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Roles for Educatorsin Economic Development
In the Context of Two “Local Food” Projects
Greg LawlessAg Innovation Center, Director
UW-ExtensionScaling Up Local Sustainable Food Systems Conference
Madison, WisconsinSeptember 28, 2010
In a prolonged recession, with budgetary and political pressures to cut public sector funding, Extension may
want to increase and publicize its role in economic development.
Types of Roles• Applied researcher– Data collection & analysis– Zoomerang® surveys
• Information provider– Organizing workshops– Making presentations– Via Extension webpages
• Network organizer – start-up• Network facilitator – on-going
Types of Roles• Strategic planning – Facilitator– Participant
• Grant writer• Storyteller– Text, photos, video– Press releases
• Matchmaker– Creating space for collaboration– Connecting individual companies
Risks & Dangers• High expectations• Risk of failure• Politically-charged issues• Intense personalities• Turf battles• Dynamic, unpredictable forces• Unclear boundaries for engagement
Engagement Continuum
Opinion provider
Selectivity,favoritism
Command & control
Applied Researcher
Advocate, promoter
Strategy team member
Information provider
Two Local Food Projects
• Grocers Buy Local – regional pilot project• Food Business Incubator Network (FoodBIN)
Grocers Buy Local
• Partners: Wisconsin Dept of Agriculture, Thrive and the Wisconsin Grocers Association
• Utilized a state-owned marketing logo
Video clip – not aired
2-second clip – went public
What is a Food Business Incubator?
• Access to processing facilities
• Wrap-around technical assistance and support– Business plan
development, Label generation, Pricing, Marketing, Distribution, Regulatory issues, etc
– May also include shared office facilities and services
Incubator composition
• Food entrepreneur incubation
• Product incubation/ custom processing
• Hybrid usage
Food business incubators can:
• Support early stage development of local food products
• Provide satisfying employment—as a long term endeavor or short term strategy
• Offer a diversification option for area farms
Developing strong companies
• International distribution
• Dedicated facility• 2 owners have hired 4
additional employees to assist with operations
Diversifying farm income
Food Business Incubator Network• Algoma: Algoma Farm Market Kitchen• Beloit: Bushel & Peck's Local Market• Gays Mills: Kickapoo Kitchen• Madison: FEED Madison• Mazomanie: Heritage Kitchen Incubator• Mineral Point: Iowa County Econ
Development/Hodan Center• Monroe: Green County Economic
Devel.and Green County UW-Extension• Prairie du Chein: Opportunity Center• Viroqua: Vernon County Development
Asoc. and Vernon County UW-Extension• Watertown: Farm Market Kitchen• Thrive• UW-Extension Ag Innovation Center
Food BIN Roles
• Balancing group cohesion with inclusivity
• Differing public vs. private sector needs
• Meeting economic development goals