The MarketMaker Program
MarketMaker is an interactive mapping system that locates businesses and markets of agricultural products in New York, providing an important link between producers and consumers.
We have long been aware that there are common interests between the upstate food producers and the urban markets of the metropolitan areas of New York. MarketMaker is a program that links food producers to new markets. Cornell Cooperative Extension (CUCE) in New York City began this project with the University of Illinois in 2007, and today the CUCE MarketMaker website contains information on over 2000 food producers representing vegetables, dairy, grain, wine, herbs, fruits and nuts, and meat products from 56 New York counties. Our site, which contains over 100,000 New York food-related businesses, is part of a national network of state web sites that currently includes 20 states.
MarketMaker is a free in-depth marketing tool to help small and mid-sized producers get sophisticated data to help them reach thousands of potential buyers. New York State producers can get listed on the site at no charge, access census data to determine where targeted buyers are located in a given area, and find markets for products—such as farmers’ markets, grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail locations—in a map-based format. This software is available online, and training in its use is available in person as well as electronically. From 2006-2013, hundreds of MarketMaker presentations were given for producers and buyers at conferences, meetings, expos, harvest fairs, and empire farm days, farmers markets, international restaurant and food service expo, summer fancy food shows, CSA annual conferences, culinary schools and Institutes; NY MarketMaker receives 1.5 million hits per year. CUCE staff members conducted 23 MarketMaker online training sessions; participants were farm business management specialists, agricultural economic development specialists, fruit and vegetable specialists, and dairy specialists from across the state. In addition CUCE staff members offer MarketMaker training to faith-based and community-based organizations in New York City. Over 100 Faith-Based Organization leaders from Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx successfully completed the training.