

Mar 2, 2025
[Ann Arbor, Michigan - January 25, 2025]
The 2nd Annual National Farm Stop Conference will be held March 2–4, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, bringing together leaders from across the U.S. local food movement to explore the growth and future of the innovative “Farm Stop” retail model.
Farm Stops provide a year-round, daily platform for farmers to sell their products in an exclusively local, professional grocery setting. These unique stores prioritize small farm revenue, aiming to rebuild local food systems while offering consumers access to fresh, sustainably sourced products.
Over the past year, Farm Stops have experienced remarkable growth, with the model now expanding into over 10 states, from Washington to New York, and Michigan to South Carolina. This expansion reflects a growing demand for local food systems that strengthen communities and provide greater support to small farmers.
Unlike traditional grocery stores, the Farm Stop model allows farmers to retain ownership of their goods and set their own prices. Close communication between Farm Stops and farmers ensures robust year-round sales and exceptionally low food waste. The result is a win-win: farmers earn more, and consumers enjoy convenient access to high-quality, locally grown food.
“The Farm Stop model puts more money in the pockets of our local farmers,” says Bill
Brinkerhoff, co-founder of Argus Farm Stop, which operates multiple retail operations in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Nationally, food travels extremely long distances from farm to table, and farmers only receive an average of 16% of the retail sales dollar. At Argus, we work closely with small, local farms, and they receive 70% of retail sales. Over the past ten years, Argus has paid over $25 million to the 200 local farms and producers who sell through Argus.”
"The Farm Stop has been extremely helpful to both our sales and our brand,” says Kyle Smith of Bloomington, Indiana’s Wilderlove Farm. Smith, who sells through the Bloomington Farm Stop Collective, says of the Farm Stop model, “It has allowed our customers the ability to purchase our products seven days a week, and gives them an easy way to refer us to their friends and family as well."
“Let’s go, Farm Stops!” says Philip Ackerman-Leist, author of “Rebuilding the Foodshed: How to Create Local, Sustainable, and Secure Food Systems.” Ackerman-Leist, who will be both speaking at the conference, and running a workshop for participants, see the model as having great potential. “What happens between farm gate and dinner plate is almost as important as what happens on the farm,” says Ackerman-Leist. “The actors and the intentions that operate in the middle of our food systems significantly impact the health of our communities and our local economies. The Farm Stop model offers a new vision for the middle, with versatile versions to fit localized needs and scales.”
The Second Annual National Farm Stop Conference will unite Farm Stop operators, community leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and academics to explore and advance the Farm Stop model for selling and distributing locally farmed foods. The conference, featuring workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities aimed at empowering new and existing Farm Stops to thrive, will serve as a catalyst for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and innovation, providing attendees with insights from industry leaders on strengthening and sustaining local food systems. It will also highlight success stories and strategies for scaling the model to even more communities across the country.
Event Details
Dates: March 2–4, 2025
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Website: www.farmstops.net
Hosted by Argus Farm Stop and presented in partnership with the Fair Food Network, the conference promises to be a catalyst for collaboration and innovation in the local food movement.
About Argus Farm Stop:
Argus Farm Stop is a trailblazer in the Farm Stop movement, dedicated to growing our local food systems. By providing farmers with high margin sales, and offering consumers access to fresh, locally sourced products, Argus Farm Stop is at the forefront of fostering resilient and sustainable communities. To learn more, visit: www.argusfarmstop.com.
About Fair Food Network:
Fair Food Network (FFN) is a national nonprofit and investor that grows community health and wealth through food. We transform how resources flow through the food economy for a more fair and resilient future. Our approach integrates policy advocacy that brings proven solutions to scale, partnerships that increase our collective impact, and investments in food organizations and businesses that serve their communities. We’re building a world in which everyone has access to healthy choices, economic opportunity, and a resilient environment. Join us at:
Learn More About Farm Stops:
Civil Eats: “Farm Stops Create new Markets for Small Farms”
https://civileats.com/2024/08/12/farm-stops-create-new-markets-for-small-farms/
Food & Wine: “Searching for Community and Fresh Local Produce? You Should Know What a Farm Stop Is?”
https://www.foodandwine.com/farm-stops-8753238
Modern Farmer: “Is the Farm Stop Revolution Upon Us?”
https://modernfarmer.com/2024/05/is-the-farm-stop-revolution-upon-us/
“How to Start a Farm Stop”
https://www.fulcrum.org/concern/monographs/r207ts34k?locale=en
For media inquiries, contact:
Bill Brinkerhoff