Examining, Optimizing, and Building Capacity for Montana’s Local Beef to School Supply Chain

Examining, Optimizing, and Building Capacity for Montana’s Local Beef to School Supply Chain

Summary

In Montana, and across the country, producers and consumers are beginning to see benefits (e.g., social, environmental, and economic) from local procurement efforts that link ranchers and local beef processors with schools in their community and region. These “beef to school” (B2S) efforts involve support of local beef from a variety of actors, including producers, processors, and foodservices and students at K-12 schools. The long-term goal of this project is improving Montana beef producers’ and meat processors’ viability and sustainability, while increasing the availability and consumption of local beef in Montana’s schools and communities.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objectives for Year 2 as written in grant proposal SW 15-028 are indicated below.

February – April 2016

• Analyze case study findings

• Post one tweet and Facebook post per week; one blog posting per quarter

• MTB2SC in person meeting

May – July 2016

• Conduct local beef utilization in schools research (including plate waste and recipe analysis)

• Write case study findings

• Develop larger B2S market primary evaluation tool based upon case study findings

• Collect data and conduct secondary data analysis about cattle production and processing

• Post one tweet and Facebook post per week; one blog posting per quarter

• Develop and host school training 1 (at Montana School Nutrition Association Conference in June)

• MTB2SC conference call meeting

August – October 2016

• Conduct research about school-level logistics regarding local beef utilization in schools

• Test larger B2S market primary evaluation tool

• Conduct larger B2S market primary evaluation survey research

• Collect data and conduct secondary data analysis about cattle production and processing

• Post one tweet and Facebook post per week; one blog posting per quarter

• MTB2SC conference call meeting

November 2016 – January 2017

• Post one tweet and Facebook post per week; one blog posting per quarter

• Analyze data from B2S primary evaluation tool

• MTB2SC conference call meeting

February – April 2017

• Analyze and write report about larger B2S market evaluation, including primary and secondary data

• Analyze and write report about school-level logistics regarding local beef utilization in schools

• Post one tweet and Facebook post per week; one blog posting per quarter

• Submit conference presentation proposal

• MTB2SC in person meeting

• Develop and host producer/processor training 1 (at Montana Meat Processors Association Meeting in April)

• Conduct evaluation efforts in year 2 which includes assessment of objectives through Western SARE reporting

Accomplishments/Milestones

Throughout Grant Period Facebook and Twitter posts continued once per week. The research team conducted outreach and technical assistance about starting a beef to school program to targeted associations, groups, press, and individuals representing producers, processors, school administration and food service, consumers, and media.

February – April 2016 The Beef to School Project conducted and transcribed four more comprehensive case studies of beef to school systems in Montana, totaling six comprehensive case studies since the beginning of the grant. The research team originally planned to conduct five case studies, but added one more in order to highlight an additional beef to school model. The Beef to School Coalition met in March 2016 in Livingston, Montana to discuss opportunities and challenges for procurement of Montana beef in every Montana school. With 19 people in attendance at the meeting, the Coalition also evaluated year 1 of the Western SARE project and discussed strategic directions for the Beef to School Project in the coming year. A blog was posted that focused on the in-person meeting outcomes so that those not able to attend could read a full update. The Montana Harvest of the Month publication featuring beef was piloted  by Montana Schools.

May – July 2016 During the summer of 2016, the research team largely focused on analyzing case study data and writing findings. Based upon case study findings, the research team began to develop the larger beef to school primary evaluation tool to be completed by processors and producers. The research team agreed that two tools needed to be designed due to the differing roles of each stakeholder in the process. The processor tool was drafted during this quarter. The Beef to School Project presented a poster and networked at the 2016 National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Madison, Wisconsin.

