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2013 Indiana Small Farm Conference

Local Foods are BIG in Indiana Small Farms

March 2, 2013

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Local Foods in the news and on the Best Seller List

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

From the Institute of Food Technologists Newsletter: Top 10 menu trends for 2013: 1. Locally-sourced meats and seafood 2. Locally-grown produce 3. Healthful kids’ meals 4. Environmental sustainability as a culinary theme 5. Children’s nutrition as a culinary theme 6. New cuts of meat (e.g., Denver steak, pork flat iron, teres major) 7. Hyper-local sourcing (e.g., restaurant gardens) 8. Gluten-free cuisine 9. Sustainable seafood 10. Whole grain items in kids' meals

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“Eating is an agricultural act . . .” - Wendell Berry “Eating is a political act . . .” - Alice Waters “Eating is an ecological act . . . - Michael Pollan Food is so much more than a safe source of calories... It is about nutrition but also about a philosophy, and a sense of

place, a sense of season, and links us with family, culture and tradition.

Food For Thought

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An excerpt: It's easy to think of local food as a diversion for people with plenty of time and money — something that could never be a major source of food in a globalized world. But the number $5 billion might change that perception. American farmers say they're selling $4.8 billion a year in fruits and vegetables in their local markets, according to a new analysis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Though the number of farmer's markets doubled between 1998 and 2009, the bulk of the new sales came from supermarkets and restaurants. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2011/11/14/142306970/local-food-is-no-small-potatoes-farmers-rake-in-almost-5-billion

Local Foods are not Small Potatoes

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The sad fact is however…it is still

easier (even the growing season) to buy produce that was grown by a

nameless farmer in California, Florida or a third world country than it is to buy it from a Hancock county

farmer.

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…Despite these trends, some Hoosier farmers speak of doubling corn production over the next twenty years, from 200 bushels per acre to 400. New genetically modified varieties, and far more intensive production techniques, will be required to attain this goal, they say, if the world is to feed the 9 billion consumers expected to populate the globe by 2050.

Yet Indiana does not even feed itself, let alone feed the world. The state imports an estimated 90% of its food. More than $14.5 billion is spent by Hoosier consumers each year buying food sourced outside of the state.

Hoosier Farmer? Emergent Food Systems in Indiana

January 18, 2012 Prepared for the

Indiana State Department of Health Ken Meter

Crossroads Resource Center kmeter@crcworks.org

www.crcworks.

for full report see http://www.crcworks.org/infood.pdf

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

A Central Indiana Food Hub Is it Feasible??? Roy Ballard

Purdue Extension Educator- Hancock County rballard@purdue.edu 317-462-1113

Jason Saavedra J3Planning info@j3planning.com 812-645-4610

2013 Indiana Small Farm Conference

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

How can we keep our food dollars more local and meet the changing needs/wants of Farmers and Consumers?

A Food “Hub” is one

possibility!

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Moral to the story? Sometimes there is more than one right answer to a question or a problem…

What is the safety issue with this picture?

Obviously the operator has no safety glasses on!

Consumer Consumer

Consumer

Consumer

Consumer

Consumer

Consumer

Consumer

Consumer

Consumer

Consumer

ttp://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC501437

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1) Aggregation/Distribution-Wholesale Drop off point for multiple farmers and a pick up point for distribution firms and customers that want to buy source-identified local and regional food

2) Active Coordination Hub business management team that actively coordinates supply chain logistics , including seeking market for producers, and coordinating efforts with distributors, processors, and buyers 3) Permanent Facilities Provide the space and equipment for food to be stored, lightly processed, packed, palletized and possibly even sold under a Hub’s regional label

Other Possible Services: Provide wholesale and retail vending space, offer space for health and social service programs, community kitchens, community meetings, etc.

What can a food hub do?

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Opportunities (for consumers) • Access to fresh seasonal produce from local (known) regional sources. • Access to pick up point or home delivery (less time at farmers’ market and better access than FM) • Pricing similar to FM or Grocery store (in season) • Increased product quality (maturity) • Celebrates local, seasonal farm products that offer a sense of place

and season and connects them with the place (and the people) where it is produced.

• Availability of gleanings and excess production to food pantries

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Opportunities (for farmers) • Increased farmer income (decreased

marketing time) • Access to new consumers- those

who can’t or won’t shop at a FM and restaurants who don’t want to deal directly with multiple farmers, also institutions, schools, hospitals etc… who need consistency and product liability/GAPS

• Efficiency of delivery • Access to value added processing including use of off

grade product for processing and storage.

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Value added “processing”

• Increasing customer appeal and product shelf life-Washing, trimming, grading, cooling, packaging, labeling, branding, GAPS, GHP,HACCP

• Preservation and Consumer ready- Flash freezing, canning, drying, combined ingredients, many others…

• Availability beyond conventional season.

Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

The Hoosier Harvest Market (formerly… the Central Indiana Food Hub)

Opening April 2013

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Project Background • Hancock Harvest Council/Purdue

Extension office-Hancock County • 2012 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant-

awarded-Feasibility study and Business Plan development

• Formation of Central Indiana

Food Hub (CIFH) Committee

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CIFH Committee Goals • Enable producer access to additional markets

• Understand farmer interest in raising specialty crops or supplying a food hub in an existing operation

• Provide consumers with local food options

• Increase Indiana-grown food consumed in Indiana

*Goals identified in initial strategy meeting March 26, 2012.*

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Why Central Indiana? • Access to a strong diversified farming region

with long history of high productivity and quality within 2 hour drive

• Hancock Harvest Council and other active Grower organizations

• Access to a significant diverse population within 2 hour drive

• Ready access to a variety of transportation options

Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Impact Region- A Guess

Producer radius

Retail consumer radius

Wholesale consumer radius

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100 mile radius from Hancock Co. 2009 Population (est.) 7,794,630

Pop. 30 yr Change 2000 14.4%

Population Density 2009 243.7

Labor Force 2009 3,972,952

Unemp. Rate 2009 10.0

Per Capita Personal Income 2008

$36,908

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25 miles 50 miles

2009 Population (est.)

1,735,131

Pop. 30 yr Change 2000 19.1%

Population Density 2009 498.7

Labor Force 2009 883,544

Unemp. Rate 2009 9.2

Per Capita Personal Income 2008

$38,563

2009 Population (est.)

2,529,439

Pop. 30 yr Change 2000 18.6%

Population Density 2009 262.7

Labor Force 2009 1,272,668

Unemp. Rate 2009 9.7

Per Capita Personal Income 2008

$37,307

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Transportation • Indianapolis 33min 22mi • Bloomington 1hr 31min 75mi • Louisville 2hr 10min124 mi • Dayton 1hr 35min 96 mi • Cincinnati 1hr 41min 100 mi • Detroit 4hr 35min 265 mi

Chicago 3hr 33min 206 mi • St. Louis 4hr 26 min 267mi

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Study SAYS!!! Suggested Actions

• Producer Aggregation

• Find Funding for Hub Coordinator

• Creation of Plan for Working in Existing System

• Web-based Aggregator/Virtual Hub

• Address GAPs and Food Safety from Start

• Small, Low-Cost Aggregation Facility

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Next Steps…Short term??? A USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant was applied for and received for 2013! Grant will pay for: • Virtual (on line) “Farmers’ Market” platform • Part time (seasonal) market “manager” • Farmer training • Marketing of hub • Basic supplies and equipment Hope to be online by April 2013!!!

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Implementation…long term???

• Virtual (on-line) Market-Farmers deliver to central location for pickup (Chefs and homes)

• Virtual (on-line) Market- Home Delivery (Chefs and homes) • Wholesale-Aggregation, Value added “Processing” and

branding • Wholesale-Aggregation, Value added processing II and

branding • Retail-Storefront stocked with regional products

sourced from wholesale

Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Challenges

• Scale of available farmer production • Consistency of quality • Consistency of type (for aggregation) • Consistency of supply • Processing capacity • Lack of knowledge of some potential farmers of

varieties, cultural practices, timing, harvest and post harvest care.

• Seasonality of product • Access to startup funding

Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Is this a “trip” worth taking?

• Important step in “food security” …including low income who have reduced access to fresh foods

• Fresh foods can have a role in reducing obesity and diabetes

• Farmers are a good investment … they live and work here. • Keeps local dollars local longer

Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Resources and References for Further Study

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/foodhubs

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

http://www.wallacecenter.org/our-work/current-initiatives/food-hub-collaboration

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Archived Food Hub Webinars Listen to archived food hub related webinars at http://ngfn.org/webinars or click on the links below. Harvesting Investment Dollars from the 99%: Cutting Edge Ways to Fund Your Food Business The Price Point Conundrum - How the Sustainable Farmer Can Afford Her Own Tomato It’s Viable ... Now What? From Feasibility Study to Business Plan Financing Food Hubs: Dozens of Ideas to Access Capital Clearing the Roadblocks: Market Based Strategies for Getting Good Food to all Communities Food Hubs: Viable Regional Distribution Solutions Leveraging Existing Infrastructure for Significant Food System Change: Food Hubs, Regional Distribution, Farm to School, and More The Business of Food Hubs: Planning Successful Regional Produce Aggregation Facilities Community Food Enterprise Innovations in Value Chain Infrastructure - Red Tomato Aggregation/Distribution: Appalachian Sustainable Development •

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Farmer Rancher Grant Program

• Grants for up to $7,500 for individual farmers; $15K for 2 farmers and up to $22,500 for groups of 3 or more farmers • Can be research, education, or demonstration projects • Require support letter from community contact • Proposals due in December • Fund about 50 grants per yr • Funds available early Spring

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

The end...

Keep in touch!!! QUESTIONS????

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THANK YOU… and thanks to all of our partners who have helped to develop

and deliver this conference!!!

Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access institution.