policy tools for saving the small town grocery store - powerpoint presentation
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Policy Tools for
Saving the Small
Town Grocery Store
David Procter, Kansas State University
Hannah Burton Laurison, Public Health Law & Policy
Sharon Thornberry, Oregon Food Bank
May 21, 2011
Portland, OR
This powerpoint was developed by PHLP for viewing & educational purposes only.
© PHLP 2010
Today’s Roadmap
Welcome
Rural grocery challenges
Policies for sustainable rurall grocery
Engaging rural residents and policymakers
• Why you are interested in today’s topic?
• In your community, what makes it difficult for
small grocers to remain economically viable?
What are the challenges faced by rural
grocers?
Economically Sustainable, Healthy
Rural Grocery Stores
Overview
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The Rural Grocery Initiative
Kansas State University
David Procter, DirectorCenter for Engagement and Community Development
Kansas State UniversityManhattan, Kansas 66506
www.k-state.edu/cecdwww.ruralgrocery.org
(785) 532-6868
Center for Engagement and
Community Development
Mission: CECD was created in 2006 to
promote engagement across the breadth of
Kansas State University - in teaching,
research, and outreach - and to connect
the resources and expertise of K-State to
the significant issues of public need facing
Kansas and communities worldwide.
The Public Need
• Economic Development:
– Rural grocery stores provide significant economic benefit to rural towns
• Community Sustainability:
– Rural grocery stores serve important civic, social, recruiting needs
• Food Access:
– Rural grocery stores provide citizens best access to nutritious food
Food Access:
Improving Food Availability
Many rural citizens live within food deserts
– “an area in U.S. with limited access to affordable and nutritious food,” (U.S. Farm Bill definition)
– “large and isolated geographic areas where mainstream grocery stores are absent or distant.”(http://fooddesert.net/)
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Addressing Issues of Food Access:
National Map of Food Deserts Kansas Food Desert Facts
• 40% of Kansas counties are rated as severe food deserts (Morton & Blanchard, 2007)
• 51% of Kansas communities lack a grocery store (CECD, 2010)
• 7 Kansas counties lack even one grocery store (USDA Food Atlas, 2008)
• Since 2007, 87 rural grocery stores have closed in Kansas (CECD, 2011)
Our Rural Grocery Initiative
Goals
• Identify challenges facing rural grocery stores (2,500 or less)
• Develop responses to those challenges
• Identify sustainable business models of grocer operation
• Develop information network for rural grocers
Identifying Grocer Challenges
• Surveyed 213 KS rural grocers
(86 responded)
– View complete survey and
results at:
www.ruralgrocery.org/survey
• Hosted 2008; 2010 Rural Grocer
Summit (Over 300 participants)
• Interviewed numerous grocers
• From this data collection, we identified:
– Challenges faced
– Best practices
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Grocer Challenges
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Big Box Op.
Costs
Labor Regs Support Sales
Volume
Buying
Req
Responding to Rural Grocer Challenges
1. Competing with big box stores
2. Coping with high energy costs
3. Meeting minimum buying requirements
4. Managing labor issues
5. Securing community support
6. Finding the right ownership model
Challenge: Securing Community
Support
Best Practices:
• The power of community support
– Walsh, CO
• Processes of building community support
– Community dialogue
• Rural Grocery Dialogues
• Community FEAST
– Effective grocery store operations
– “Buy Local” education
Challenge: Meeting Minimum
Buying Requirement
Best Practices:
• Identifying and facilitating grocery collaborations
• Facilitating food re-distribution centers
• Looking for ways to increase food sales
• Mapping food distribution lines
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Challenge: Finding the Right
Ownership Model
Best Practices:
• Community owned / Co-ops– Gove, KS; Walsh, CO
• Public / private partnerships– St. Paul, KS
– Duckworth v. City of Kansas City, 758 P. 2d 201 - Kan: Supreme Court 1988
• School-based enterprise– Leeton, MO
• Sole proprietorships– Little River, KS; Jetmore, KS
Web Resource for Rural Grocers
www.ruralgrocery.org– Best practices
– Food suppliers / food networks
– Latest research
– Inspirational stories / videos
– Rural grocery news
– grocer forum
– Funding opportunities
Thank You
David Procter, Director
Center for Engagement & Community Development
Kansas State University [email protected]
(785) 532-6868
www.k-state.edu/cecd
www.ruralgrocery.org
How can public policies support small grocers?
The Tools
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PHLP works to improve community health by
supporting public health leaders.
PHLP does this by providing sophisticated legal and
policy tools for use in everyday practice.
market forces + public policy =
“food landscape”
What do we mean by
policy?�Local
�Zoning
�Economic Development
�Transportation
�State and Federal
�Grants
� Loans
�Nutrition Assistance
Programs
Local Policy Tools
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LAND ASSEMBLY
Burlington, VTPhoto Credit: Churchstreetmarket Flickr Creative Commons
ZONING
Watsonville, CAPhoto Credit: Michael Patrick Flickr Creative Commons
Condition neighborhood markets
(convenience stores) at the time of
development review to
incorporate the sale of fresh
fruits and vegetables.
WATSONVILLE, CA
TRANSPORTATION
Alberta, VAPhoto Credit: Taberandrew through Flickr Creative Commons
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State Food Policy Tools
GRANTS
Gettysburg, PA
LOW COST LOANS
Norman, OKPhoto Credit: unsure shot through Flickr Creative Commons
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Federal Food Policy Tools
RURAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE GRANT
Cody, NEPhoto Credit: Kathy Starkweather, Center for Rural Affairs
RBEG
Sanderson, TXPhoto Credit: USDA Rural Development
Rural Energy for America Program
Elkton, SDPhoto Credit: Farmenergy.org
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FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS
Martinsburg, WVPhoto Credit: http://blogs.usda.gov/
Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development
Dixon, NMPhoto Credit: Santa Fe New Mexican
What are some challenges to leveraging public policy for small grocers?
� Cost
� Political will (aka
“business as usual”)
� Legal barriers
� Implementation
strategies forrural grocery store policy
�Get to know your local economic development
partners
�Share data
�Target economic development resources
�Match the right strategy to your goals
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Resources
Thank you!
Hannah Burton [email protected]
www.phlpnet.orgwww.healthycornerstores.org
Engaging Residents and Policymakers in
Rural Grocery Stores
Action
They have always been here!!!
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How hard can it be??? What are the Challenges??
� Stocking the shelves
� Competitive pricing/advertising
� Rising operating costs, insurance, maintenance,
utilities……
� “Government regulations”
� Individual & community buying habits
� Ownership burnout
Finding Solutions……
�Community conversations
�Building awareness
�Educating policymakers
�Commitment > community businesses
�Harnessing community buying power
�Realistic expectations
Thank You!
Sharon Thornberry
www.oregonfoodbank.org
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Discuss
� How can you engage policymakers and local residents in supporting rural grocers?
� What would work in your community?
Contact us:David [email protected]
www.ruralgrocery.org
Hannah Burton [email protected]
www.phlpnet.org
Sharon [email protected]
www.oregonfoodbank.org