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