Books
Exemplary AgriculturePublication Date: 2019This book is an important contribution to our understanding of food in China through an ethnographic case study of an alternative food movement in Shanghai and the surrounding countryside. Cody examines a group of middle-class urban residents who move to the countryside to establish small-scale and independent organic farms.
Government resources
- British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture.Extensive business resources about organic agriculture. Visit the Ministry website, or Google "organic farming" site:gov.bc.ca
- British Columbia. BC Stats.Analytical reports with statistics about BC agriculture
- Canada. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.Extensive resources on organic production, consumers, food trends to 2020, monthly vegetable reports, prices, etc.
- Canada. Statistics Canada. CANSIM.Survey of household spending on food (spending categories include fresh vegetables in general, and specific fruits and vegetables)
Market research resources
- Vividata (a.k.a. Print Measurement Bureau)Statistical reports on types of organic food used in Canada, by province and city.
- Passport GMID (Global Market Information Database, Euromonitor)Market size for fresh food industry for Canada and other countries.
- IbisWorldReports for the US market on Specialty Food Stores, Fruit & Vegetable Markets, Supermarkets & Grocery Stores.
Miscellaneous resources
- Certified Organic Associations of BCData, marketing materials and background information on the industry.
- Canadian Organic GrowersData on market size; directory of growers by product and province.
- What can I do with my small farm? (Oregon State University)Includes crop production costs and returns per acre.
- Business Plans Handbook (UBC E-Book)Various real-life business plans for organic farms.
- Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Small Farms QuarterlyArticles about the practical and business aspects of running a small farm
Marketing to restaurants
- SimplyMapCount and map restaurants, markets, etc.
Organic farming
Resources for researching the business of organic farming in British Columbia
- BC Organic food and beveragesPolicy of organic food and beverages in British Columbia.
UBC farm
