Idaho Preferred Program
Idaho Preferred is a state government promotional program, operated by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture since 2003, that connects Idaho consumers with 300+ local farmers, ranchers, and food crafters through free online directory tools, seasonal product guides, and community events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersCaldwell, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Idaho Preferred Program does
Idaho Preferred is a government promotional program operated by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), established in 2003 and headquartered at 2270 Old Penitentiary Road, Boise, Idaho. The program connects Idaho consumers with local farmers, ranchers, and food crafters through a suite of digital directory tools, content resources, and community events. Its core offering is the Farm + Food Finder, an interactive online directory of 300+ member producers, supplemented by specialized finders (CSA Finder, Organics Finder, Veteran Owned Farm Finder, Buy Local Online), seasonal product guides, printable PDF directories (farm stands, farm-raised meat, egg producers), a recipe collection, and a community calendar of farmers markets, u-picks, harvest dinners, and barrel tastings. The underlying technology is a web-based directory platform with content management and search/filter functionality; there is no mobile app, no API, and no AI/ML components.
The business model is non-commercial: membership and listings are free for all Idaho farmers, ranchers, and food crafters, and the program is funded by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture as a state-level agricultural marketing initiative. Distribution is multi-channel and spans direct-to-consumer (farmers markets, farm stands, CSA subscriptions), restaurants and food service sourcing local ingredients, and retailers including Albertsons, Walmart, Whole Foods, Boise Co-op, and Broulims. The program markets through its website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube (producer origin stories playlist), Pinterest, an email newsletter, trade show participation (National Restaurant Show, NASDA, Associated Food Stores), and earned regional media. Operationally, the program serves only the Idaho market within the United States and operates as a curatorial and promotional layer over the state's existing agricultural economy rather than a transactional intermediary.
Idaho Preferred Program firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Idaho Preferred Program
- Legal name
- Idaho Preferred
- Website
- https://idahopreferred.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Idaho Preferred is a state government promotional program, operated by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture since 2003, that connects Idaho consumers with 300+ local farmers, ranchers, and food crafters through free online directory tools, seasonal product guides, and community events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Idaho Preferred Program industry classification
Industry- Product category
- State Agricultural Marketing Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Farmstead & Local Artisan Food Markets (Retail Shops) (CRAHAGAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC)
Keywords
Where Idaho Preferred Program is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Caldwell
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Idaho Preferred Program business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Idaho Preferred is a promotional program funded by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. The program does not charge producers for membership or listings, making it free for all Idaho farmers, ranchers, and food crafters to join.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Idaho Preferred Program product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Idaho Preferred is a free, state-government-funded agricultural marketing program that promotes Idaho-grown food and agricultural products by connecting consumers with local farmers, ranchers, and food crafters through web-based directories, seasonal product guides, recipes, events, and community resources. It does not sell products directly; instead, it operates as a curated directory and promotional platform listing 300+ member producers across 185+ commodity categories.
Product overview
Idaho Preferred is a promotional marketing program operated by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, established in 2003. The program connects consumers with Idaho's local farms, food producers, and agricultural products through a suite of directory tools and resources. Rather than a unified software platform, the offering consists of interconnected web-based finder tools (Farm + Food Finder, CSA Finder, Organics Finder, Farmers Markets Directory, Restaurant Guide), a seasonal produce guide (What's in Season), a curated recipe collection, printable guides and directories, and a community events calendar. These services work together to promote Idaho agriculture by helping consumers locate, purchase from, and support local producers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Farm + Food Finder A searchable directory tool connecting consumers with Idaho farms, food producers, retailers, and agricultural products. Allows filtering by location, product category, and business type.
- What's in Season Seasonal produce guide showing what Idaho agricultural products are currently available, with links to individual product pages and local producers.
- CSA Finder Directory of Community Supported Agriculture programs connecting consumers directly with Idaho farms for subscription produce boxes.
- Organics Finder Directory of certified organic producers and products available in Idaho.
- Farmers Markets Directory Comprehensive listing of farmers markets across Idaho with locations, hours, and contact information.
- Idaho Restaurant Guide Guide to Idaho restaurants including Farm to Table restaurants vetted for local sourcing, categorized by cuisine type (bakery, BBQ, breakfast, coffee, dinner, lunch, pizza, steak, catering, pasta).
- Recipes Collection Collection of recipes featuring Idaho-grown ingredients, organized by category including Appetizers, Beverages, Breakfast, Desserts, Entrées, Kid Friendly, Side Dishes, Soups/Salads, Holiday Ideas, and Vintage Recipes.
- Idaho Preferred Guides and Directories Printable PDF guides including Farm Stand Guide, Farm-Raised Meat Guide (Beef, Bison, Lamb/Goat, Pork, Poultry, Fish & Caviar), Egg Producers Guide, and Holiday Gift Guide featuring Ag-Artisan products.
