On-Line Farm to Workplace System

View the project final report

• 2013 annual report

Commodities

Practices

• Farm Business Management: new enterprise development, marketing management
• Sustainable Communities: local and regional food systems, new business opportunities, partnerships

Rutland Area Farm and Food Link (RAFFL) has operated a farm to workplace program each summer for the past four years. We have implemented two types of programs: a CSA-style model and an on-line farmers market model. The CSA model (in its 4th season) has reached new customers, but marketing and retention have been challenging as this model asks people to completely change the way they think about food purchases. This model reaches 5% of the employees at each worksite. Surveys of participants consistently state that more choice, more variety of products, and the ability to spread cost across the season are desired. During the summer of 2012 we piloted a different model that took those concerns into consideration. This on-line farmers market model reached 23% of the employees at the pilot worksite and both the customer experience and farm experience has rated very high. In order to continue expanding the numbers of new people reached by a farm to workplace program – ultimately creating new consumers of local farm products – the use of an on-line ordering system that allows for flexible purchasing holds promise. It also more easily lends itself to a year-round offering (versus summer only). However, expanding this model to other worksites presents significant logistical challenges to managing customers at multiple sites purchasing from multiple farmers. NE SARE would fund our role in linking the needs and concerns of both the farmers and the worksites in order to create a system that works well for both.

RAFFL will work with worksite coordinators and participating farms to build a system that uses an on-line ordering system to supply local farm products to employees at area worksites.
Yourfarmstand web-ordering system has proving to substantially reduce administrative duties and the risk of human error. Farmers have a fairly easy way to post their offerings. They control their own postings, can remove things at any point, and inventory is posted up until the night before delivery. On the ordering side the on-line system handles payments, generates clearly labeled order reports for farmers and worksite coordinators, and manages information flow (such as automatic reminders). There is no charge for farmers to post inventory or for buyers to register with the site. There is a 6% charge to farmers for each purchase that is taken out directly from the money paid by customers. Farmers are paid by yourfarmstand.

Dec 2012 - Jan 2013 (prior to grant funding)
• RAFFL will reach out to potential worksites to assess interest in new model, discuss logistical issues, and gather other info that will influence project design.
• RAFFL meet with collaborating farms (plus others that have participated in the CSA model as well as the on-line pilot) to outline needs, concerns and ideas for serving multiple worksites.

Feb 2013 (prior to grant funding)
• RAFFL (and collaborating farms) will meet with yourfarmstand.com to review how that system can be manipulated to serve the function needed to expand program to multiple sites under one umbrella
March 2013 (anticipate grant funding is initiated)
• RAFFL and worksite coordinators will survey employees to assess strength of demand for new model at each worksite.

April 2013
• RAFFL work with local partners to identify space within available infrastructure (Rutland has plenty!)
• RAFFL will work with UVM extension food safety expert to review needed systems for quality control
• RAFFL will obtain needed insurances, as necessary
• RAFFL will obtain materials needed for managing drop-offs (boxes, bags, coolers)
• RAFFL will work with farmers and other local partners to identify delivery mechanism / partner

May - June 2013
• RAFFL communicate market potential to area farmers
• RAFFL recruit farms with a variety of products
• RAFFL and yourfarmstand train farmers on use of yourfarmstand.com*
• RAFFL and farmers create marketing materials for the program

July – September 2013
• Farmers maintain updated listings and commit to delivery of purchased items
• Farmers drop-off to common location, RAFFL and farmers ensure orders are complete, deliveries made to worksites
• RAFFL and worksites conduct ongoing marketing to employees / potential and existing customers
• RAFFL and worksite coordinators manage customer-relations / problem-solving / responsiveness
• RAFFL track progress; problem-solve issues
• RAFFL seek out new farms to keep inventory well-stocked, seasonally appropriate and interesting
• RAFFL and yourfarmstand orient and train these new farms on use of the system

September -October 2013
• RAFFL evaluate overall program against projected outcomes
• RAFFL and worksite coordinators gather input about customer experience and satisfaction
• RAFFL gather input about farmer experience and satisfaction
• RAFFL and farmers incorporate needed improvements
• RAFFL and farmers refresh offerings for fall/winter

October – December 2013
• same as July – Sept (with improvements, as needed)

January – March 2014
• RAFFL and yourfarmstand document results of July – December pilot
• RAFFL , farmers and worksite coordinators examine lessons learned
• RAFFL create materials outlining how to replicate
• RAFFL and farmers (potentially include worksite coordinators and yourfarmstand) share lessons learned with other organizations at 3 winter conferences (such as NOFA, regional food centers quarterly meeting, etc.)

March 2014
• RAFFL post materials on website
• RAFFL distribute materials via email to at least 20 other organizations interested in farm to workplace program models
*In order to ensure that interested farmers who are not yet web-savvy can participate, RAFFL will offer up to 3 hours of technical assistance to help farms set up an account, post inventory, and understand how to manage orders. Assistance beyond 3 hours will be available at the rate of $15 per hour.

Each year RAFFL has conducted evaluation, incorporated improvements, and shared our experiences with
others. We consider this to be an essential part of doing business. For this project, we will do the following:
• RAFFL create materials outlining how to replicate
• RAFFL and farmers (potentially include worksite coordinators and yourfarmstand) share lessons learned with other organizations at 3 winter conferences (such as NOFA, regional food centers quarterly meeting, etc.)
• RAFFL post materials on website
• RAFFL distribute materials via email to at least 20 other organizations interested in farm to workplace program models
• RAFFL share results in more depth with organizations seeking that information