HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HUBS INITIATIVE

Listening Session

Hudson Valley

Pattern for Progress

Hudson Valley Food Hubs Initiative– Who we are

• Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress

• Not-for-profit policy organization founded in 1965

• Focus on Hudson Valley regional issues

• Quality of life

• Government efficiency

• Affordable housing

• Transportation

• Food & Agriculture

• Activities

• Convene private, public, not-for-profit, and academic leaders

• Research & publish reports

• Advise government and others on policy issues

Hudson Valley Food Hubs Initiative– Overview

• Funded by the New World Foundation

• Part of the Local Economies Project

• Overarching Goal • Build the capacity and infrastructure of a resilient food system for the

benefit of Hudson Valley farmers and communities

• Benchmarks for Year 1 • Determine whether additional or expanded food hubs are needed

• Identify opportunities to support farmers & other food businesses with their food distribution

• Recommend potential investments for infrastructure development- including features & locations of food hubs and distribution infrastructure

Hudson Valley

Pattern for Progress

Hudson Valley Food Hubs Initiative – the year ahead

• Research food hub models

• Hold public listening sessions

• Interview businesses in the Hudson Valley & NYC

• Along the food “value chain,” from farmers to processors to distributors

to buyers

• Gather data & map agriculture, distribution & markets for local food

• Recommend potential strategies for enhancing local food

distribution infrastructure through food hubs & complementary

supports

What is a “food hub?”

• Over 190 examples nationally, and growing…

• USDA definition

“A centrally located facility with a business management structure facilitating the aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and/or marketing of locally/regionally produced food products.”

• California Regional Food Hubs study definition

“An integrated food distribution system that coordinates agricultural production and the aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and marketing of locally or regionally produced food products.”

• Cardiff University definition

“An organizational innovation in the food chain…a mechanism by which small producers can collectively access a middleman facility that enables them to trade with large customers…any kind of organizational model where food sourcing and supply is coordinated…”

• Basic summary definition

Infrastructure that assists in distributing regionally produced foods to various markets and strengthens the local food “value chain.”

…but definitions are evolving & examples vary widely

Why food hubs?

• Why now? • Consumers demanding local food and traceability

• Producers seeking greater return for products

• Government focusing on local economic development & infrastructure

• Additionally, cross-sector discussions about climate change, healthy food supply, and “food security”

• Common goals of existing food hubs • For farmers

• Expand markets & increase earnings

• Increase regional agricultural production

• For consumers • Increase access to regional foods

• Increase access to healthy foods

• Support local community

• Broad-based goals • Create local jobs and economic stimulus

• Improve environmental sustainability throughout food system phases– production and distribution

Various Food Hub Models

• Over 190 nationally, many in NY & Northeast

• Ownership • Private

• Regional Access, Berkshire Organics

• Non-profit • HV Fresh, Red Tomato, Central NY Bounty

• Government • Syracuse Market

• Co-operative • Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance

• Hybrid

• Customers • Retail & direct-to-consumer

• Wholesale

• Institutional, e.g. schools, hospitals

• Hybrid

Various Food Hub Models

• Functions • Aggregation/wholesale/storage

• “create large, consistent and reliable supply” of regional foods (USDA)

• Processing & Copacking • Create value-added, palletized,

source-identified foods for distribution

• Transportation & delivery • Transport themselves or contract out

for trucking

• Logistic support/matchmaking • Act as brokers or middlemen,

matching producers & buyers, arranging transportation

Farm to Table Copackers

Regional Access former warehouse

Various Food Hub Models

• Functions, cont. • Production planning

• Farmers coordinate planting schedules, product varieties to ensure diverse product offerings & consistent year-round supply

• Cost sharing • Liability, employee benefits, equipment

costs, facility costs, marketing costs

• Online platforms • Assist with inventory control, marketing,

online transactions & ordering

• Marketing, branding, and other business assistance

• Education, networking

Sample of Gorzynski farm rotation schedule

New York based online platform

Sample food hub branding &

marketing

Discussion

• 5 questions

• 10 minutes each

• We encourage your written comments

• For more information

Sarah Brannen

sbrannen@pfprogress.org

845-565-4900

Discussion

1. What distribution challenges do farmers face in the region?

Could new or expanded infrastructure address some of these challenges?

If so, how? If not, why not and what else could?

Discussion

2. What challenges do distributors & food

buyers face in purchasing and selling more

regional products?

Could new or expanded infrastructure address some of these

challenges?

If so, how? If not, why not and what else could?

Discussion

3. What are the best opportunities for increasing

production and distribution of regional

products? Outlets– Retail vs. wholesale (private) vs. institutional (public)?

Products– What are restaurants, institutions, or other buyers

seeking?

(e.g. value-added, dairy, produce, grains, meat, poultry, etc.)

Locations – Focus on certain hubs locations or markets, e.g.

Hudson Valley & NYC?

Discussion

4. Are additional or expanded food hubs

needed in the region? What already exists?

What additional or expanded services are needed?

What ownership models are promising?

Where are hubs most needed?

Discussion

5. Are there other types of assistance that could help

increase the production and distribution of regional

products?

Thank you

Sarah Brannen

Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress

sbrannen@pfprogress.org

845-565-4900