KRC Receives Two New Regional Food System Grants

Whiting, Ks. -The Kansas Rural Center is pleased to announce that it was recently awarded two grants focused on regional food system development and producer education and outreach.

A $171,520 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG), through a sub-grant from the Kansas Department of Agriculture, will permit KRC to expand the Our Local Food (OLF) program in Kansas. This program seeks to spur the development of community-based food systems by creating regional networks of local farms, farmers markets, food businesses, agricultural professionals, supportive organizations, as well as consumers who are committed to increasing the production and sales of fresh, local foods in Kansas.

The SCBG will assist in further developing OLF program resources such as subsidized membership fees, educational opportunities and consultation services for producers and food businesses, an interactive website and online food hub development, as well as member tool kits. Two chapters–a South East and a State chapter–will be added to the existing three, enabling the program to cover the entire state.

Additionally, this grant will permit KRC to bring back Savor the Season, a program started in 2009 to increase the diversity and boost sales of specialty crops at farmers markets. In 2012, ten new crops will be added to the sixteen highlighted in previous years. To increase the diversity of crops grown in the state, K-State Research and Extension Horticulture Agents will partner with experienced growers and OLF program staff to develop crop guides focusing on production, post-harvest, and marketing best practices for at least five featured crops.

Producer education on selected crops will also be offered in multiple formats including webinars, workshops and field days. Additional partners, including the KSU Research And Extension (KSRE) Nutrition, Food Safety and Healthy Program Leadership Team and KSRE Family and Consumer Science Agents, will focus on educating consumers about specific specialty crops and how to select, store, and prepare them. OLF member farmers markets will be eligible to apply for mini-grant and cost-shares to promote Savor the Season crops at their markets.

A second grant, the $99,673 USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) award, will support numerous collaborations between KRC and other partners to increase opportunities around local food production. Using conferences, electronic communications tools, workshops and other venues, the project will enhance producers ability to locate risk management information and training, and to strengthen risk management education and training to a broadened agricultural audience.

RMA grant-supported programming includes the 2011 KRC sustainable agriculture conference, a full-day food safety workshop at the 2012 Great Plain Growers Conference, the Kansas Grazers Association’s winter conference, and a two-day grazing school to be held in fall 2012.

KRC will also partner with the Kansas Farmers Union (KFU), Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops (KCSAAC), and KSRE Douglas County to develop a Strategic Marketing for Livestock Producers educational series in winter of 2012. Composed of an introductory webinar and four workshops, the program will focus on the basics of marketing, including identifying a target market, selecting appropriate outlets, developing a marketing plan, and creating effective materials.

RMA funding will also allow the Our Local Food program to expand its resources for meat and animal product producers, and are not covered by the Specialty Crop grants.

The Kansas Small Farm and Direct Marketing Guide, a collaboration of KDA’s Food Safety Division, KCSAAC, the KFU, and KRC, is also funded through the RMA grant. This guide will provide base-line information that all direct marketing farms and beginning farmers need to be aware of to increase the likelihood of success and remain within regulatory compliance. Topics to be covered include licensing, taxes, insurance, and labor topics as well as rules and regulations for processing and direct marketing diverse agricultural products.

On the national level, direct-to-consumer sales, through outlets such as farmers markets, farm stands and U-pick operations, totaled $1.2 billion in 2007. This represents an annual growth rate of about 10% between 2002 and 2007– twice that of the rest of the food economy.
Activity in Kansas not only mirrors that national trend, but demonstrates even more potential. The number of farmers markets across the state has doubled over the past decade. Furthermore, between 2002 to 2007, Kansas rose from 45 to 33 in state ranking based on vegetable acres per 100 people. These statistics point to a burgeoning demand for local food that the USDA estimates will reach $7 billion by 2012.

“This rapid increase, not only in sales but also in the number of small farms entering the direct marketing arena, demonstrates that the need for resources, training and networking is great. With the award of these two grants, the Kansas Rural Center and its partners are in a position to address several of the opportunities and challenges of rebuilding regional food systems,” said Mercedes Taylor-Puckett, KRC’s Local Food and Farmers Market Project Coordinator.

