SPARKS—The eCommerce site for Shop Made in Nevada now includes meat, produce and other agricultural products, expanding the reach of Nevada’s food and agriculture producers and businesses. The effort is a collaboration between Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) and Made in Nevada to address disruptions in the supply chain due to COVID-19 and promote direct-to-consumer sales.
“Our existing website was the perfect place to facilitate direct sales seamlessly for Nevada small businesses, producers and growers,” Brad Scribner, Made in Nevada community project manager, said. “In response to the pandemic, many agricultural producers have lost access to sales opportunities, and we are so pleased to be able to bridge that gap with our online sales platform.”
Many Nevada food growers and producers saw a shift in their business model when restaurant closures eliminated much of the market for fresh meats and produce. Since March 2020, Nevada’s farmers and ranchers have reinvented the way they distribute their products, including direct sales to consumers and selling to non-profit food distributors like the Food Bank of Northern Nevada.
Some of the state’s meat producers have gotten creative with their online sales. Gardnerville-based Carson Valley Meats curates themed meat boxes such as the Basque Box, which includes an assortment of lamb chops, oxtails and chorizo sausage. Starseeds in Las Vegas packages its microgreens and alfalfa sprouts for delivery. Still others have packaged their goods as gift sets.
NDA director Jennifer Ott said the partnership is a win-win for the industry and consumers. “The farmers and ranchers of Nevada need support as our state continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added. Businesses interested in becoming part of the Made in Nevada collaborative should visit https://madeinnevada.org/join/.
Consumers can shop the online store at https://shop.madeinnevada.org/.
