Growing great food is only half the challenge of running a successful farm. Knowing what to produce, how to price it, and how to turn sales into sustainable income can be just as difficult.
Central Oregon Locavore has been awarded a $25,000 Thriving Entrepreneurs grant from the Miller Charitable Fund of Oregon Community Foundation to help local farmers, ranchers, and food producers tackle those challenges through its Locavore Producer Accelerator.
The funding will support an 18-month initiative providing practical business education, individualized financial guidance, mentorship, and market intelligence to agricultural entrepreneurs throughout Central Oregon.
“For 17 years, we’ve helped local producers get their products into customers’ hands,” said Nicolle Timm-Branch, executive director of Central Oregon Locavore. “But getting a product sold and building a financially sustainable business are two different things. This grant allows us to help farmers with both.”
Locavore currently works with 182 local producers through its year-round marketplace, returning nearly 65-cents of every retail dollar directly to the farmers, ranchers, and food makers who supply it.
That relationship provides something traditional business development programs rarely have: direct access to actual product sales data, customer purchasing patterns, and ongoing conversations with the people growing and making the food.
The Locavore Producer Accelerator puts that information to work.
Through the program, producers will receive guidance on pricing, profitability, production planning, marketing, and cash flow. Activities will include business workshops, one-on-one advisory sessions, monthly sales reporting, peer mentorship, and practical financial planning tools developed specifically for agricultural businesses.
The program aims to engage at least 40 producers in workshops and advisory services and establish six peer mentorship pairings over 18 months, while making additional resources available to Locavore’s broader producer network.
Turning Sales Data Into Stronger Businesses
The need for this support emerged directly from conversations with local producers.
In early 2026, Locavore conducted in-person business interviews with 21 producers across seven Central Oregon communities. Producers identified consistent sales channels, marketing support, and financial guidance among their most pressing business needs.
For one local livestock producer, access to more detailed sales information revealed opportunities to better align production with customer demand. What had previously been a guessing game became a more informed business decision.
“Farmers are making significant financial decisions every season, often without access to the same business tools other entrepreneurs take for granted,” said Timm-Branch. “When we can help a producer understand which products are profitable, what customers are buying, and how to plan for the next season, we’re helping build a business that can last.”
Beyond individual business growth, Locavore hopes the program will demonstrate how regional food marketplaces can serve as engines of rural entrepreneurship, helping small producers remain competitive while keeping more food dollars circulating in their communities.
“This investment recognizes that supporting local agriculture means investing in the people and businesses behind our food,” said Timm-Branch. “When local producers succeed, our entire community benefits.”
centraloregonlocavore.org
