Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES California. The Farm-to-Hospital program represents a new and growing marketing opportunity for Californias mid-scale growers. This project should catalyze additional proposals and research in this arena. One such opportunity for the coming year involves collaboration with the Physicians for Social Responsibility (SF) to conduct an evaluation of how farm-to-hospital programs are working in the greater Bay Area. Kansas. Increased awareness of information needs for organic agriculture among stakeholders, researchers, and policymakers from the dissemination of published work related to information needs for organic agriculture. Increased awareness among 75 Extension educators of Latinos as valued members of community and as potential contributors to local food systems. Improved skills among 75 Extension educators in engaging Latino audiences with culturally appropriate educational programs. Maine. Assistance provided to Farm Fresh Connection (FFC), a program that connects local farmers to institutional food markets, primarily colleges and restaurants, and to local independent food stores, to transition FFC from a project of the non-profit Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society to a for-profit private firm. Investigated options to help stabilize dairy prices and results presented to various groups including the International Association of Milk Control Agencies. Missouri. The Mississippi River Hills pilot region of the Missouri Regional Cuisines Project developed an organizational purpose, vision and values statement and developed a marketing plan for regional promotion and a logo. The region is a recognized destination for quality wines and specialty products. New York. As a result of the web-based food system outreach conducted through the project, a variety of tools are or will be available to citizens and entrepreneurs interested in local foods or in local agriculture and food enterprises for local economic development. Oregon. As a result of market assessments, market managers improved collection of information to improve functioning of the markets. Workshops and conferences allowed farmers to make better decisions in terms of crop and market selection. Collaborative work with producers, distributors, chefs, and retailers identified critical information needs and the best ways to share that information. Documented willingness to pay by consumers and other buyers for high quality local products. Identified and examined alternative market channels. Pennsylvania. Amish grower exploring serving as the middleman/broker to link growers to local buyers. Better understanding about local foods and among 5th graders. Use of WIC coupons by inner-city residents. Redefining research focus addresses how growers are, and will be affected by on-farm food safety audits based on good agricultural practices (GAPS) as well as the link between food quality and safety standards and the impact of such standards on growers. Washington. The 40 members of our statewide, interdisciplinary, Small Farms Team have adopted the mission of working with communities to foster profitable family farms, land and water stewardship, and access to healthy food. West Virginia. From presentations at the WV Small Farms Conference, farmers and extension agents learned the basics of e-marketing and the details of developing a website as presented by a professional web developer. The new website, WVfarm2U.org, helps consumers find West Virginia farms, farmers markets, and food products, and provides an online format for chefs to purchase products from farmers. The experimental auctions in grocery stores in Pittsburgh, PA and Morgantown, WV to determine consumer perceptions of, and willingness to pay for Appalachian grass-fed beef, found that education is a key component could be effective in promoting grass-finishing as a viable and profitable production alternative for the regions producers. Wisconsin. Research on the nature of values-based food supply chains has directly informed the certification standards for the Association of Family Farms (AFF). [See www.familyfood.net.] Additionally, these values-based business paradigms orient the work of the AFF as it facilitates new supply chain agreements across the country. OUTPUTS California. Reports on Regional Agricultural Marketing: A Review of Programs in California and a companion report, An Evaluation of the Capay Valley Grown Campaign completed and posted on the SAREP website. The farm to hospital work has spawned new initiatives in the health care industry including: research and coordination of a local poultry procurement initiative with the Bay area Hospital Leadership Team; research and drafting an information brochure to help food buyers in hospitals understand food myths vs. facts, including information related to small, local farms; a draft of a web-based information portal on SF PSR site for Bay area hospital food service directors, clinicians regarding sustainable local food; and support and networking through meetings and technical assistance for Bay area sustainable local food initiatives. Kansas. Book published on global/local food systems that will serve as a valuable tool in research and teaching on this topic. 