1995 Tree-fruit Survey: Marketing 



Karen I. Hauschild, Robert Szala, and William M. Coli 

 University of Massachusetts 



The 1995 tree fruit survey included five 

 questions pertaining to marketing education: 

 either educating farmers in marketing or educating 

 consumers about agriculture/fruit production. The 

 first question asked growers to identify which 

 topics are most important to their overall orchard 

 management. Educating farmers in marketing was 

 ranked fifth of six possibilities. The second 

 question asked growers to identify those areas on 

 which they thought we should place more 

 emphasis. Educating farmers in marketing ranked 

 fifth out of six. The third question asked which area 

 should be emphasized to give more time to 

 educating consumers about agriculture. Educating 

 farmers about marketing ranked number one. 

 Clearly the survey results show that the 

 respondents do not feel that marketing education 

 should be a major focus of the Extension Tree-fruit 

 Team. 



Another question asked the relative impor- 

 tance of various sources of information with 

 regards to marketing decisions. The top two 

 responses were the Tree Fruit Newsletter and 

 discussions at twilight meetings. Although 

 growers did not see marketing education as an 

 Extension priority, they did view the Newsletter 

 and twilight meetings as a source of information on 

 marketing issues. 



Also it was asked on what topics within 

 marketing growers wished to see a greater 

 emphasis placed by the Tree-fruit team. In general, 



growers felt that the same or more emphasis should 

 be placed on each activity. The top three responses 

 were developing consumer fact sheets, developing 

 press releases, and alternatives to the present 

 (marketing) situation. 



Although growers perceive marketing to be 

 unimportant to Extension's Tree-fruit efforts, there 

 clearly is concern over consumer education on tree 

 fruit production and fruit availability (press 

 releases). Promoting the industry has not been a 

 traditional Extension activity, but rather has been 

 an objective of various other organizations, 

 including the Massachusetts Department of Food 

 & Agriculture, the NY-NE Apple Institute (and NE 

 Mcintosh Growers Association), the packing/ 

 shipping brokers (e.g., J. P. Sullivan Co., VT Apple), 

 and of the Massachusetts Fruit Growers' Associa- 

 tion. For the marketing educational outreach of the 

 Extension Tree-fruit Team, it seems more 

 appropriate to develop informational fact sheets for 

 consumers and press releases regarding the tree- 

 fruit industry in Massachusetts. "Buying Local" 

 could be the underlying theme, but perhaps not the 

 direct focus of these efforts. 



An issue that was not addressed specifically in 

 this survey is that marketing education has not 

 been a "traditional" effort for the Tree-fruit Team. 

 Massachusetts tree-fruit producers have a strong 

 "traditional" focus. They have not seen marketing/ 

 promotion as an overall emphasis. This issue could 

 have had a significant effect on survey responses. 



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Fruit Notes, Summer, 1996 



