As The Coronavirus Pandemic Continues New Software Helps Small Farms Shift To Online Sales

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Fisheye Farms sold the majority of its produce, herbs and flowers to local restaurants. But with many of its customers closed for business, the Detroit-based farm has transitioned to selling to nearby residents.

Working with Steward, a platform for investing in sustainable farms, the farm set-up an e-commerce platform, transitioned to online orders of pre-packaged farm boxes, and are working towards providing a CSA. 

“With the e-commerce platform provided by Steward, we have been able to meet a surge in consumer demand and are now selling more product to area residents than ever before,” said Andy Chae, an owner of Fisheye Farms.

Steward, recently, announced the launch of a new suite of software tools designed to help small, sustainable farmers pivot to direct to consumer sales.  

“Demand for the direct purchase of local and sustainable farm products is exploding and in many cases replacing lost sales to restaurants and other businesses, which until recently were a key source of revenue for many small farmers,” said Dan Miller, CEO of Steward.

The new e-services offered by Steward include a fundraising tool for farmers to raise capital, an e-commerce tool to sell direct to consumers, and an accounting tool to keep track of books and inventory. The tools which cost between $99 and $299 were in the works long before the pandemic. The company saw the need for tools as part of their work with small farms, which in addition to providing investment options including individual farm loans, includes working with farms to develop plans for the funds they need as they grow.

“One of the good things about us is we don’t have boundaries, whatever their challenges are, we know we can help,” Miller said. “Farmers don’t have extra time, so taking care of payroll accounting, handling a website, these are things we can take care of.”   

In addition to Fisheye Farms in Detroit, Naked Acres in Beavercreek, Oregon, North Bridger Bison in Bozeman, Montana and more than 50 other farms are using Steward’s software and services.

One of the e-commerce hurdles Steward has seen farms struggling with is how complicated it can be just to get started from managing inventory to the logistics of the sales. Steward works with farms individually to try to solve those problems. Sometimes that means starting with one product a farm can sell. Other times it means helping a farm like North Bridger Bison get approved for a United States Department of Agriculture grant that will allow the farm to access a mobile USDA approved facility for processing the bison and then setting up their e-commerce. Or it is working with Beiler’s Heritage Acres an Amish Farm to figure out the logistics of an e-commerce site with a farmer that doesn’t use technology. 

Miller and Steward are betting direct to consumer sales now and post-pandemic will be one of the most effective ways to help small, sustainable farms grow. 

“A lot of farmers start selling at farmers’ markets to build their brand, then restaurant sales and then direct to consumer. When they get to direct to consumer, it’s the best revenue,” Miller said, adding that he believes once people realize how easily they can shop from farms, he hopes people will continue shopping with and building relationships with farmers.”