Ìý"The small- to medium-size farms who started in direct-to-consumer sales are using social media;Ìýit'sÌýtheir primary tool to communicate to their existing customer base and attract new customers,"Ìýsays Moyer.

While good bandwidth in rural locations is a global issue,Ìýit'sÌýaÌýmisconceptionÌýthat farmers or rural residentsÌýaren'tÌýparticipating in social media, at least in America.ÌýInternationalÌýfigures are hard to come by, but according to Farm MarketÌýiD,¹Ìý66% of rural Americans use FacebookÌýandÌý64% use YouTube. Not surprisingly, far fewer rural residents use specialized networks such as Pinterest, Instagram,Ìýor Twitter. 

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DiversifyÌýFarm Marketing

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Jenny Holtermann,Ìýbetter known asÌý"Almond Girl,"Ìýis aÌýfourth-generation California farmer who not only helps run a small-scale, family-owned almond farm,ÌýbutÌýisÌýalsoÌýan entrepreneur, a blogger,ÌýandÌýaÌýsocial media maven.Ìý"We launched ourÌýe-commerceÌýshop in 2020 as a direct impact of the falling markets,"Ìýshe says.Ìý"Almond prices toÌýgrowersÌýfell fromÌý$4 pound to less than $1.50Ìýpound....ÌýÌýOur family was looking for a way to diversify and,Ìýbeing with a permanent crop,Ìýwe had limited options to diversify fast."

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Holtermann believes that e-commerce capabilities provide her farm with a better way toÌýtapÌýlocal marketsÌýand customers.Ìý"We have found support from our community in making this change and continue to see areas of growth for our new business,"Ìýshe adds. The Almond GirlÌýwebsiteÌýfeatures more than almond variationsÌýand sample packs—it also includesÌýunexpected offerings such asÌýseasonal shirt designs, hats, stickers, and even farm-themed bowls, towels,Ìýand cheese boards.ÌýHoltermann says her prior experience in both farm sales and blogging helped enable theÌýstoreÌýtoÌýget offÌýthe groundÌýquickly.