Learning a Little Bit About the PA MarketMaker Partners (part 1)

When you create a profile using PA MarketMaker (PAMarketMaker.com), you will notice that you are able to identify yourself as a being a member of any of our partner organizations.  These partners have helped us bring MarketMaker to Pennsylvania and have helped their members join the MarketMaker network.  Below is a little bit of info about 2 of our partners.  I will continue the series in subsequent posts.

PA Preferred (http://papreferred.com/)  
This state-supported agricultural marketing program is sponsored by the PA Department of Agriculture (PDA).  The program was launched to identify and promote food and agricultural products grown, produced or processed in Pennsylvania.  To promote Pennsylvania products, the program's mission is to assist Pennsylvania producers with product sourcing and referrals including making sure the producers’ products reach the right distributors, retailers, restaurants, schools, universities, and healthcare facilities.

Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association (http://www.pvga.org/) 
Every year, PVGA co-hosts the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Hershey, PA.  The Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention has become the premier grower meeting in the Northeast combining three days of six or more concurrent educational sessions with a large industry trade show and numerous networking opportunities - all designed to enable fruit, vegetable and berry growers as well as direct marketers to stay on the cutting edge of their industries. About 1,900 people from throughout the mid-Atlantic region and beyond gather each year at the Hershey Lodge for the Convention. Registration is open to all interested commercial fruit, vegetable and berry growers, direct marketers and allied industry personnel.

Are you a member of either one of these organizations?  How have they helped you market your products or learn about your industry?