SEED Reports

This report offers observations and recommendations to the Board of Directors of SEED based upon a two-day long visit to the Racine-Kenosha area on November 1 – 2, 2010. The report is brief, intended to offer a concise assessment of the opportunities and challenges before SEED members and partners, along with a set of meaningful recommendations about how to move forward to expand and build healthy local food systems.

The itinerary for the visit was developed by Robert Beezat after conferring with the consultant (AF) about key partners and how best to use time during the two day visit. Site visits to the following farms, organizations and businesses were made (not listed in exact chronological order):

HALO     Discussions about a potential partnership with SEED and possible use of commercial kitchen space, as well as renovated warehouse space planned for 2011, the latter for aggregation

Racine/Kenosha FSA office

 Met with a range of USDA personnel and two farmers market managers regarding current and potential farm production of fruits and vegetables, goats and other livestock, along with some of the perceived impediments to transitioning farmers to new crops

Three Farms (Dietzler beef cattle farm and two produce operations, Pinehold Gardens CSA and Barb Unlenhake).  Discussed both production issues as well as current markets and possible interest in marketing through a growers group

Gooseberries Fresh Food Market

                A brief tour of the grocery and a meeting with the CEO who demonstrated very strong commitment to local farmers, and interest in working with SEED

Johnson Foundation

                Discussed potential collaborations with Wingspread’s Director of Local and Regional Community Programs, Dr. Carole Johnson

Gateway Technical College

                After a short presentation by AF, there was a wide ranging discussion with college faculty and staff, as well as SEED partners present about possible collaborations, technical capacities at the college and their commitment to sustainability

 

SEED Board

                Met with five board members of SEED, and made a short, informal presentation regarding expanding local food systems, particularly though aggregation and distribution.

Keeping in mind that my visit was quite short and that I experienced only a small slice of the food, farming and economy of the Racine/Kenosha region, I offer the following observations.

1.       Extensive and high quality farmland, relatively close to substantial urban markets. This is significant, as other parts of the country either have a substantially more limited land base, a scarcity of medium to large urban markets, or both

2.       Very close proximity to two small urban markets combined with close proximity to very large and “ready” urban markets (Chicago and Milwaukee). The proximity that you have to both creates the potential to gradually step up production, aggregation and distribution capacity, with markets available to provide the requisite demand at each stage of growth.

3.       Strong and diverse partnerships in your communities, offering potential markets (Gooseberries), infrastructure (HALO), access to farmers (USDA personnel, farmers’ market managers, key farmers) and educational collaboration (Gateway and the Johnson Foundation).

4.       Some supportive state policies, including favorable zoning and tax rates for working farmlands – the Working Lands Initiative – and the Agriculture Enterprise Initiative.

5.        Gooseberries is a medium sized grocer, deeply committed to local purchasing of diverse food items and very willing to work with less experienced growers and suppliers. Gooseberries appears to be the ideal “patient buyer”, both large enough to offer significant demand (it appears), yet willing to work with you on quality, packing, variety, delivery schedules, etc.

6.       Rapidly growing farmers markets of varying sizes and requirements. Farmers markets offer substantial opportunities for producers in and of themselves, while also being a low cost “incubator” where producers can build a customer base, test new crops or products and hone their planning, production and quality control skills.

7.       A small but dedicated group of growers, including those visited, who appear ready to work with SEED on building up supply. This base does not appear to be sufficient for your purposes, but it is a start.

8.       The Johnson Foundation’s strong interest in co-convening a working meeting of producers, buyers and key partners sometime in the Spring of 2011 offers potential to help “launch” an expanded food systems initiative.

9.       The skills and interests of faculty at Gateway might enable the development of improved systems or infrastructure for season extension, cooling, distribution and related elements of the food value chain.

10.   HALO which provides a potential infrastructure and distribution partner.

1.        At present, there is not an adequate base of farmers committed to building supply for a value chain initiative. They are likely out there, either as current farmers market/CSA growers interested in expanding, or more traditional farmers (commodities, large scale vegetable producers) looking to try something new, but they have not yet been specifically identified in substantial numbers, let alone “secured”.

2.       The situation with markets is analogous: There is clearly strong demand, far beyond current supply, but for the most part, specific buyers have not yet been contacted nor secured.

3.       While there are potential sites for aggregation and distribution of produce and other items, it is not clear that any of these are certain, or when they might be available to SEED and its grower partners.

