Developing a Marketing Network for Central Alabama

Developing a Marketing Network for Central Alabama

Summary

One of ASAN’s 2007 efforts with a marketing network involved eight farm families in southeast Alabama calling themselves River Road Agriculture. Most of the participating families have raised cattle or commodity crops and experimented with raising fruits and vegetables using plasticulture in 2007. With assistance from SARE, the NRCS' Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), ASAN and Heifer International, initial expenses for establishing crops and markets were partially covered. SARE funds were used to pay a part-time marketing coordinator as well as cover some supplies including seedlings and marketing materials. Participants were enthusiastic about their first year of production and impressed with the relative profits of direct marketing fruits and vegetables compared to row crop production. The group’s marketing coordinator has continued to work for the group in 2008. She has focused on coordinating planting schedules and predicting harvest dates in order to line up additional sales outlets in advance.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Collaborate with the leadership of the southwest district of the Alabama State Baptist Convention to demonstrate the production of sustainable food at the rural community level and the marketing of such within the larger urban congregations.

Establish sustainable food production demonstration sites, working with rural churches and other farm organizations. These sites will demonstrate production methods for sustainable fruits and vegetables, including the use of drip irrigation and organic and plastic mulches. We will use SARE and NRCS EQIP funds to provide some supplies for the demonstration sites.

Provide continuing education at the demonstration sites, link new farmers with experienced farmers to act as mentors, and provide information on other educational opportunities and scholarships for producers. ASAN will provide these services as part of their regular programs.

Collaborate with the larger congregations to develop a produce subscription program. The SARE SCI marketing coordinator funds will be used to develop this aspect of the program.

Accomplishments/Milestones

In 2007, a group of eight farm families in southeast Alabama started to work together to market their produce. After a number of meetings, they set goals for the group focusing on management, infrastructure, marketing, and education. For the time being they are loosely organized as they experiment with their cooperative structure, calling themselves River Road Agriculture.

With assistance from the NRCS, SARE, ASAN, and Heifer International, the members of River Road Agriculture were able to cover part of the cost of establishing their crops. The NRCS' Environmental Quality Incentives Program funded a large percentage of the cost of installing wells and at least one acre of plastic mulch and drip irrigation on each member's property. SARE covered the costs of some marketing and production supplies and funding for a marketing coordinator, and ASAN and Heifer International provided an intern.

Initially the group had arranged to sell their watermelon crop to Red Tomato, a non-profit organization that markets produce from family farms to supermarkets and other customers in the northeast (www.redtomato.org). These arrangements fell through and the group had to scramble to market their melons locally, which they did successfully. In the process they were able to identify many local marketing outlets. They were able to market their other crops through these outlets as well, focusing on farmers markets, local groceries, and roadside markets.

SARE funds were used to pay a part-time marketing coordinator, Elaine Melton, as well as cover some supplies including seedlings and marketing materials. Participants were enthusiastic about their first year of production and impressed with the relative profits of direct marketing fruits and vegetables compared to row crop production. This year they plan to grow onions, zucchini, tomatoes, watermelons, greens, peppers, and okra, pooling their products to sell primarily at area farmers markets. Members of the group will encourage area growers by using their farms as demonstration sites.

Efforts to work on faith-based marketing have been slow-going. The leadership of the southwest district of the Alabama State Baptist Convention expressed interest in working with local farms and encouraging their congregations to support local growers. However, these efforts did not materialize during the project timetable. Members of River Road Agriculture have identified the goal of working on faith-based marketing, but this goal will take more than a few seasons to realize. Subscription sales will need to wait for a more consistent supply of produce throughout the season.

In 2008, Ms. Melton will continue to act as the group’s marketing coordinator, and has focused on coordinating planting schedules and predicting harvest dates in order to line up additional sales outlets in advance. She has been actively working to educate herself and other members of the group in marketing and production strategies.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Partnerships: Non-profit partners came from the state, federal and local level. Partners including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Heifer International, SARE, and others have helped with funding, business planning, publicity, farmer training, and technical production information.

Participatory Decision-Making: Members of River Road Agriculture have been actively involved in the formation of the business, evaluating options for the business structure and deciding on profit-sharing arrangements and fees. This experience allows each producer to feel more investment in the network and should help them with decision-making on their own farms.

Identifying Local Leaders: ASAN can provide support, but real community-based projects rely on local leaders to be successful. River Road Agriculture members have directed their own efforts and enlisted partners for assistance, not leadership.

Introducing New Products and Growing Methods: Many specialty crops and growing methods offer a higher price, but experimentation with niche crops and practices should be balanced with crops and methods that have done well in the past.