Regional food infrastructure network

Regional food infrastructure network

Summary

The Regional Food Infrastructure Project will assist livestock farmers in the development of value-added products and direct marketing opportunities. Using the information collected during the research phase of this project, PASA will establish working groups consisting of farmers and agricultural and economic development specialists to develop business plans. PASA and its cooperators will provide ongoing networking, consulting, and educational opportunities for farms developing products, creating direct marketing opportunities, and seeking financing. We will also evaluate the successes of both our engagement activities and meat sales at marketing outlets.

A farmer survey was sent to 3,000 farmers in the spring of 2006 and resulted in 75 livestock farmers becoming interested both in the project and attending the upcoming regional meetings. The above mentioned working groups will be formed at these regional meetings. Farmers who participate in the working groups will also participate in educational and networking events highlighting successful producer-meat buyer relationships. Of the 3,000 farmers who learn about the project, 10 of those will open new markets by selling at least $20,000 of their value-added meat products at 5 marketing outlets by 2009. We anticipate an economic impact of at least $200,000 from increased farm sales to new markets.

Outreach for the project will continue with the extensive network of individuals and organizations across the region through our project e-newsletter, upcoming regional and advisory committee meetings, and press releases to area media outlets.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Drawing on our past experience, our role will be to establish the groups, work with the farmers and agricultural and economic development specialists to develop business plans, and provide ongoing networking, consulting, and educational opportunities for farms developing products, direct marketing opportunities, and seeking financing. We will also evaluate both the successes of our engagement activities and meat sales at marketing outlets.

Task 1. Establish working groups. Host eight regional meetings with advisory committee members, livestock farmers, businesses and community members and engage working group by June 2007.

Task 2. Develop business plans. Work with farmers and advisors to establish business plans for 20 farms by August 2008.

Task 3. Design and implement networking and learning opportunities for livestock farmers and potential buyers. These three events will feature livestock farmers, processors, and meat buyers and allow livestock farmers in the working groups to learn how successful relationships are formed. This will take place from December 2007 to November 2008.

Task 4. Provide technical assistance. We hope to provide assistance to participants from their first deliveries and orders up to the point when 10 farmers have opened new markets by selling at least $20,000 of their products at five marketing outlets. This task will begin in December 2008 and end in December 2009.

Task 5. Evaluation. After each business plan and networking meeting, we will provide evaluation forms where we ask for feedback about the events. Additional evaluation will take place during the technical assistance period. We will track how many farmers sold at least $5,000 of their products, total amount of sales to the marketing outlets, how many farmers and buyers participated, and who tried but failed. This task will be completed by January 2010.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Our original project leader has resigned from PASA and the project in February of 2008. His replacement was hired in May and is presently familiarizing himself with the project. We have identified 43 livestock farmers in Western Pennsylvania that are interested in business planning, from our 3,000 surveys. We are beginning to group these farmers to focus our business planning efforts.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Some members of the farm group are already talking about various strategies for increasing their production capacity.

Collaborators: