Extension's Role in Facilitating Collaborative Initiatives: Direct Marketing Farm Products on the Internet

Using the Internet to direct market farm products provides multiple opportunities for producers to expand their existing businesses. Most often, these initiatives are undertaken by individual businesses. However, recent efforts in Central Pennsylvania suggest ways in which Extension can facilitate collaborative initiatives to direct market farm products online. In addition to increasing the profitability of small producers, collaborative marketing efforts can also contribute to sustainable community outcomes. Inherent in our discussion is the assumption that the principals of facilitating collaborative initiatives to direct market farm products online can be used to facilitate collaborate initiatives in other programmatic areas.