145. #LeadersTalkCrops - If You Ain't Adding Value Through Products You Are Leaving Money on the Farm Table w/ Brian "Duckie" Watkins

Commercial agriculture has evolved over the past few decades in a way that has left many farmers with few sales outlets.  A large majority of farmers work with distributors or marketing companies that contract with the farmer to take the farm's raw goods and process them and/or sell them.  The farmer grows it and delivers it.  Often the farmer has one or two, at the most, of these types of relationships.  It typically leaves the farmer exposed and susceptible to commodity market fluctuations and to whatever the marketer has up their sleeve that year.  How could a farmer diversify to protect their livlihood?  Explore value added products (VAP).  Value added products are raw agricultural goods that have been altered, enhanced or processed to have a higher market value and/or a longer shelf life. My friend, Brian Watkins, joined as a guest of the #LeadersTalkCrops series on CropTalk podcast to discuss his journey with creating value added products on his blueberry farm in Michigan.  This one gets way into the weeds.  But trust me, these are weeds you want to venture through if diversifying and leveling up your farm is something you are intersted in.  Until next time, #startcleanstayclean   

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