August – October 2016 The case study, “Moooooving Forward Together: Strategies for Montana Beef to School” was finalized and published. The case study is a total of 39 graphically designed pages and includes: a cover page; acknowledgements; table of contents; overview of beef to school in Montana; school, processor, and producer needs; an infographic of the beef lifecycle; an infographic of common beef to school partnerships; demographics of Montana schools, producers, and processors; challenges and opportunities for beef to school in Montana; six comprehensive case studies; vocabulary; references and resources; cuts of beef infographic. The case study received several press requests and generated many technical assistance calls from producers, processors, and schools in Montana and around the country. The Beef to School Project presented initial case study findings at the Conference on Food Studies. Additionally, a Beef to School Coalition conference call was held with 15 in attendance to discuss the primary evaluation tool, receive case study input before finalization, and plan the release of the case study report. We developed a Beef to School Project website as a sub-page of the Montana Farm to School website. This website provides a central place to store materials, provide updates, and provide project contacts. The Montana Harvest of the Month publication featuring beef was finalized and released for use by Montana Schools.

November 2016 – January 2017 A blog was posted about case study publication and general project updates. Media continued to highlight the case study publication, including national sources such as the USDA and National Farm to School Network. Based upon case study findings, the research team began to (1) collect data and conduct secondary data analysis about cattle production and processing and (2) plan study about local beef utilization in schools research. The research team pilot tested the larger beef to school primary evaluation tool with stakeholders and revised based upon feedback. The Beef to School Project presented a webinar for the Montana Farm to School Leadership Team.

February – April 2017 Based upon case study findings, the research team decided to study local beef utilization in schools in three ways. First, a plate waste study is planned for the end of April 2017 to understand if students have preference towards local or non-local beef. Second, during May 2017 school food service directors are going to cook local and non-local beef and provide feedback about the preparation process of each in a systematic report. Third, the research team is working with USDA to create a beef to school bid template for schools, producers, and processors to use nationally in the procurement process. Secondary data analysis about cattle production and processing was finalized during this quarter. The IRB was submitted to conduct larger B2S market primary evaluation survey research with processors and will begin as soon as approval is gained. A blog was posted highlighting beef as the Harvest of the Month food in Montana. The Montana Beef to School Coalition met once in February by conference call to provide grant input on all progress made to date. We are currently in the planning stages for an in-person Montana Beef to School Coalition meeting at the end of April. In March, the Beef to School Project presented a webinar to the North American Meat Processors Association and at the California Farm to School Conference with other beef to school partnerships from across the nation. Our team will host an informational table at the Montana Meat Processors Association at the end of April. We began to write a book chapter tilted “Lessons of Scalability and Local-ness from Montana’s Beef to School Initiative” that will be published along with other chapters about institutional procurement in 2018.

Next Steps

In the final year, (April 2017 – April 2018), we are looking forward to (1) developing and hosting further trainings for producers, processors, and schools through webinars and conferences (2) analyze data from primary evaluation tool with processors, (3) finalize, conduct, and analyze data from primary evaluation tool with producers, (4) analyze data about school-level logistics, (5) write reports about primary evaluations and school-level logistics, (6) continuing technical assistance, (7) continuing outreach through social media and blog posting, (8) conducting outreach with stakeholders as requested, (9) evaluate Year 3 of Western SARE Project Number SW15-028, and (10) plan for project sustainability.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Media and Outreach February 2016 – April 2017

• Ongoing outreach and technical assistance through telephone calls and e-mail to producers, processors, schools, the public, and media.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/beef2school/

• Average of 270 individuals reached per week since start of project
• Average of 256 individuals reached per week since February 2016
• Total of 420 page likes, an increase of 222 page likes since February 2016
• 122 posts since start of project
• 71 posts since February 2016

Twitter https://twitter.com/mtbeeftoschool

• 156 followers
• 232 following
• 97 tweets since start of project
• 41 tweets since February 2016

Blogs

• Celebrating the March Harvest of the Month with Yellowstone Grassfed Beef: A Producer Profile http://farmtocafeteria.ncat.org/2017/02/24/celebrating-the-march-harvest-of-the-month-with-yellowstone-grassfed-beef/
• Beef to School Case Studies and More! http://farmtocafeteria.ncat.org/2016/11/01/beef-to-school-case-studies-and-more/
• Beef to School Coalition Gathers: “Montana Beef in Every Montana School” http://farmtocafeteria.ncat.org/2016/05/03/beef-to-school-coalition-gathers-montana-beef-in-every-montana-school/