75 agricultural professionals in Kansas and Iowa trained in how to work with Latino farm families. Minnesota. A three day workshop, Alternative Marketing Approaches and Distribution Channels, brought together farmers market managers, Extension educators, faculty and graduate students and others to learn alternative marketing strategies including rapid market assessment (RMA) at two farmers' markets; visits to community supported agriculture farms and a variety of retail outlets (i.e., grocery stores, cooperative markets, farm stands.) During the 2007 Minnesota State Fair, the fifth annual "Minnesota Cooks" event was co-sponsored by many organizations and featured restaurant chefs/owners who conducted cooking demonstrations using meat and produce obtained from Minnesota farmers. The Eco Experience exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair held over twelve days, the 25,000 square foot exhibit attracted a high level of interest among Fair visitors. New York. Three web sites were created to increase food system awareness to provide resources for educators and the public to build and strengthen local community-based food systems. The Cornell Farm to School Program site provides news updates, resources, policy updates, and an interactive map where farm to school projects in New York will be highlighted. This revised and restructured the Cornell Farm to School Program website is available at: http://farmtoschool.cce.cornell.edu/. The Northeast Regional Food Guide was redesigned to facilitate adoption and teaching of healthful food choices that are seasonally varied and locally-based. The groundwork was also accomplished for a new web site that will promote food citizenship. Oregon. 40 agricultural professionals trained in research techniques. Rapid market assessments and market research workshops. Workshops and conferences for farmers. Washington. Assisted in the development of a Washington State Farmers Market manual and a statewide conference to train and assist market managers in developing strong management structures and stronger community support for their markets. Identified the needs of new immigrant producers for educational assistance, and their needs for access to capital, land, water and markets. Developed a database of one hundred new Hmong farms and 300 new Latino farms that were missed by previous agricultural census efforts and statewide agricultural programs. As a result we have implemented a variety of new educational courses and workshops to teach entrepreneurial and sustainable farming skills. West Virginia. On-line marketing resources: E-marketing Resources for Farmers. A new website, WVfarm2U.org, is a format for chefs to purchase from farmers, for farmers to connect with each other and to advertise local food-related cultural events. ACTIVITIES California. Findings on regional agricultural marketing presented at the California Commodities Commission at UC Davis and the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Conference (June 2006) in Vancouver, Canada. Research undertaken on farm-to-institution programs in the health care industry and the potential for California farmers to be involved. Results shared at an Annual Technical meeting. Kansas. Several proposals submitted and under review (Enumerating and Linking Latino Farmers in Iowa and Kansas, and Building Capacity for Beginning Latino Farmers in Two Iowa Counties; Genetics to Wellness: Healthier, Greener Journeys of Our Sustenance; and, Building Capacity for Engagement with Latinos in Kansas Food and Farming Systems.) Presentations at: NCSARE Grant Recipients Meeting; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Leaders Meeting; and at a Workshop on Engaging Multicultural Audiences, KSU. Maine. Advisory services provided to Farm Fresh Connection (FFC). Options to stabilize dairy prices studied and presented to the International Association of Milk Control Agencies. Michigan. Work with the Allen Neighborhood Center and the Allen Street Farmers Market as the market evaluator for the USDA-CFS program grant to draft the markets mission and vision statements and prepare the qualitative market evaluation. Worked with residents of Presque Isle County, Michigan in preparing three, tri-fold photographic exhibits profiling their sense of place. These circulated across the county. Work with CSA-MI in order to: plan and host its second CSA conference, Raising Vegetables and Civic Values, (November 2006); develop a day-long, CSA mini-school that is being run in several locations throughout Michigan, 2006, 2007, 2008; and, publish an on-line Training Guide for new of prospective CSA growers (csafarms.org/csafarms0656231.asp). Surveys of 14 farmers market vendors completed and analysis of costs-returns of selling in farmers markets underway. Minnesota. Work in North