You can contact Mercedes at mercedes.taylorpuckett@gmail.com.

Our Local Food System News

“Manhattan Project” Demonstrates Power of Grassroots in Local Food

Manhattan, Ks.- One challenge in the local food movement is harnessing the energy bubbling up in communities, driven by consumer desire for healthier food from local, known sources. Although that energy can be a catalyst for action, it can also create a “noisy” environment in which it can be difficult to coalesce a real movement for change. Groups can inadvertently work at cross-purposes and create confusion around local food, rather than pull together for purposeful action.

Our Local Food (OLF) seeks to address this challenge by establishing several local partner committees in each chapter region. These committees will draw upon a diverse set of food system stakeholders including farmers, food business owners, farmers market managers, chefs, extension agents, food bank representatives, and nutrition profes-sionals. The idea is that regular meetings and networking among those dedicated to the development of a regional food system will inspire collaboration.

Partner committees are integral to the grassroots approach of KRC’s Our Local Food program as it allows each community to address its own challenges and opportunities. Committees receive support from the chapter staff and operate with minimal program restrictions, fostering owner-ship by local community members of their local food efforts, while providing stability and purpose from the program.

The newly launched OLF program and this approach logged its first real success over the summer with the formation of the Kaw River Valley chapter’s first major partner committee in Manhattan.

At the April meeting of the OLF Kaw River Valley steering committee, farm member Elaine Mohr met other producers, nonprofit and policy advocates, chefs, food activists, and food business managers from around the region. Energized by the positive group energy, she came away feeling that by working with Our Local Food, she could bring together a group of advocates to launch an awareness-building event in Manhattan and bring the program to the western part of the chapter in a meaningful way.

Mohr became inspired to provide an alternative to a recent $100 per plate local food event near Manhattan. Convinced that this event’s price tag delivered the message that local food is only for the elite, she wanted to present local food in an entirely different way and at a much more reasonable price point–$10 per plate.

She invited possible collaborators to a June meeting at a local coffee shop, along with Julie Mettenburg, the OLF-KRV coordinator, who acted as a facilitator. Attendees included representatives from Little Apple Brewery, University for Man, People’s Grocery, and the Manhattan Public Library, along with two local food and health activists, and Mohr, of Southside Gardens. Later other participants included included a KSU professor, an extension agent, a KSU student group and the Downtown Manhattan Farmers Market. At that first meeting, the group brainstormed possible events and agreed to continue to collaborate.

Once the Local Food Feast planning began, partner committee members pooled resources to develop what became more than a week’s worth of events running from August 28 to September 8.

The Downtown Manhattan Farmers Market hosted a kick-off event complete with a seasonal cooking demonstration. People’s Grocery sponsored an “eat local challenge” where participants submitted their recipes for a chance to win a farmers market gift basket. Following the Sunday feast, University for Man sponsored a class about how to eat local. The library screened the film Ingredient, and OLF- Kaw River Valley chapter provided a guide of Manhattan-area members to help participants find local food.

The Local Food Feast was a break-even venture and nearly sold out at 100 tickets, meeting its goals for the first year. As a bonus, it provided information and several hours of conversation opportunity about local food for a wide variety of participants. And although Mohr and her committee consider it a learning exercise, they agree that it achieved its purpose of making local food accessible to a wider variety of consumers. They will be re-convening soon to look ahead at what’s next for Our Local Food in Manhattan.

Based on the Manhattan experience, the Our Local Food – Kaw River Valley steering committee decided at its August meeting to pursue the formation of more partner com-mittees around the region, specifically in the Topeka area, the Atchison-Leavenworth area, and the Kansas City – Johnson County area. If you are interested in joining a partner committee in your community, please contact Julie Mettenburg at kaw rivervalley.olf @gmail.com or Mercedes Taylor-Puckett at mercedes.taylor puckett @gmail.com

SC Chapter Studies Economic Impact of Farmers Markets

Wichita , Ks. - The Our Local Food – South Central Chapter wrapped up a hectic first summer of tours, work-shops and events, all geared to equipping members with the new OLF tools and challenging consumers to visit farmers markets and eat local.

