Small Farm and Food Business Needs Assessment Report
What could local food entrepreneurs use to improve their current businesses?
To better understand their goals, challenges, and needs, F3 Local conducted a needs assessment with food entrepreneurs across the region. We found that entrepreneurs are looking to grow, not simply survive. But their barriers varied depending on the type of business they ran and their development stage.
Understanding the needs of local food entrepreneurs
The assessment was conducted using an online survey distributed through F3 Local’s growing network and at community events, including farmers' markets across Fresno, Merced, Madera, Kings, and Tulare.
The assessment had three primary goals:
To deepen our understanding of local food entrepreneurs and their businesses;
Identify how their needs and challenges vary by type of activity; and
Develop actionable recommendations for F3 Local, other service providers, policymakers, and funders working to strengthen the Central Valley food system.
Building a stronger local food system
The assessment reinforces the importance of listening directly to the entrepreneurs who are building the Central Valley’s local food economy.
When it comes to their vision for their business in the 2 next years, food entrepreneurs said that they want to “Expand their business”, “Hope to expand to online sales or wholesale” or “Remodel entire location, adding additional fueling points and expanding size of market, adding full kitchen selling fresh foods made to order.” But they have difficulties with “Management”, getting “The right information to start the business” and they are “not sure what permits are required”. And they need to “Learn marketing skills”, they would like to get “an affordable location” and learn “more ways to manage the restrictions in California for farmers”.
One size does not fit all when it comes to supporting food entrepreneurs
Food entrepreneurs do not all need the same kind of support depending on their business model and their needs change as their businesses grow.
Farmers market vendors, for example, are focused on expanding their market access and sales channels, while cottage food operators need support to formalize and grow their businesses, and farms and food processors are more likely to need infrastructure, equipment, and scaling support.
Business maturity also shapes these needs. Newer businesses tend to need foundational guidance on business planning, permitting, financing, and infrastructure, while more established businesses increasingly need help strengthening operations, expanding capacity, modernizing systems, and reaching new markets.
This reinforces a key lesson for F3 Local and service providers in the Central Valley: effective technical assistance should not be a series of isolated, one-size-fits-all workshops, but a pathway that meets entrepreneurs where they are and grows with them over time.
Next steps could be…
Make regulatory navigation a core service by helping entrepreneurs understand permits, licensing, food safety, labeling, and other compliance requirements.
Create clear support pathways for businesses at different stages, from launch to growth to long-term sustainability.
Connect technical assistance with real resources, including commercial kitchens, equipment, production space, financing, buyers, and market opportunities.
Strengthen coordination among service providers through shared referral systems, warm handoffs, common tools, and clearer roles.
Invest in shared infrastructure and flexible capital so entrepreneurs can access the facilities, equipment, storage, and financing they need to grow.
Build stronger regional market connections and follow-up support through buyer relationships, procurement opportunities, peer learning, and continued outreach to underserved communities.
Overall, food entrepreneurs in the Central valley have strong ambitions, but so are the challenges they face. By providing more tailored assistance, helping entrepreneurs navigate regulations, connecting them to infrastructure and markets, and building longer-term pathways for business development, F3 Local and its partners can help more local food businesses start, grow, and thrive.
Learn more at: https://ucanr.edu/site/f3-local-farm-food-innovation/small-farm-and-food-businesses-needs-assessment
Learn more about the findings and recommendations by downloading the full F3 Local Needs Assessment report linked below.
Reach out if you would like to collaborate on the next steps for supporting local food entrepreneurs by emailing Gaelle Chanlot at gchanlot@ucanr.edu
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