Miles Smith Farm 

Loudon, NH

AMS GRANTS AWARDED

Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) 2012 

Grant for $70,735

Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) 2014 

Implementation Grant for $92,120

Project types: General Market Analysis, 

Marketing Materials, Equipment & Labor Costs for 

Start-Up Businesses

HISTORY OF BUSINESS OR PROJECT

Miles Smith Farm is a 36-acre farm near Concord, New 

Hampshire, owned by Carole Soule and Bruce Dawson. 

The 36 acres combine part of a farm owned by Miles 

Smith in the 1850’s and two neighboring farms. The 

Scottish Highlander and Angus cattle they raise are 

pastured on the home farm and about 300 acres they 

lease around the state. Miles Smith Farm provides 

wholesale USDA-inspected beef, pork and lamb to 

retailers, restaurants, hospitals, and schools. They also 

run a historic inn on the farm and host events.

Miles Smith Farm received two USDA AMS grants over 

the past decade: an FMPP grant in 2012 followed by 

an LFPP implementation grant in 2014. The two grant 

projects both aimed to develop markets with healthcare 

and senior facilities to procure local beef. The FMPP 

project facilitated a partnership with 20-30 New England 

Small-scale beef producer aggregates cattle from nearby farms to introduce meat sales 

at local hospitals and other institutions.

meat producers, educating them about how to sell 

fresh, locally-raised meat to health care institutions, 

especially those in underserved areas. Through the LFPP 

project, they partnered with 5 New Hampshire beef 

producers to provide locally raised beef to health care 

institutions in New Hampshire. Miles Smith Farm acts 

as the central distributor for their own beef, and beef 

from up to 5 other area farmers. The relationship with 

some, but not all, of the facilities has continued past the 

grant period.

WHY THEY CHOSE TO APPLY FOR AN AMS 

GRANT/WHAT AN AMS GRANT MEANT FOR 

THEIR BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION?

Carole would have attempted to develop these 

markets even without the grant funds, but she feels 

she would not have been nearly as successful. The 

funding was instrumental in developing marketing 

materials, covering the costs of meetings, beef tastings, 

coordination of producers, processing, and distribution 

logistics. Much of the original work continues to this 

day, although with fewer facilities. The ones that do 

continue to purchase her beef do so on a regular, 

predictable basis.

“Marketing makes all the difference. Of course we 

have a great product, but getting the message out is as 

important,” Carole shared.

Agricultural

Marketing 

Service

March 2020
KEY IMPACTS OF THE GRANT, 

SHORT-TERM AND LONGER-TERM

Miles Smith Farm, in business for over a decade, 

built on their existing supply chain relationships 

and experience to start supplying local healthcare 

facilities. They recruited a set of farmers who could 

meet their production specifications, work directly 

with the processor on consistent scheduling and 

cutting instructions, and serve as a regional distributor. 

They also conducted an extensive education and 

outreach campaign with hospital personnel on how 

to incorporate local beef and different cuts into their 

menus. The project benefited the farmers and increased 

business for their processor. As of 2019, three of the 

four facilities are still buying from them. 

WHERE THEY WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT

Carole applied for and was denied an additional USDA 

AMS LFPP grant to develop a “delivery hub” where 

several farms combine resources to deliver their 

products in the region. While they continue to dream 

of new ways to build market and income streams 

from their farm and for local meat producers, they are 

focused on solidifying their existing customer base, 

creating more efficiencies, and diversifying enterprises 

on the farm. Organizing and hosting events on the farm, 

renting out farm animals for parties, and running a 

historic inn are a few examples.

REFERENCES/LINKS

https://www.milessmithfarm.com

https://www.farmtoinstitution.org/story/farm-hospital-miles-smith-farm-meat

CONTACT INFORMATION

Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network

Rebecca Thistlethwaite

Email: thistler@oregonstate.edu

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

Samantha Schaffstall

Email: samantha.schaffstall@usda.gov

This case study was 

created in fulfillment of 

a cooperative research 

agreement between 

the Marketing Services 

Division of the Agricultural Marketing Service of the 

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA AMS) 

and Oregon State University’s Niche Meat Processor 

Assistance Network (NMPAN).

Photo Credit: USDA

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, 

and lender.