One focus was the economic impact of farmers markets. In partnership with

KSU Research and Extension Sedgwick County, OLF-SC conducted a Rapid Market Assessment at both the Kansas Grown! Farmers Market at 21st and Ridge and the Saturday Old Town Farmers Market, both located in Wichita.

Rapid Market Assessments are a valuable tool in determining the impact of farmers markets and local agriculture on municipal and county economies. They provide important information about consumer motivations for shopping at markets, how much consumers spend and are willing to spend at markets and surrounding businesses, total volume of market traffic, as well as a reliable estimate of market day sales.

Results from the surveys suggested that together the two markets generate an estimated $75,000 in local food dollars spent during a peak weekend in July or August. The information collected from the RMAs will be used to complete a Local Food Assessment Report, which will provide insight for local food capacity building and future OLF program planning.

As summer wrapped up, Our Local Food – South Central (OLF-SC) was 40 members strong with many members utilizing new elements in the OLF promotional toolkit. OLF-SC banners can be found at several of the the member’s market stands while OLF stickers can be seen on egg cartons, fruit packaging, and many other food items being sold by members. Bright red re-usable grocery totes with the OLF-SC logo can also be seen being filled by local food supporters at area farmers markets.

Many program developments and activities helped expand recognition and membership this summer. In June, OLF-SC débuted an e-newsletter sent to Vocal Locals, local food supporters who are interested in finding and using local food. This bi-weekly newsletter, reaching almost 200 [and counting] followers, features local food news, events, recipes, as well as a seasonal produce calendar and profiles of OLF- SC members.

OLF-SC kicked off the month of July by challenging folks to purchase food from OLF-SC members over the July 4th weekend. Participants were encouraged to share their recipes and photos of their local food meals through Facebook and e-mail. Those who participated won goodies like produce and gift cards from OLF-SC farm, business, and farmers market members.

Several activities are in motion to celebrate autumn and continue the momentum summer has brought to the program. On September 17, OLF-SC partnered with SlowFood Wichita/Flint Hills to host a farm tour and potluck picnic at Janzen Family Farms, a grass-fed beef and organic crop farm near Newton. OLF-SC partnered with the Wichita Health & Wellness Coalition and others to plan and celebrate National Food Day on October 24. The groups planned a “Set the Table with REAL Food” event that encourages people to cook a healthy meal and eat with family on Food Day.

A celebration of OLF-SC’s inaugural year will take place December 3 with the first annual Local Food Connections Workshop.

More information and updates about the events mentioned above and more can be found at ourlocalfood southcentral.blogspot.com or in the free e-newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter visit the website and click on “Vocal Locals.”

Twin Rivers Chapter Logs Busy Summer

In mid-October, the Twin Rivers Chapter hosted a Local Soup Supper at the Emporia Downtown Wellness Kick-Off on October 12 and plans to participate in National Food Day (October 24) with information for the public and cooking demonstrations. On November 1, a “Growing Local Connections” workshop for members and persons interested in becoming OLF- Twin Rivers Chapter members will be held.

The chapter is also working with a Marketing Research class at Emporia State University in developing a research project on consumer attitudes toward buying local farmers' products. At summer’s end, the 2011 OLF-TR had 22 members (19 farms, 2 farmers markets, and 1 food business) and 47 Vocal Local members. For more information, contact Tracey Graham at twinrivers.olf@gmail.com.

Our Local Food Program to Expand In Kansas

by Mercedes Taylor-Puckett

Whiting, Ks.- The Kansas Rural Center was recently awarded a $70,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Agriculture to expand the Our Local Food (OLF) Program. This program seeks to spur the development of community-based food systems by creating regional networks of local farms, farmers markets, food businesses, agricultural professionals, supportive organizations and businesses, as well as consumers who are committed to increasing the production and sales of fresh, local foods in Kansas.

