Jared Walhowe

Organic dairy, meat, eggs, wheat, potatoes

Most food grown witin 80 kilometers of the diner

Most consumers eat food that travels at least 2,500 kilometers.

Expanding because of the growing interest amongst local farmers, chefs, environmentalists, and concerned eaters who want more locally grown in stores and on menus.

Food safety regulations geared towards industrial-scale businesses of specialization.

Most diners have 5 suppliers. These are made up of large suppliers such as Sysco ($26 billion annually)

The Farmers diner has 35. plans to add another 20 next year

Vermont's agricultural and landscape diversity.

Organic is big in VertmontInnovations: “pod” concept.Direct Relationships to farmers.Less money for shipping and storage.Long term investments/not short term

profitsMore control over supply and processing

Success of ANDES group in Peru and Women’s Alliance of Ladakh.

Diverse food exchangedDoor to door marketing!Farmer cooperatives have traditionally

failed to address marketing.Single commodity => More attention to

local consumer demands.

Farmers taking back profits from Agribusiness. Retain more of every dollar taken in.

In U.S., 300 markets in 1970s. Over 3,100 today.

3 million + people visit each week.Cut middlemen out! = lower prices for

consumers. Can be cheaper than supermarkets.

Ideal for small/beginning farmers.

Members pay yearly share before growing season. Get regular deliveries when available.

Many CSAs donate to local soup kitchens and food banks.

Sliding scale = ensure clients are not just wealthy.

Up-front payment = security for farmers and guaranteed outlet for crops.

Clients get food that is “fresher, tastier, harvested at the peak of ripeness, and yet not fumigated, refrigerated, or packed.”

Most very large and centrally located and inconvenient to local initiatives.

“Need something between Sysco and CSAs”

Must allow larger farms and companies to take part in local foods and make it possible for more consumers to eat local.

Must keep opportunities for small to do well but, also for local to expand.

Association for Better Land Husbandry (ABLH)– Kenya

Group has helped coordinate 20 cooperatives to get access to large scale marketing and distribution advantages.

Shared delivery truck and marketing Staff.

Shared Processing facilities. Higher prices.

International Center for Insect and Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE). Help farmers grow medicinal herbs. Local medicine initiative.

Local processing = more jobs and income. Especially for women who have been traditionally the ones who cook, process, can, and store foods.

Local processing also means a more steady supply of food year long

Less food wasted in transport.

Popularized Across EuropeA group of farmers who produce a variety

of crops join together to acquire and run a store that sells their products exclusively.

Growers get regular market and sell more than farmers markets.

One stop convenience for busy consumers.

Tagwerk shops – 180 member co-op. big enough to supply all goods most consumers need and employ 40 people in addition to farmers.

“to expand their marketing and distribution opportunities, farmers can form alliances with other players getting nuzzled out in the ongoing process of consolidation.”

Independent supermarkets, school, universities, food co-ops, restaurants, and hotel owners can all form alliances with farmers directly.

Collective resistance to consolidation that is mutually beneficial and NOT exploitative.