FARM TO MARKET

We connect farms with businesses, providing growers with a suite of practical services—from food safety assistance to coordinating institutional purchasing to introducing school children to fresh fruits and vegetables—to ensure supply and demand grow together.

FARM-TO-CAFETERIA

We support schools, hospitals and universities throughout California to provide more local food through technical assistance and marketing support for farmers, vendors and food service buyers.

MARKETING RESOURCES

We provide farmers with a suite of tools and marketing materials to help them access new markets, increase sales and grow their businesses for small farm success.

CSA

We help CSA farms (Community Supported Agriculture) better connect customers to the source of their food while providing local growers the year-round economic support they need to succeed.

WORKSHOPS & MIXERS

We offer a variety of educational and networking events to help farmers of all experience levels grow their markets, connect to new customers and sharpen their business skills.

DIG INTO FARM-TO-MARKET

MORE MARKETING RESOURCES HERE

OUR FARM-TO-MARKET PROGRAMS

Farm to Cafeteria

The Farm to Cafeteria program works with family farmers, vendors and institutional food service buyers throughout California to increase access to the freshest, highest quality, diverse local produce for students, staff and guests. CAFF support helps farmers build their capacity to sell to schools, hospitals and universities and provides technical assistance and marketing support the vendors and food service buyers to purchase from them and engage eaters on where their food comes from. These cafeterias, also referred to as “institutions,” serve a critical need for healthy food access for students, patients and staff and are key to scaling up local procurement across the state.

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Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is a unique sales model that better connects customers to the source of their food, while providing local farmers the year-round economic support they need to thrive. We provide direct support to CSA farms all across California through direct technical assistance, policy advocacy, research and by sharing resources to help you get your CSA program started and to keep it going strong.

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Marketing & Business Workshops

From educational classes for beginners to farmer-buyer mixers that introduce established producers to a variety of potential sales outlets, we offer year-round opportunities to help grow your markets and sell more farm products. We provide expert advice, exchange real-world experience between farmers and offer up-to-date resources to make sure you have what you need to sell more products, grow your business and succeed in the local food marketplace. Check out our Events Listings to learn about upcoming opportunities near you.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Ben Thomas
Program Director,
Farm to Market

Ben oversees CAFF’s Farm to Cafeteria program, which facilitates sales between farmers and institutions, such as hospitals and schools. Ben has worked with college and university sustainable food procurement and education since 2009 and joined CAFF after managing the sustainable food service program at UC Davis Dining Services.

ben@caff.org

Michelle Wyler
Managing Director,
Farm to Market

Michelle manages Regional Food System projects and staff in the Redwood Coast and North Coast regions, as well as CAFF’s statewide CSA Network. Captivated by the farming culture at an early age, she has had her hands in the soil or been involved in rural food systems development for the past twenty years. She operates her own small farm, is an avid bicyclist, and food aficionado. 

michelle@caff.org 

(707) 633-8755