Local Food Directories Usability Survey

Local Food Directories Usability Survey

USDA’s Local Food Directories are a free online promotion service for producers, farmers markets, and food hubs to market their products direct-to-customers. The platform is managed and operated by the Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS), a USDA agency with the mission of facilitating fair and efficient marketing of U.S. agricultural products.

The Directories connect:

1. Customers looking to buy local foods via community supported agriculture (CSAs), on-farm markets, and farmers markets for their families

2. Wholesale and institutional food buyers looking to source local products from food hubs.

3. Consumers interested in learning more about agricultural practices through agritourism operations.

Website visitors can identify local food businesses, contact suppliers, and plan purchases. By listing your business information in the directories, farmers and distributors of local foods can take advantage of opportunities in direct-to-consumer, direct-to-institution, and wholesale markets.

Consider listing your business today!

1. How many years has your farming operation been selling directly to customers?

[ ] 5 years or less

[ ] 5-10 years

[ ] 10 or more years

2. Which type of enterprise(s) do you utilize to sell your product(s)? (Choose all that apply)

[ ] Farmers market

[ ] Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

[ ] Food Hub

[ ] On-Farm Market

[ ] Agritourism

[ ] Other, please specify:

3. Has your farming operation used online platforms to market products or conduct sales?

[ ] yes

[ ] no

If #4 is yes,

3a. What type of online platform has your farming operation used (check all that apply)?

	Used platform for sales	Used platform for marketing
Social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
Third party delivery apps (e.g., Uber Eats, Postmates)
Developed own website (www.yourfarm.com)
Platform customized for your operation to sell online (e.g., Local Food Marketplace, Local Orbit)
Other, please specify:

If in #4a, selected any online platforms for marketing:

3b. Did you pay any fees to use only marketing platforms? Please include fees paid for marketing only.

[ ] yes

_______ annual fees

[ ] no

4. Prior to this survey, have you listed your direct-to-customer operation(s) in USDA’s Local Food Directories?

[ ] yes

If yes: when was your listing last updated: (MM/YY)

[ ] no

5. Is the sign-up process for USDA Local Food Directories intuitive and convenient to you?

[ ] yes

[ ] no

6. Please indicate how the sign-up process can be improved.

[ ] Definitions of the directories need to be written more clearly

[ ] Listing process is too long

[ ] Improve browser compatibility

[ ] Other ___________________________ (please specify)

To list your operation in USDA’s Local Food Directories, follow the link below:

https://www.usdalocalfoodportal.com/mywp/signup/

To visit USDA’s Local Food Directories, follow the link below.

https://www.usdalocalfoodportal.com/