4.       A particular challenge with suburban land being held in 5 – 10 acre parcels in Kenosha and Racine counties was noted, though this was also discussed as a potential opportunity for partnerships with new and /or immigrant farmers.

5.       The influence and relative security of USDA commodity programs makes it difficult to persuade most of the larger farmers to consider fruits and vegetables, poultry or other alternative crops.

 

It seems clear that SEED is in a position to help accelerate the development of local food systems in the Racine/Kenosha area, potentially including the creation of a “value chain” that links farmers with markets at a significant scale. In order to more fully prepare for this, and to make wise choices and investments, I recommend the following steps be undertaken by SEED board members, and if available, staff or contracted local consultants:

Step 1. During the months of December – February, undertake a targeted market assessment of key potential buyers in the Racine/Kenosha area, and where it makes sense, neighboring communities. While a broader market analysis might make sense in the future, in order to move forward based on concrete demand in 2011, and to therefore be able to provide incentives for farmers, SEED should contact at least 20 – 30 potential buyers from among the following categories

·         Independent grocers, health food and specialty stores and food cooperatives

·         Independent restaurants and resorts

·         Small colleges, primarily those with “self operated” (non-corporate) dining services

·         Other public or institutional buyers, including health care, senior and wellness centers

In addition to beginning the relationship building so essential to effective value chains, attempt to secure the following information from each potential buyer with whom you meet:

a.       Level of interest in purchasing food from local farmers; are they currently doing so?

b.      Types of food they’re most in need of and interested in purchasing from local farmers – produce, eggs, meats, etc

c.       Obstacles or challenges they face to buying local food – Price? Consistency? Delivery Frequency? Variety? Packing? Grading? Food safety? etc

d.      Are they content buying from many growers or would they likely increase their local purchases if there was a single source for multiple farms/products?

e.      If supply was available in2011, would they be willing to commit to some level of “pilot purchasing”? If so, what would be their top 8 – 10 items, and what sorts of weekly volumes would they purchase (assuming quality standards are met and price has been discussed)?

f.        Be sure to discuss both the quality standards and the price they are willing to pay. If possible, you should go into these meetings with a price range for items that your farmers can live with.

Step 2. Undertake a farmer/producer assessment, beginning with a grower outreach campaign during the winter months. This should begin with the current base of farmers with whom you have contact in order to determine their interest in supplying markets accessed by SEED (that is, above and beyond their current markets). Simultaneously, you should begin outreach to other farmers, using your partners at FSA and Extension, farmers market managers and “current growers” (those known to you) to build a list of potential farmer partners. Other outreach mechanisms might include:

·         House parties at a local farm where growers invite their peers and a SEED member explains the goals and opportunities

·         Similar gatherings at a community center, library or church, using press releases and word of mouth to turn people out

·         Flyers at farm stores, equipment dealers or other places advertising community meetings, or providing contact information for interested growers.

It is important to realize that securing demand and building supply present a “chicken and egg” challenge in your first year or two, with risks that you might disappoint either farmers or buyers and in so doing, lose your credibility. To reduce this risk, SEED will need to undertake the market and grower assessments more or less simultaneously, although you must have some solid information on potential buyers before you begin outreach to new farmers with whom you don’t yet have a relationship.

Step 3. Once you’ve completed your basic market and grower assessments, conduct an infrastructure assessment. At this point you’ll have more information on market demands for product types and volumes and this will enable you to determine what sort of infrastructure you’ll need to get started.

Step 4. In March or April, 2011, join the Johnson Foundation to co-convene a working session with farmers, buyers, key partners and community leaders to explore in detail the development of an expanded regional food system initiative. If enough progress is made on the steps outlined above, you may be able to also target this gathering as a “launch” of a SEED-led food system enterprise or initiative. I would suggest contacting Carole Johnson immediately to schedule a meeting to set goals and begin developing plans for the gathering, and to pinpoint a date for the gathering.

Step 5. In addition to the information gathering outlined above, the SEED board should consider two other important issues:

·         Whether or not to launch a pilot program in 2011, and if so, at what scale of buyers/growers; and

·         What SEED’s role should be in moving this work forward, not only in 2011, but in future years as well? This will of necessity also involve an exploration of SEED’s capacity (and perhaps of its partners) to undertake this role, and how additional capacity might be developed.

In going through some or all of the recommended steps, I would also encourage SEED leaders to consult the “Healthy Food Systems Tool Kit” (I left one copy with Mr Beezat), as this fleshes out some of the steps in greater detail.