Sue Ellen Johnson PhD  Director 

FARM‐to‐TABLE OVERVIEW

Agriculture and Rural Economy Program

Piedmont Environmental Council 

All types of farming operations and scalesland managers and management goals:

PEC  Agriculture and Rural Economy Program 

Commercial Full –income Partial Income

Hobby Break‐even [homestead or taxes]

Large and small scale farmsNew and established farmers

PEC members and non‐members

Farm productionProcessing‐added value

inputs and infrastructureMarketing

Food SystemsFood SystemsRural Land useEntrepreneurship Facilitation, Education and Organization

www buylocalvirginia org

PIEDMONT ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL

www.buylocalvirginia.orgFirst VA chapters in PEC Northern Piedmont : 2006‐7

Non‐government ‐‐ not‐for‐profit ‐‐ national organizationNow chapters throughout the state, local government  support…

F t T blFarm‐to Table: Direct‐to‐Consumer promotion of local foods

“BFBL” Guides mailed to 280,000 households.. 500 farms, 50 restaurants, Farmers Markets, Food services

Website: 10,000 hits

~ $100,000 annual budget commitment $ , g

Goals: Agricultural livelihoods and landscapes Local dollar recirculation: 3x that of food dollars spent atnational chain food outlets (groceries and restaurants). 

Concepts:

Farm‐to‐Table… Farm‐to‐Consumer…. Food miles…

Steps or miles or middlemen between the farm and eater 

Share of the food dollar that grower receives.gUSDA_ERS 2010Average food 

item on a Virginia plate has traveled 1500 miles

Local currency circulation…  overall local economy impacts…

1500  miles.

Steps in every food chain…

Steps from FARM‐to‐TABLE

1. Marketing2. Production3. STORAGE 

l dd d OC SS G4. value added‐PROCESSING5. Aggregation 6. Distribution7.  Packaging‐ marketing

8. Pricing‐Sale‐ marketing

9 Preparation9. Preparation 10.Consumption (possibly at a table….).

USDA –ERS Food Dollar

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FoodDollar/app/

Local Agricultural Infrastructure….?

Profitable markets: LOCAL “niches”natural ,organic, healthier (no pesticides, hormones antibiotics humane, flavor, fair trade, Quality food….affordable food accessible food

Food imports to the Virginia Commonwealth: 9 billion of 15 billion total food purchases. 

Facilitating local Farm to table…Farm to consumers  promotionFarmer‐to –chef:Local restaurants and food services (hospitals, schools)

affordable food, accessible foodabundant food..food security

Facilitate food production, marketing, processing, distribution…Aggregation and distribution “wholesale” – food hubsMarketing, storage and distributionCommercial kitchens –adding value to local food

Land and soils Climate

PEC Region

Climate  Capital Market(s)

Alternative farm and food movement : 1970’sCousin and progenitor of “local food” movement: 1990’sLink to rural economies and next generation farmer movement: 1990’s

Virginia Food System Council: State‐wide coalition of organizations(current President Don Loock PEC– following Eric Benfeldt VT)

Did you know that if every household in Virginia spent just $10 a week on locally grown agricultural products it would bring $1.65 billion back into the local economy each year.By voting with our wallets we all can help create jobs, grow our local economy, keep family farms working and sustainable, all while eating delicious and healthy foods.Doing good never tasted so great!

$Sign-up -Take the $10/wk Pledge at www.virginiafood.org

A banner across every RRRC Main Street?A banner across every metro DC main street? 

FOODd QUALITY

Why Local Foods? 

ENVIRONMENTLOCAL ECONOMY

FOOD SECURITY

Fostering Forage Land ENTERPRISESProfitable pasture based enterprisesCommercial hay 

Decrease Northern Piedmont Hay Imports!

Feeding the world?Feeding the world? Feeding the community?

Defining local ….Balancing export and local agriculture economics…

PECVA and Agriculture

Farmland conservationFarmland leases for stewardship and profitability

Buy Fresh Buy Local  Farmer to Chef Express Farmer‐to‐Chef Express Farm‐to‐Food Service  Local Food Hub (fiscal agent) Exploring the Small Farm Dream courses School and community garden awards Virginia Food Systems Council Virginia Working Landscapes Farm friendly land use policy

Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable Food Systems

Sustainable landscapes

EnvironmentallyEconomically Socially

SUSTAINABLE

Practices and systems which will not contribute to the current society 

without adversely affecting future productivity or societies

SUSTAINABLE

“Farm to table”

“Know your farmer– know your food” Meet the farmer dinners

Farm to institution – Farm to food service…Farm‐to‐school.

Meet the farmer dinners…

Food miles

Farmland Protection and EasementsFarmland leases for stewardship and profitability

the next generation of farmersWater quality and quantity 

Cultivating local markets: Di d i d di ib i h b d lDirect and aggregation and distribution hub developmentTourism:  rural character

Agricultural Infrastructure Food and product processing; road rights 

Land resourcesPasture based enterprises: profitable pasture managementPasture based enterprises: profitable pasture management Commercial hay– cash grain

CommunityAg awareness:  Community gardensFarmer‐to‐Farmer networksFarm Heritage

Sue Ellen Johnson       540‐422‐9804 sejohnson@pecva.org

PEC: Facilitate

Encourage collaboration to nurture a cou age co abo at o to u tu e a

sustainable farming environment

How should PEC support Farm‐to‐Table in RRRC Counties?  How  should PEC  help develop the Piedmont’s agricultural economy? 

Sue Ellen Johnson540‐422‐9804 sejohnson@pecva.org