KRC’s OLF Program was launched in the Kaw River Valley in 2010. Counties comprising the Kaw River Valley Chapter include Atchison, Douglas, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, and Wyandotte. The program enrolled 54 charter members in its first year– 37 farms, 7 farmers markets and 10 food businesses. With funding from the 2011 Specialty Crop Block Grant from the KDA, two additional chapters are launching in 2011.

The South Central Chapter (OLF-SC) encompasses Butler, Cowley, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Reno, Sedgwick, and Sumner counties. Natalie Fullerton has been named OLF-SC Chapter Coordinator. Kansas State Research and Extension (KSRE) Sedgwick County has joined as a collaborator and will sponsor a summer intern dedicated to local food system work.

The Twin Rivers Chapter (OLF-TR), under the coordination of Tracey Graham, covers Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Lyon, Morris, and Osage counties. Building on the significant groundwork laid by the Emporia Area Local Food Network, such as the development of a community kitchen, the OLF-Twin River Chapter will expand to include broad representation from all aspects of its regional food system.

The chapter model was selected over a single statewide program because it is better able to address the opportunities and challenges of individual regions while fostering important community relationships.

Regional chapters are semi-autonomous but operate under OLF organizational structure which calls for each chapter to establish its own coordinator, steering and partner committees, and summer interns. Chapters will collaborate on overall Our Local Food Program efforts through the leadership of OLF Program Director Mercedes Taylor-Puckett.

The Our Local Food Program label will be modified to reflect the name of each region. The label can be used by members to identify and promote food grown in that region. For example, a farmer can print out cards with the chapter label that can be used as product price cards at farmers markets on those items that have been raised in that region. Program stickers could also be placed on products like pies or jelly, if the primary ingredient was grown in the region. A restaurant could use the label for a menu item when it designates the farm from which the primary ingredient was sourced. Regional OLF label shelf tags will enable retailers to highlight products from the area. This eye-catching label will assist consumers by providing a definition of local–within that region, making it easy to select choices that support local ag producers and the their regional economy.

The OLF website, launching in mid-May, will have information targeted to consumers, producers, food businesses and other groups such as economic development professionals. There will also be sections devoted to each chapter that offer a directory of farms, CSAs and farmers markets as well as food businesses that use or sell foods raised in each region. Chapter coordinators will also reach out to members and consumers through bi-weekly enewsletters to keep them up to date on events and opportunities, highlight seasonal products and profile members.

With assistance from KSU’s Dr. Rhonda Janke, chapters will develop preliminary food system reports this spring. (Visit KRC’s website to download Dr. Janke’s presentation from the November sustainable ag conference that covers the preliminary work on the food report she is creating for the Douglas County Food Policy Council: http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/publications.html#CCC ) Coordinators will collect information on current agricultural production, processing and distribution capacity and gather statistics on what might be required to meet a portion of a region’s current consumption of various foods. The reports will also attempt to present a snapshot of the various channels local food currently moves through in each regional food system.

Farm Membership. The annual farm membership fee is $25. If specialty crops (defined by USDA as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture) are produced, farms are eligible for complementary 2011 OLF membership through the KDA grant. Farms that only produce non-specialty crops, such as meat, dairy, and grains are not eligible for support from the grant and must submit the $25 annual membership fee. Each chapter is seeking additional program support, which may reduce membership fees.

Farm members of the OLF program will receive a range of services and individualized support from their Chapter Coordinator and Interns:

• Placement of farm name and profile on the OLF website;
• Identification of sales opportunities with OLF markets, restaurants, and institutions who are committed to buying local;
• Highlighting of farm events and activities in a bimonthly OLF chapter enewsletter that will be sent to interested consumers;
• Feature stories about specific farms for the bimonthly OLF enewsletter;
• Opportunities for farms to directly interact with consumers;
• TV, radio, internet, and print media about OLF and its members.