- Veteran Owned Farm Finder Directory of veteran-owned Idaho farms and agricultural operations, allowing consumers to find and support veteran-owned local producers.
- Community Calendar Event listings for farmers markets, u-picks, harvest dinners, barrel tastings, and other agricultural events across Idaho.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supports Idaho's position as a top 5 agricultural state by GDP
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Idaho Preferred Program
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Idaho Preferred Program technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Idaho Preferred Program partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Idaho State Department of AgriculturecoreIdaho Preferred is an official program of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, established in 2003 to promote, connect, and educate Idaho producers to help them grow their marketplaces. The program operates under ISDA's authority as the state's agricultural marketing initiative.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Idaho Preferred Program competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pick Tennessee Products: Tennessee Department of Agriculture's official local-food marketing program. Direct peer because it operates the same model — a state-government directory connecting consumers to Tennessee farmers, food producers, restaurants, and farmers markets.
- LocalHarvest: Long-standing private online directory of CSA programs, farmers markets, and local farms across the U.S. Direct peer because it serves the same consumer-to-local-producer discovery use case as Idaho Preferred's Farm + Food Finder, but at a national scale.
- California Grown: California's official state agricultural marketing initiative. Directly comparable to Idaho Preferred as a state-government program promoting in-state agricultural products to consumers, retailers, and food service through directories, events, and campaigns.
- Virginia Grown: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' local-food marketing program. Comparable to Idaho Preferred as a state-operated promotional directory connecting Virginia producers with consumers and supporting agritourism and farm-direct sales.
- Jersey Fresh: New Jersey Department of Agriculture's long-running local-food branding and marketing program. Closely comparable to Idaho Preferred in mission, structure, and go-to-market: a state-run promotional initiative helping Garden State farmers and producers reach consumers.
- Choose Iowa: Iowa's official state agriculture marketing program administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Directly comparable to Idaho Preferred as a state-backed directory promoting Iowa-produced foods and connecting consumers with local producers.
Emerging players
- Farmers Market Coalition: National nonprofit supporting farmers markets with resources, advocacy, and a directory. Partial overlap with Idaho Preferred because Idaho Preferred also curates a farmers market directory and runs community events, though Farmers Market Coalition operates nationally and does not handle full local-food discovery.
- Misfits Market: Direct-to-consumer online grocer sourcing from regional farmers and producers. Partial overlap as a private alternative to local-food discovery and DTC purchasing, competing for the same consumer demand for traceable, local food that Idaho Preferred promotes.
- GoodEggs: Online marketplace connecting consumers directly with local farms and food makers for home delivery. Partial overlap as an alternative local-food discovery and commerce channel that competes with Idaho Preferred's 'Buy Local Online' filter for producer attention and consumer mindshare.
Broad incumbents
- USDA Farmers Market Directory / Local Food Directories: Federal-level directory operated by USDA AMS covering farmers markets, CSA, on-farm markets, and food hubs nationally. Comparable as a higher-level government-operated local-food directory that overlaps with Idaho Preferred's scope and competes for credibility and search traffic.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Idaho Preferred Program social profiles
Digital presenceIdaho Preferred Program financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Idaho Preferred Program leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Idaho Preferred Program funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Idaho Preferred Program M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Idaho Preferred Program
What does Idaho Preferred Program do?
Idaho Preferred is a free, state-government-funded agricultural marketing program that promotes Idaho-grown food and agricultural products by connecting consumers with local farmers, ranchers, and food crafters through web-based directories, seasonal product guides, recipes, events, and community resources. It does not sell products directly; instead, it operates as a curated directory and promotional platform listing 300+ member producers across 185+ commodity categories.
Is Idaho Preferred Program a public or private company?
Idaho Preferred Program is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Idaho Preferred Program founded?
Idaho Preferred Program was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Idaho Preferred Program based?
Idaho Preferred Program is headquartered in Caldwell, United States, in the North America region.
How does Idaho Preferred Program make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Funding.
Who are Idaho Preferred Program's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pick Tennessee Products, LocalHarvest, California Grown, Virginia Grown, Jersey Fresh and Choose Iowa. Emerging players are Farmers Market Coalition, Misfits Market and GoodEggs. USDA Farmers Market Directory / Local Food Directories is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Idaho Preferred Program have an API?
No public API is recorded for Idaho Preferred Program.
What industry is Idaho Preferred Program in?
Idaho Preferred Program's product category is State Agricultural Marketing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHAGAO, Farmstead & Local Artisan Food Markets (Retail Shops), with a secondary code of AFAIANAC, Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery. Its NAICS code is 11511 and its SIC code is 700.