COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY COALITION
Minutes from Meeting on April 5, 2001

Present: Dave Jensen (Campus Dining Service), Michele Gross (Campus Dining Service), Adriane Dellorco (Oberlin Student Cooperative Association) Iris Hunt (Oberlin Sustainable Agriculture Project), Dina Schoonmaker (OSAP), Brad Masi (Ecological Design Innovation Center), Cheryl Wolfe (Oberlin College Environmental Studies Program), John Ellerman (Ohio State University Cooperative Extension), Travis West (Ohio Cooperative Development Center), Jackie Johnson (Ohio Farmers Union), and Laura (Innovative Farmers of Ohio)

Meeting Purpose:

Purpose of Meeting: The overall goal for the meeting was to generate discussion around two primary concerns. First, we wanted to brainstorm ideas for different mechanisms -to more effectively connect local farmers with urban or institutional markets (such as the Campus Dining Services at Oberlin College). Second, we brainstormed ideas for themes and topics for the November regional workshop on connecting campuses and local farmers that is being planned in conjunction with the Community Food Security Coalition.

Meeting Results:

Discussion revolved around four primary themes:
1) Issues confronting local producers
2) Issues confronting consumers (like Campus Dining Services at Oberlin College)
3) Mechanisms to More Effectively Connect Local Producers and Consumers
4) Campus as a Source of Innovation in Local Agriculture

Suggestions for the November workshop focused around addressing these themes, with emphasis on identifying practical ways to more effectively use campuses as an engine for spurring innovations in local agricultural production and marketing. The November workshop should emphasize practical approaches to more effectively bridging local farmers and campus dining systems.

Meeting Discussion:

Issues on the Producer Side
Finding ways to establish a 12 month season (organic milks, canned or processed goods, etc.)
Season extension to extend seasonality to correspond with academic calendar
Finding ways to reduce impacts of climate (greenhouse production)
Cooperation amongst other producers is essential to time growing season, harvest times, etc.

Issues on the Consumer Side (Campus Dining Services)
Better way to communicate when products available in what quantities
Need for consistency in volume, availability
Need for liability insurance policies and farm inspections to insure safety/quality of incoming food and manage risks of food poisoning

Possible Marketing Mechanisms to More Directly Connect Farmers/Consumers
Private business (wholesaler) the fastest, easiest to form
Establish internet/web capabilities for more effective communication
Hire an in-house local foods coordinator for Campus Dining Services to organize growers and streamline ordering/distribution/billing
Formation of a marketing association easiest and most effective way to get producers to cooperate the association is loose; cooperatives are more formal and may deter some farmers
A cooperative or organization to represent local farmers could be a more effective way to distribute costs of umbrella insurance and farm inspections
Cooperatives most effective for value-added processing a cooperative, shared- use kitchen could be capitalized to process surplus food or extend seasonality through preservation
Cooperatives have access to investment capital through coop associations

Campus as a Source of Innovation in Local Agriculture
Key issue in Ohio is transitioning farmers to sustainable agriculture production methods
Transition to sustainable agriculture needs to follow slow evolution
Campuses can provide a stable market to support farmers as they transition to sustainable practices; use campus buying power to stimulate innovations in local agriculture Campuses possess unique resources in students and faculty to conduct research, do pilot projects, or experiment.
Formation of a "learning circle" to bring local farmers together to solve problems together

Ideas for November Workshop
Harvest extension techniques
Helping farmers adjust to new markets Developing a formal structure for a marketing association for local producers; establishing communications between association representative and campus dining services
Use of information technology for more effective, up-to-date communications on produce availability, prices, etc.
Outreach programs to involve local schools/school districts as additional market/opportunity for education
Profile of other innovative campus programs (Bates College, Hendrix College); bring in organizers from these efforts
Involve U.S.D.A. in Conference and as funding source for research, feasibility studies, etc.
Organize conference as a "how-to" event which covers navigating obstacles in local marketing, moving quickly (producers) to respond to growing demand; lessons learned from other campuses
Outcome of conference: development of a "how-to" guide for setting up campus dining programs to connect farmers and consumers
Involve individuals from parent company of Oberlin campus dining service company
Developing education/outreach around local foods; educational outreach for students; marking products as organic and/or local
The issue of pricing pay more for local effects of energy prices in making local food more appealing?
Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday conference most appealing; tentative date of Friday November 9 and Saturday, November 10