Business Membership. The business membership fee, normally $100, is discounted 50% for OLF Charter Members. Charter Membership is $50. Business members are eligible to receive the following support from chapter staff:

• Placement of business name and profile on the OLF website;
• Identification of OLF farmers who are interested in providing businesses with local food and specialty crops;
• Ways to highlight the presence of local foods and specialty crops on your shelves or in your menus;
• Feature stories about specific businesses for the bimonthly OLF-KRV enewsletter;
• Updates on business events and activities in the bimonthly OLF-KRV newsletter;
• Design of opportunities for businesses to directly interact with both farms and consumers.

Program participation also entitles members to an OLF banner or window cling, and access to a tool kit with the electronic version of the OLF chapter logo, point of sale and other materials.

Those interested in joining in the Our Local Food Program are encouraged to contact the Chapter Coordinator for their region (See below) . Membership information and applications will be available by the end of March.

This project is supported in part by the USDA Specialty Crop Grant Program, through a sub-grant from the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and by a grant by the USDA Risk Management Agency.

*******************

Kaw River Valley Chapter

kawrivervalley.org

Coordinator: Mercedes Taylor-Puckett

ourlocalfood@gmail.com

785-840-6202

South Central Chapter

ourlocalfoodsouthcentral.blogspot.com

Coordinator: Natalie Fullerton

southcentral.olf@gmail.com

402-310-0177

Twin Rivers Chapter

ourlocalfoodtwinrivers.blogspot.com

Coordinator: Tracey Graham

twinrivers.olf@gmail.com

1-620-343-4397

Meet Natalie Fullerton, OLF-South Central Chapter Coordinator

Natalie Fullerton grew up in northeast Nebraska where her work in the family garden was a great influence on her interests in food and agriculture today. After obtaining a B.S. in Horticulture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, she jumped into the Master’s program, where she worked as a graduate assistant through the Nebraska Rural Initiative. Her graduate project focused on the use of high tunnels in Nebraska, aiming to learn what resources producers needed to grow successfully in high tunnels.

The economics of being able to produce profitably while selling locally was a major focus of the project. Natalie worked with an agricultural economist at the university to help develop a set of budget sheets for producers wanting to manage the economics of growing in a high tunnel. Natalie’s Masters Program was enhanced with a minor in community and regional planning, which added to the valuable local food aspects in her program. In May 2010 she received her MS. in Public Horticulture Administration.

After graduating and following her husband to Wichita, she has taken great interest in getting sustainable agriculture into the households of producers and consumers. Natalie believes local food is an integral aspect in the future health of our economy in Kansas and nation wide. Natalie is excited to be an important part of local food movement in Kansas.

Meet Tracey Graham, OLF-Twin Rivers Chapter Coordinator

Tracey Graham has served on the board of the Emporia Area Local Food Network since its inception in Fall of 2008, and has worked with many other enthusiastic lovers of local foods to promote the production, processing, preservation, and consumption of local foods. Her involvement with the Emporia Farmers Market evolved from market shopper, to board member, then vendor, then market manager, then back to vendor, over the past eleven years.

Her love of great, fresh, local food made up for her lack of agricultural experience (she grew up in suburban Los Angeles) and lack of preparation provided by her formal training (Ph.D. in Geology, University of New Mexico, 1997) in seeking out and implementing programs and processes that positioned the Emporia Market to ride the wave of growing interest in local foods. Founded in 1982, Emporia's market has more than doubled its annual sales over the past 10 years. This winter's expansion to year-round has positioned the market for continued exponential growth.

Tracey also enjoys her part time position as Program Assistant for the Lyon County K-State Research and Extension Family Nutrition Program, teaching elementary school students about the benefits of healthy diets. She is also an active volunteer with Emporia Main Street and Lyon County Extension Master Gardeners.

Our Local Food Chapters Spark Production and Marketing Networks

The Our Local Food Program, introduced in the March Rural Papers, is off to a running start with 95 members across the three regional chapters located around Wichita, Emporia and the Kaw River Valley.

