greater kansas city food hub working group: building relationships and collaboration
TRANSCRIPT
Greater Kansas City Food Hub Working Group: Building Relationships and Collaboration
15 Partner Organizations
KC FOOD HUB WORKING GROUP• KC Healthy Kids: Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition, Farm
To School Academy• Cultivate Kansas City• Lincoln University Cooperative Extension• University of Missouri Extension • Kansas State University Research and Extension• Councilman Scott Wagner’s office of Kansas City, Missouri• Kansas City Economic Development Corporation• Good Natured Family Farms• Fresh Food Express• Supply Chain Networking• Door to Door Organics• Conveniently Natural• Kansas City Food Circle• Society of St Andrew• Independence, Missouri School District
Multiple Sectors Represented
SECTORS /DISCIPLINES• Agricultural entrepreneurship• Academia • Agriculture extension• City government• County government• Community and economic development• Community organizing and social services• Food production• Food distribution• Food retail: grocery store, mobile market and delivery services• Hunger relief• Policy development• Urban planning
Guiding Values: Our Vision and Mission
VISION The Greater Kansas City Food Hub will enable regional growers to sell fresh, high quality produce and will provide Kansas City businesses with a venue to purchase locally grown and processed food.
GOALS• Spur increased production of vegetables and fruits• Provide small and medium producers a trustworthy market• Enable institutions to consistently and reliably secure local food• Support increased regional food security
Healthy Regional Food System
Regional Coordination
REGIONAL PARTNERS: Critical stakeholders driving enterprise objectives and structure. • Beans&Greens • KC Healthy Kids Farm to School Academy
Society of St. AndrewDouglas County (KS) Food Policy CouncilBrown County (KS) Healthy Foods Coalition o Good Natured Family Farms
• Goode Acres Food HubHardesty Renaissance complexMU Extension’s Farm to School project o Kansas Farmers Union
• Kansas Rural Center
Regional Benefits
BENEFITS TO REGION Increase viability of family farms - cooperative ability to negotiate prices and the opportunity to scale up production by accessing new markets Increase supply of locally produced, healthy food in institutions such as hospitals and schools New, consistent sources of fresh, locally grown produce for organizations improving food access and health within low-income populations Coordination strategies among food hub efforts across the region that maximize their collective success Identify policy recommendations that address regional production distribution and purchasing barriers
8Feasibility Study Project PlanPhase Key outcomes Key dates Partner supportOpportunity Identification
Interview project partners. Enterprise objectives and study focus finalized by stakeholders.
August – interviews August 29 – kickoff meetingSeptember 15 – final decision
Market and Production Analysis
Projected demand and supply of produce, anticipated market and production challenges, and strategies to address these.
December – launch surveysJan/Feb – buyer/grower meetings
Infrastructure Analysis
Infrastructure assessment to identify excess capacity and resources to be put to use. Regional food systems map.
Winter – research conducted March – finalized
Rec’s for Scale and Scope
Operating model and scale proposed; go/no-go decided by Steering Committee.
Late April – decision-making meeting
Site Specifications
[If food hub is green lighted] Sites proposed and capacity models developed.
May and June
Feasibility Study
Final feasibility study report complete and presented to steering committee, to provide foundation for business plan.
July
Project Management
Regional visits and steering committee meetings
Ongoing. Key visits: Aug, Nov, Jan-Feb, April, July
