Planning For Local Food And Economic Development

1. Planning For Local FoodAnd Economic Development APA Ohio Cleveland, September 27, 2013 Jeanette DeRenne, AICP – LickingCounty Planning Commission Brian Williams, Agricultural Specialist – Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission Bryn Bird, MPH – Rural Coalition, Licking County Local Foods Council, Bird’s Haven Farms

2. What is local food?

3. What is local food?

4. Local food isEconomic Development

5. … at grocery stores and restaurants – does not include schools, hospitals and other institutions Ohioans spend $29 billion per year on food

6. $26 billion leaves the state According to estimates, only about 10% of that food is produced and processed in Ohio

7. To keep those dollars, we need:Regional food plansand local food councils

8. Local government Economic development Public health Farmers Food processors/distributors Local institutions Anti-hunger advocates Food retailers Extension, SWCD, etc. Wet blanket Who’s at the table?Who makes the plan?

9. How to assess? Avoid “paralysis by analysis” Use available research and data Get snapshot of current conditions: ProductionProcessing DistributionConsumptionResources What are the barriers to growth?

10. How to plan? Consider ways to overcome the hurdles you’ve identified Identify people/groups to do this Analyze strategies used elsewhere Establish priorities

11. Central Ohio Regional Food Council Franklin County Fairfield County Knox County Licking County Union County Pickaway, Delaware, Madison, Ross next

12. Aggregation Processing Meat/poultry Canning Freezing Pouching Packing Distribution Auctions Retail/co-op Food Hub Functions

13. Jobs Revitalization Options for farmers Efficiency Cost-effectiveness Business incubation Quantity for large retail & institutions Food Hub Benefits

14. Emerging Ohio food hubs

15. Hubs can help revitalize cities

16. The questions in any region: How do we feed ourselves on local food year round? How do we promote sustainable, resilient economic development?

17. The answer:Processing & distribution “infrastructure”

18. Regional food plan Consider agriculture in land- use and economic decisions Local & regional food councils Coordinate with others Connect the dots Emerging OSU network of local food councils Grow the economy! Feed the people! What’s down the road from here?

19. Case Study-Licking CountyThe 30 Mile Meal Project

20. Licking County - Ohio • Licking County Population was 167,248 as of July 2011 • Adults in Licking County, 36.7 percent are over-weight and 28.1 percent are obese. • - Licking County continues to grow into a “commuter community” with 40% of Licking County workers commuting out of the county each day.

21. So Why Local Food? • Nationally direct-to-consumer industry has grown to $9 billion in 2012. Expected to grow to $11 billion in 2015 surpassing the hog industry. • For every dollar spent at the grocery store 16 cents goes back to the farmer. 100% goes back to the farmer at a local market. • Over 35% of fuel in America is used on transporting food on average 1,500 miles.

22. The Licking County Local Food Council • -Members representing food producers, processors, and distributors, local governments, schools, university research, business owners, not-for-profit organizations involved in local-food advocacy, health professionals, hunger advocates and concerned citizens/ • - Meting Monthly for two years. • Discussed barriers and challenges to growing Licking County’s local food economy. • Adopted the 30-Mile Meal Project in Fall 2012.

23. - Promotes local economic development, • improving livelihoods for local producers, • processors, and businesses and encouraging the • development of new food-related businesses and • Jobs • - Instills pride in community and strengthens • community identity and interactions • Raises awareness about health and food access • - Strengthens infrastructure for local food and agriculture by encouraging collaborations between partners • - Provides consumer education surrounding agriculture and local food, in turn strengthening markets for local producers and processors and capturing more of the local food dollar Objectives:

24. Is there a benefit to involving government? • Potential Resources – technology • Ability to bring people to the table • Facetime with influential people • What agencies might be able to advance local food efforts? • Planning Commission • Health Department • Economic Development • Environmental – Soil and Water Conservation • What are the barriers to working with government agencies? • Takes some time to build “buy-in”. • Government represents a political boundary – includes everyone • Most employees can’t be tied to lobbying efforts

25. Key Initial Partners

31. Next Steps – Fiscal Partnership Advantages: Fiscal sponsorship enable our project to share a common administrative platform with a larger organization. In addition to legal status, they will provide payroll, employee benefits, office space, publicity, fundraising assistance, and training services, sparing projects the necessity of developing these resources and allowing them to focus on programmatic activities.

32. http://realfoodreallocalinstitute.org/licking-county-oh/about-us/http://realfoodreallocalinstitute.org/licking-county-oh/about-us/ WEBSITE:

33. Main Committees: Food Access – Donation Station, EBT at Farmers Markets Events: Farm-to-Table, Chef Showcase Grower/Buyer Relations: Trainings and Networking Activities Outreach: Website Design, Blogging, outreach opportunities Community Garden: Develop and maintain network of local gardens. Policy: Reviewing local and federal policy that influence local food

34. What’s Next? Questions?