This program, funded by a Specialty Crop Grant through the Kansas Department of Agriculture, seeks to spur the development of community-based food systems by creating regional networks of local farms, farmers markets, food businesses, agricultural professionals, supportive organizations and businesses, as well as consumers who are committed to increasing the production and sales of fresh, local foods in Kansas.

Recent program developments include the label revision, blog launches and the hiring of Julie Mettenburg as the Kaw River Valley Chapter Coordinator. Consumers are also beginning to spot the Our Local Food banners displayed in members' stalls at farmers markets and at farm stands and U-Pick farms. Business members will begin displaying Our Local Food point-of-sale materials in July.

Eat Local Challenges will also be held in each region. The South Central Chapter hosted its challenge over the Fourth of July week with a kick-off party at the Kansas Grown Farmers Market. Consumers were encouraged to purchase products from Our Local Food members and submit recipes and pictures of their local food experience on Facebook, Twitter, or through email. Those participating in the challenge were entered into a drawing to win some fun local food prizes. Recipes collected during the event will be compiled into an Our Local Food - South Central eBook that will be available free to anyone who signs up to receive the chapter's e-newsletter.

In May, KRC submitted another Specialty Crop Block Grant application to expand the program with a fourth chapter representing the East Central and Southeast regions of Kansas. If funded, the grant would also increase the level of services available to members including consultations with farm and business members to better gauge supply and demand for Kansas-grown fruits and vegetables.

Those interested in joining in the Our Local Food Program are encouraged to contact the chapter coordinator for their region. Membership information and applications are also available on chapter blogs.

To learn more about Our Local Food and to find your chapter, visit http://www.ourlocalfoodks.org/.

Meet Julie Mettenburg- Kaw Valley OLF Coordinator

Julie is a fourth-generation worker on the family farm near Princeton, Kansas, just outside Ottawa. Mettenburg Farm markets grass-fed beef and other products to consumers throughout the Kaw River Valley, including Lawrence, where Julie lives with her husband, Peter Burns, and their two children.

Julie received her bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Kansas and began her career as an ag reporter for Vance Publishing Corp. for The Packer newspaper, covering the fruits and vegetables industry; Super Floral magazine, covering the floral industry; and Drovers Journal magazine, covering the beef industry. She continued her media career in New York, eventually managing publications for a major health nonprofit agency. She received her masters degree in political science from the City University of New York.

Several years ago, with grassroots demand rising for naturally raised meats and local foods, Julie and her family saw an opportunity to renew their family farm and began transitioning to a sustainable farm system with direct-sale grass-finished beef.

Developing new sales channels and learning about non-industrial ag systems -- plus seeing a fifth generation gain interest in farming as a career -- has convinced Julie that redeveloping robust local food networks is critical to America's economy and security.

KRC Sponsors Local Foods Seminar at Kansas Department of Agriculture

The Kansas Rural Center organized a local foods seminar for the Kansas Department of Agriculture on Friday March 25. This four- hour seminar featured some of Kansas’ most successful local food entrepreneurs. Local Burger and The MERC from Lawrence provided a local foods luncheon of local meat/veggie sandwiches, local mushrooms/greens salad and cookies made with Kansas’ flour. Besides the leadership staff from the Kansas Department of Agriculture, attendance included the directors of USDA - Rural Development, USDA – Farm Service Agency, Kansas State University Research & Extension, Kansas Small Business Development Centers, and the Beginning Farmer Loan Program at the Kansas Development Finance Administration.

Dr. Rhonda Janke from Kansas State University started the discussion with an overview of local foods consumption data in Kansas. Rhonda detailed a balanced diet and how that compares to existing local food production in certain counties. The bottom line is that consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is too low and Kansas needs to increase production. While Kansans consume $767 million in fruits and vegetables annually, only $32 million (4%) is grown locally. Historically, Kansas had 109,708 farms selling vegetables in 1920 while in 2007 the number was just 473. Some good news is that there has been a slight increase in vegetable and fruit farms from 2002 to 2007. Key challenges are making a “living wage” growing produce in Kansas and scaling up production from direct sales such as farmers markets to supplying supermarkets or institutional accounts such as schools or hospitals.

