New York SBDC Research Network

From eMarketer : Once upon a time, social media marketing was very different than it is today. Marketers could open a page on Facebook, write a bunch of fun posts and watch the fan count go up. But that all changed when Facebook began drastically reducing the reach of organic (nonpaid) posts. "While organic serves a key purpose within our broader strategy, we are very mindful that the creative must be top-notch to resonate, and that it strategically incorporates the proper hashtags to ensure relevance within the marketplace," said Tad Ehrbar, senior vice president of global consumer social media and content at Citi. Others believe organic social is a waste of time and dollars—and they don’t mince words. “You might as well take your budget to the bank, cash it out in greenback $20s, pile it up in the parking lot and light the money on fire,” said Ogilvy's Marshall Manson. However, some marketers believe organic is not only still important, but perhaps more import

For the commercial organic farmers or any one else who grows fruit, vegetables or runs a dairy: Cornell's Integrated Pest Management Program has released nine new organic production guides . The new guides provide information on how to produce certified organic apples, blueberries, grapes, lettuce, potatoes, spinach, strawberries and cole crops, including cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. The guides cover integrated pest management techniques, with sections on cover crops, resistant varieties, crop rotation, field selection and soil quality.

Last month, the Economic Research Service (part of the US Department of Agriculture) released a 33-page report titled " Marketing U.S. Organic Foods ". It spells out the continued growth in demand in the U.S. for organically-grown products. It identifies which distribution channels have proven the most successful for farmers to pursue, but also notes that supply sometimes cannot keep up with demand. An interesting read for our organically-minded clients.