Minneapolis to link rural producers to urban dwellers to provide markets for producers and to enable urban residents to access healthy, local foods. With collaborators at Oregon State University, a three-day Alternative Marketing Approaches and Distribution Channels workshop was held. Missouri. Service on a Healthy Foods Initiative sponsored by Congressman Russ Carnahan. Oregon. Participatory research studies of two Oregon markets and two Minnesota markets. Organizer and speaker at a Local Food Systems in the 2007 Farm Bill conference sponsored by Congressman Blumenauer. Organizer and facilitator at two Local Food Connection educational events. Pennsylvania. Consulted with colleagues at Michigan State University, University of California-Davis and Cornell University conducting similar Farm-To-School research in their states; partnered with Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity, Pennsylvania Sustainable Agriculture Association and Pennsylvania Association for Rural and Small Schools, and Penn State Cooperative Extension to develop a survey administered to 501 PA public school food service directors in spring 2007 concerning current school food service organization and activities and opportunities for farm-to-school initiatives. Completed two pilot case studies of FTS (one rural and one urban setting in PA); mail survey to 501 PA public school food service directors (75 percent response rate); case studies now being completed of seven additional PA school districts presenting varied geographic and socio-demographic contexts, but all having evidence of some level of formal or informal FTS activity. Puerto Rico. Meetings with traditional stakeholders of Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) programs (farmers, extension agents and other professionals working in different commodities), and follow-up of non-traditional food system stakeholders such as organic farmers, farmers' markets and community gardens organizers and participants, and environmental groups with an interest in land use policies. Participation in more than 10 meetings as part of efforts to reach stakeholders not traditionally linked in Puerto Rico to agricultural and food system issues. Continued assessment of the restructuring and concentration of retail outlets in the island, and possible impacts of these trends for different types of farmers. Updated results presented in a poster prepared for the annual meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society, a regional organization convening agricultural and social scientists, university administrators and NGO's officials, with an interest in food and agriculture. Studies of the emergence and development of farmers markets in Puerto Rico and a case study of the establishment of a community food garden in the municipality of Añasco. Results from the farmers markets study presented in a local symposium sponsored by the College of Agricultural Sciences. Outreach presentations of the Community Garden Project were delivered at the University of Puerto Rico's Cayey Campus, Cayey's School of Vacational Work, and at the Montessori School of Mayagüez. Pennsylvania. Collaboration with field-based extension educators, producers including Amish growers and buyers, restaurant owners/chefs, PA Governors School scholars, undergraduate and graduate students. Surveys with the PA Governors School scholars involving conversations of food shopping practices and the cultural appropriateness of WIC foods with WIC families, and videotaping lessons on healthy snacking for 5th graders, as well as group discussions among growers and restaurant owners/chefs. Washington. Worked closely with many food system stakeholder groups in Washington and formed an ongoing Washington Small Farms Advisory group consisting of diverse small farmers and leaders of non-profits working on food systems issues. Continue to coordinate a statewide Washington Small Farms Team (www.smallfarms.wsu.edu) consisting of university research and teaching faculty, extension educators, and representatives of public agricultural agencies and non-profits. Formed a Washington Food Systems Assessment Working Group consisting of researchers, extension and agency personnel, non-profits, and community leaders interested in conducting food systems research in Washington. West Virginia. Presentations at the 2007 West Virginia Small Farms Conference included: Cultivating Customers with E-marketing, Connecting Farmers and Chefs with WVfarm2U, and How to Grow a Website. WVfarm2U.org website launched in August 2007 at the WV State Fair. Experimental auctions were conducted in four grocery stores in Pittsburgh, PA and Morgantown, WV in October and November of 2006 in order to determine consumer perceptions of and willingness to pay for Appalachian grass-fed beef products. The data were subsequently analyzed using statistical modeling and cluster analysis. Wisconsin. Ongoing research includes in-depth, comparative case studies of four model values-based value chains in three regions of the United States.