Rita York – general manager of The Community Mercantile or The MERC in Lawrence – gave an overview of the successes and challenges The MERC has faced since it’s beginning in 1974. The MERC is the largest natural foods coop supermarket in Kansas. Sales were over $12 million in 2010 with an average of 10,500 customers weekly. The MERC has over 5,200 member owners. In terms of local foods, 78% of the eggs sold are locally produced at 11 farms. Even though the MERC has 30 local farms providing produce, just 8% of the produce sold is grown locally. The MERC is committed to buying more local food and is exploring the options to scale up local food production. http://communitymercantile.com/

Diana Endicott is the founder and manager of Good Natured Family Farms – an alliance of 100 farms in Kansas and Missouri that sell at the Hen House supermarkets and the Balls Price Chopper supermarkets in Kansas City as well as The MERC in Lawrence. Sales will top $5 million this year. Their local foods include beef, pork, eggs, cheese, honey, bison, heritage turkeys and produce. By offering a wide variety of local products, they have more leverage in the market and more acceptance by the supermarkets. Diana has a federally inspected meat processing plant at Uniontown, KS that now processes poultry in addition to the red meats. http://www.goodnatured.net/

Hilary Brown is the founder of the Local Burger restaurant in Lawrence that opened in 2005. Local Burger serves locally raised grass-fed only livestock and pasture raised pork and poultry. Hilary is now expanding her production of ‘The World’s Best Veggie Burger’ made with organic ingredients. Hilary has also developed a ‘Spicy Green Chili Adzuki Bean Burger’ that is made with organic ingredients. Hilary buys organic Kansas’ flour for her sandwich buns. http://www.localburger.com/

Mercedes Taylor-Puckett from the Kansas Rural Center gave an update on farmers markets in Kansas. Kansas now has over 102 farmers markets. By the end of this year, 19 of these farmers markets will have electronic benefit transfer (EBT) capabilities to accept the Vision Card (electronic food stamps). In 2010, over $29,000 in Vision Card transactions were processed at 13 farmers markets. In 2011, over $500 million in food stamps will be received by Kansas’ residents; the EBT program increases access for these folks to farmers markets. Helping gardeners to scale up production is a major challenge for farmers markets and meeting the growing consumer demand for local produce. http://www.ksfarmersmarkets.org/

Ed Reznicek, General Manager of the Kansas Organic Producers (KOP) provided information on organic farming and markets in Kansas. Started in 1974 as an information sharing group, today KOP is a marketing/bargaining cooperative that markets organic grains and other products for about 60 active members from Kansas and bordering states. The grains include wheat, corn, soybeans, milo, millet, barley, oats as well as alfalfa, clover and other forages. KOP is in the process of purchasing a soybean processing facility in Dubois, NE. KOP is also a partner in the ownership of Central Soy Foods in Lawrence, KS, which produces tofu, tempeh and soymilk from organic soybeans. http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/kop.htm

Erik Wisner – Food Safety director at the Kansas Department of Agriculture - gave a presentation on the state inspected meat slaughter and processing facilities. Kansas has 58 state inspected meat processing plants and 32 custom slaughter plants. In the 2008 federal Farm Bill, provisions were made to allow state inspected meat processing plants to sell across state lines but USDA is still drafting rules and regulations to make this change possible.

In conclusion, the Kansas Rural Center requested that the Kansas Department of Agriculture designate one of their rural development division staff as a “local foods coordinator”. KRC also recommended that a local foods council should be established to identify the resources and opportunities for Kansas to increase local food production and consumption. This council should consist of representatives from K-State, Kansas Small Business Development Centers, Beginning Farmer Loan Program, USDA – Rural Development & FSA, SRS, WIC program, advocates and entrepreneurs.

Time will tell whether KDA and others will be able to respond to the growing interest in local foods and the opportunities local and regional food production and its related businesses present for economic development in Kansas.