Discovering the Value of Iowa Grown
Roots Run Deep
There is no one type of Iowa grower. From farmers market vendors to nurseries, landscapers, flower farms and Christmas tree farms, HS set out to discover the value of grown in Iowa and the roots and values they have in common, all to better appeal to consumers.
The Challenge
Better Support Iowa Producers
HS partnered with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to better understand two critical audiences: horticultural producers and Iowa consumers. The objective was to uncover prevailing attitudes, behaviors, challenges, and opportunities related to agricultural production and purchasing in order to shape targeted marketing and outreach strategies.
The Strategy
Focus Groups, Surveys and Valuable Feedback
To achieve this, HS designed and deployed a statewide horticulture shopper survey that gathered more than 500 responses from farmers market shoppers, ornamental horticulture buyers, and blended shoppers.
In addition, the team planned, recruited, and facilitated 12 producer focus groups, engaging a wide range of participants including farmers market vendors, Christmas tree farms, nurseries and landscapers, and flower farms.
The Results
Defining the Value of Choosing Iowa
In speaking statewide to the many varied producer types across Iowa’s proud horticulture and agricultural history, HS sought out the values they had in common: Hard work, generations of tradition, exceptional products, customer interactions and unwavering support of the local economy. The resulting insights will be deployed by IDALS to grow and advance their producer engagement and customer reach.