Website

• Montana Beef to School http://www.montana.edu/mtfarmtoschool/beeftoschool.html

Press

(some press listed from previous grant period, if not captured on 2016 annual report)

• Northern Ag Network – October 28, 2015

http://www.northernag.net/AGNews/AgNewsStories/TabId/657/ArtMID/2927/ArticleID/5465/Two-Montana-Schools-Show-How-Serving-Up-Local-Beef-Is-A-Win.aspx

• MSU News – October 28, 2016

http://www.montana.edu/news/16479/new-report-highlights-best-practices-in-montana-beef-to-school-partnerships

• Ag Week – October 28, 2016

http://www.agweek.com/news/montana/4147013-new-report-highlights-best-practices-montana-beef-school-partnerships

• Tri-State Livestock News – October 28, 2016

http://www.tsln.com/news/new-report-highlights-best-practices-in-montana-beef-to-school-partnerships/

• Feedstuffs – November 1, 2016

http://feedstuffs.com/story-report-highlights-best-practices-montana-beef-school-partnerships-45-148672

• Fairfield Sun Times – November 3, 2016

http://www.fairfieldsuntimes.com/business/article_2e415c8c-a1ff-11e6-b59c-7fde844d43be.html

• Gallatin Valley Farm to School – December 10, 2016

http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=c5c703b20cc4ec4ae0526d9b5&id=d212c757e9

• USDA – The Dirt E-newsletter – November 29, 2016

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFNS/bulletins/1757e7e

• National Farm to School Network – December 8, 2016

http://www.icontact-archive.com/EGzvFZC0plfb1MRTPpEDfVr5urCZlu8y?w=3

• Western Ag Reporter – March 1, 2016

https://www.westernagreporter.com/janda/clients/login.php

(link functional with subscription)

Presentations

• Roth A, Byker Shanks C, Gamble J, Halloran K, Bass T, Schumacher J. Beef to school: Mooving forward together. Poster for National Farm to Cafeteria Conference. June 2016. Madison, WI.
• Byker Shanks C, Gamble K, Vogler R, Bass T, Roth A. Moooooving forward together: Montana beef to school basics. Sprouting Success: Montana Farm to School Summit. October 2016. Bozeman, MT.
• Bass Tommy, Byker Shanks C. Montana Beef to School Supply Chain Relationships: Initial Case Study Findings. Conference on Food Studies. October 2016. Berkeley, CA.
• Byker Shanks C. Montana Beef to School Moooving Forward. Montana Farm to School Leadership Meeting. December 2016. Three Forks, MT.
• Bass T, Plummer J. Local Meat to Local Schools: Lessons Learned from the Montana Beef to School Project. North American Meat Processors Association Webinar. March 2017. https://learn.extension.org/events/3016
• Roth A, Byker Shanks C. Strategies and Stories of Beef to School Panel. California Farm to School Conference. March 2017. Modesto, CA.

Publications

• Moooooving Forward Together: Strategies for Beef to School. Montana. November 2016. http://www.montana.edu/mtfarmtoschool/documents/beef-to-school/Beef%20to%20School%20Project%20Case%20Study%20Report.pdf
• Harvest of the Month: Beef. Available under Beef – March at http://www.montana.edu/mtharvestofthemonth/portal.html

 Publications in Progress

• Beef to School Project Team and USDA. Beef to School Bid and Procurement Guide. April 2017.
• Lessons of Scalability and Local-ness from Montana’s Beef to School Initiative. Book Chapter in Institutional Procurement. 2018.

Meetings

• Beef to School Coalition Call
  • September 26, 2016 15 attendees
  • February 23, 2017 14 attendees
• In-Person Meeting
  • March 23, 2016 Livingston MT 19 attendees

Collaborators: