Purchasing Guide

Below is a list of questions to consider asking the producer/farmer when purchasing their products.

 

General Questions

 

  • Why do you farm?

  • How long have you been farming?

  • Where is your farm located?

  • Who owns your farm?

  • How big is your farm?

  • What certifications from third party organizations do you have? (Certified Organic, Certified Naturally Grown, Salmon Safe, other).

  • How is your pricing determined?

  • May I come tour the farm?

  • How do you decide which products to produce?

  • Do you have any recipe recommendations/suggestions?

 

Produce Questions

 

  • How do you deal with your weeds? insects? diseases?

  • Do you use ever use synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers on the crops?

  • Does the farm grow any heirloom varieties of fruits or vegetables?

  • Are any of the fruits or vegetables genetically engineered varieties?

 

Egg Questions

 

  • How are your hens raised? On pasture, indoors, caged?

  • How much time do the hens spend outdoors each day?

  • What kind of feed you use? Certified Organic? Sustainable? Source-Verified?

  • Are the hens ever given antibiotics?

 

Dairy Questions

 

  • Are your cows raised on pasture? How much of the year do your cows spend on pasture?

  • Are your cows fed anything besides grass and hay?

  • What kind of feed you use? Certified Organic? Sustainable? Source-Verified?

  • Are your cows ever given rBGH?

  • Are you cows ever given antibiotics? If so, when are they returned to the milking rotation?

 

Hog Questions

 

  • How are your hogs raised? On pasture? indoors?

  • Are the hogs born on your farm?

  • How much time do your hogs spend outdoors each day?

  • What kind of feed you use? Certified Organic? Sustainable? Source-Verified?

  • Are your hogs ever given antibiotics?

  • Are your hogs ever given hormones or feed additives?

  • How do you process your hogs?

 

Poultry Questions

 

  • How is your poultry raised? On pasture? Indoors?

  • How much time do the birds spend outside?

  • What kind of feed you use? Certified Organic? Sustainable? Source-Verified?

  • Are your birds ever given antibiotics?

  • Are your birds ever given hormones, steroids or other growth promoters?

  • How do you process your poultry?

 

Cows/Buffalo Questions

 

  • Are your animals raised on pasture?

  • Do you feed your animals anything besides grass and hay? Why?

  • What kind of feed you use? Certified Organic? Sustainable? Source-Verified?

  • How are your animals finished?

  • Are your animals ever given antibiotics?

  • Are your animals ever given hormones, steroids or other growth promoters?

  • How do you process your animals?

 

Value Added Products Questions

 

  • Do you grow all your raw ingredients?

  • Where do you get your supplemental ingredients?

  • Are supplemental ingredients local? Organic?

  • Where do you prepare your products?

  • Where do you store your products?

  • What do you use for packaging?

 

Allergen Questions

 

  • All Food Hub buyers are strongly encouraged to conduct due diligence when purchasing farm product. This is especially important when selecting high allergen products such as meat or dairy, or buying products such as raw sprouts. Food Hub Farmers look forward to sharing information about their production practices and answering any and all questions buyers may have.