Low Income Latino Producer to Consumer Connection

Low Income Latino Producer to Consumer Connection

Anne Morse, Adelante Mujeres

Stacey Sobell, M.P.H.,Ecotrust and National Farm to School Network

Scott Ellis, Portland State University

Project Overview  • Main Objectives:

• Empowering Low-Income Latino Farmers to Build Regional Connections, Evaluate Farming Strategies, and Identify Clients

• Assess producer/consumer relationships among low-income and Latino farmers and low-income consumers

• Build cultural competency of partners• Identify actions to promote food security and health

among low-income producers and consumers of color

• Funding Streams:• Northwest Health Foundation research grant• Community Food Project planning grant

Partner RolesAdelante Mujeres

• Lead organization• Collaborated with partner organizations on community-based research • Primary contact with low-income Latino community

Ecotrust

• Facilitated connections between farmers and potential buyers via the online tool FoodHub (www.food-hub.org),

• Acted as a liaison with farm to school programming• Helped share the story of our work

Portland State University • Provided research and evaluation support : focus groups, surveys,

analysis• Assisted with development of promotional materials: website, recipes,

etc.

ActivitiesAdelante:Shared production and distribution barriers identified through direct experience working with Latino farmers

Activities Adelante:

Worked with farmers and collaborating partners to identify marketing opportunities

Activities Adelante:

One-on-one evaluations with participant farmers for the 2011 season

ActivitiesEcotrust:• Increase cultural

competency ofpartners

ActivitiesEcotrust:

• Explore models for increasing social equity on FoodHub

www.food-hub.org

ActivitiesEcotrust:

• Explore opportunities to access regional markets via FoodHub

ActivitiesStacey:

• Help connect farmers with potential buyers– Local school districts– Head Start, childcare– Other institutions (e.g., Intel)

ActivitiesEcotrust:

• Share the story of our work in the community

Activities

- Connected farmers with a local undergraduate sustainability class

- Analysis of consumer behavior data through the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) evaluation

- Presented potential marketing strategies from data analysis results    

PSU:- Assessed production and networking barriers

- Provided networking research, promotional support, and assistance in analyzing consumer behavior

Challenges

Adelante:• Farmers face many marketing challenges

• Adelante Agricultura Program– Assisting the farmers in finding

markets – How to provide marketing and

distribution support that empowers the farmer

• Forest Grove Farmers Market– How to boost attendance at the

market

ChallengesEcotrust:

• Challenges with FoodHub:– Need to be English-speaking and have

computer access/literacy– Having an online liaison might not be

sustainable in the long-term• Challenges with Farm to Institution:

– Unpredictable yields from farmers– K-12 schools need regular sizing, amounts,

delivery and have tight budgets– Takes time to develop new relationships

ChallengesPSU:

• Working with undergraduate students:– Difficult to facilitate direct interaction with farmers

• Pilot Freshman research project:– Lack of research experience – Educational level and level of work expected to be

produced      

• Challenges working with the farmers:– Difficulty coordinating farmer schedules– Strong voices that drowned out the opinions of

others

Recommendations

Adelante:• Right crop/right time

• Finding the right scale for new businesses that can’t tolerate a lot of risk

• Think about a variety of marketing opportunities that can also target low income consumers

• Start incrementally. Relationships take time to build and require dedication and consistency

• Consistent communication with the farmers will help to empower them in the development of their small businesses

Recommendations

Ecotrust:

• Strong community partner connections, “benevolent brokers”

• Web liaison for farmers/cooperative selling model

• Highlight social equity characteristics to set apart from other sellers

• Build on small successes

Recommendations

PSU:

• Develop relationships with academic institutions to assist with evaluation and analysis• E.g., possible senior capstone project

• Community-based participatory research as a strategy

• Using GIS for analysis

Breakout Session

Activity:In small groups use worksheets to strategize around how to do the following in your own communities:

1. Identify market challenges for underserved producers

2. Connect underserved producers and consumers

3. Create your own action plan to increase: a. Access to diverse markets for underserved

producersb. Food security and health among underserved

consumers

Thank you!Contact information

Anne Morse:amorse@adelantemujeres.org | 503-992-2041

www.adelantemujeres.org

Stacey Sobell:ssobell@ecotrust.org | 503-467-0751

www.ecotrust.org/farmtoschool/

Scott Ellis:scott.ellis@pdx.edu