Supply Chain & Market readiness toolkit

Whether you're considering organic certification, looking for new markets, or strengthening an existing grain business, it can be difficult to know what to work on first. The Toolkit below brings together practical tools and resources to help you move from assessment to action.

ASSESS YOUR READINESS
Use the Grower Market-Readiness Evaluation to understand where you are now, identify gaps, and clarify what buyers and supply-chain partners need.

Use the Grain Buyer Evaluation Tool if you are a processor, food hub, distributor, or other supply-chain actor to clarify sourcing requirements and readiness to work with growers.

PREPARE FOR THE MARKET
Build your understanding of grain quality, handling, documentation, and pricing so you can prepare for the market you want to reach with these tools:

Shared Grain Standards, Framework for Small Grain & Pulse Pricing + Grain & Pulse Pricing Calculator

CONNECT WITH THE MARKET
Use these tools to find potential buyers, growers, and supply-chain partners and build the relationships needed to move grain into regional markets:

Wholesale Inquiry, Organic Supply Chain Asset Map, Supply Chain Stakeholder Resources

SUPPLY CHAIN MARKET READINESS TOOLKIT:

  • Grower Market-Readiness Evaluation Tool

    A quick, 10-to-20-minute interactive form to assess a grower's market readiness.

    When completed, the form provides specialized feedback and delivers a customized follow-up document packed with resources.

    Take the Grower Evaluation

  • Shared Grain Standards

    Our Crop Spec Sheets provide a starting point for understanding the quality, handling, packaging, labeling, and verification considerations associated with five core regional crops — soft wheat, hard wheat, corn, barley, and oats — to help farmers and buyers establish clearer expectations.

    Access the Spec Sheets

  • Framework for Small Grain & Pulse Pricing

    This framework provides a way to consider costs, market requirements, and factors such as identity preservation, certification, and storage when developing a price.

    Review the Framework

  • Grain & Pulse Pricing Calculator

    This spreadsheet is a tool for modeling production costs, cleaning losses, byproduct revenue, and pricing across sales channels.

    Use the Calculator

  • Grain Buyer Evaluation Tool

    This assessment helps grain buyers understand their current readiness to source from regional growers.

    When completed, this form will generate a customized grain purchasing guide for your business to use with farmers.

    Take the Stakeholder Evaluation

  • Wholesale Inquiry Process

    Use this form to explore wholesale grain sourcing opportunities. Share what you're looking for, and potential growers or buyers who may be a fit can contact you directly.

    Submit a Wholesale Inquiry

  • Supply Chain Stakeholder Resources

    Practical resources for processors, food hubs, distributors, and other supply-chain partners working with regional growers. Includes guidance for communicating sourcing requirements, clarifying expectations, and building stronger supplier relationships.

    Review the List of Resources

  • Organic Supply Chain Asset Map

    A directory of certified organic operations in the Mid-Atlantic, organized by crops certified and products handled, to help farmers, buyers, and supply-chain partners identify potential connections.

    See the Asset Map

Through the development of these resources and tools, CGA spoke with food hubs, distributors, and millers across the Mid-Atlantic to better understand the infrastructure, relationships, market demand, and coordination needed to build stronger regional grain channels.

READ THE REPORT to explore what we learned and the opportunities we see for strengthening connections across the regional grain supply chain.

The Mid-Atlantic Organic Grain Market Readiness Guide is for farmers and supply-chain partners working to build stronger regional grain markets. It brings together practical guidance on organic transition, buyer relationships, market requirements, technical support, and next steps, along with interactive tools and a Resource Library to help you take action.

Looking for the bigger picture?

Explore the Market Readiness Guide

Lessons Learned: Building Regional Grain Markets

This work is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).