Mississippi Farm Marketplace Opens Access to Healthy Food
In partnership with: Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has come broken supply chains, transportation interruptions, empty grocery store shelves – and a heightened demand for fresh, local food.
In response to this demand, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce launched the Mississippi Farm Marketplace. This online portal connects consumers directly to farmers, allowing customers to find farm-fresh produce, eggs, meat, seafood, dairy and more from across the state. For farmers, the marketplace opens new sources of revenue in a time when restaurant, school and wholesale orders are evaporating.
Meet the Farmer
When Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson invited farmer Ben Simmons to join the marketplace, it wasn’t a hard sell. Simmons was excited about the opportunity to reach new customers. What he didn’t expect was the customer response.
In the weeks following the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., Simmons’ sales doubled. “We were making sales all over the state, more than we could actually handle,” he says. The avalanche of orders has since slowed, but not by much. “People have discovered that there’s a lot of advantages to buying directly from the farmer. More than just having a healthier diet and supporting local farmers, they have more access (to products).”
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Simmons is a second-generation farmer from Perry County. His family-owned Nature’s Gourmet Farm raises eggs, beef, pork and poultry. It is the first farm in Mississippi to process its own chickens under a USDA inspection in its on-farm plant, allowing it to sell anywhere in the United States. The farm is currently building capacity to ship its products across the country in 2021. For now, the majority of Nature’s Gourmet’s sales are direct to consumer, with customers retrieving their cuts of meat and fresh-laid eggs at pickup locations across Mississippi.
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Prioritizing Sustainability
Since 2010, Simmons and his wife, Beth, have worked to restore their soil and protect the local ecosystem through regenerative practices. All animals graze on diverse forage pastures. The meat is grass-finished and grain-free. The goal, Simmons says, is to “produce food we feel good about feeding our family and to our customers.” In light of the pandemic, this mission feels more urgent than ever. But the Simmons family’s journey to grow nourishing food through regenerative practices began a decade ago.
In July 2011, after reading about the benefits of regenerative farming, Simmons and his wife visited Polyface Farms in Virginia, where they saw firsthand the benefits of a holistic, integrated farm system. At Nature’s Gourmet, Simmons began incorporating practices like rotational grazing and no-till planting. Through raising animals ethically, humanely and sustainably, Simmons hopes he can teach people to care for themselves through what they eat. “The No. 1 best way to protect yourself is through a healthy immune system,” he says. “People are realizing that eating a healthier diet helps build your immune system.”
Connecting to Consumers
As sales climb (thanks to Mississippi Farm Marketplace), Simmons keeps his focus where it’s always been: on raising and selling food with integrity. “We’re not out chasing profit; we’re out to raise a quality product that will help people,” he says.
In the era of the coronavirus pandemic, farms like Nature’s Gourmet have an important role to play in keeping people healthy. While the marketplace isn’t transactional, farmers can list their available products and contact information, creating a more direct line of communication. Thanks to Mississippi Farm Marketplace, farmers are connecting with consumers more than before.