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Collaborating to strengthen local and regional food systems in Wisconsin - Statewide Topic-based Projects funded:

Infrastructure - Processing: Expanding Upon the Available Information Resources for Wisconsin’s Processing Infrastructure

Create an expanded, sortable list or searchable database of Wisconsin’s food processing facilities with enough information to allow producers to match their processing needs to existing facilities in the state.

As Wisconsin agriculture scales up to meet the need from the marketplace demanding local and regionally produced products, and producers increasingly look for ways to add value to their agricultural products, there is a hurdle producers meet in finding appropriate processing capacity within a reasonable distance of their production. Wisconsin has a negative economy when it comes to processing raw agricultural products. Wisconsin ships the majority of its raw product out to nearby states, then buying back the value-added processed product.
If Wisconsin agriculture is to diversify and grow it will need the infrastructure to grow with it. This project looks to identify what Wisconsin already has in place to meet the needs of this growing opportunity, with the goal of shedding light on what needs are not being met as well as facilitating producers in their search for a local, appropriate processing facility.

Producer Development: To create and host a workshop for producers entitled “Seeds for Success – Planning and Financing your Local Food Business”.

Plan and carry out a workshop that combines information about business planning and financing options. Topics covered will include:
  • Writing a business plan: cash flow management; budget analysis; narrative, timeline, resume, choice of business entity
  • Options for financing a local food business: grants, loans, cooperative financing
The two Producer-oriented groups that met on the first day of the Local Food Summit both identified education as a top priority for producers. Information on how to write a business plan was identified as a top need. However, based on past experience, there was some question about whether producers would attend a workshop that was billed exclusively as business plan-writing, because the topic sounds a little too dry and tedious. On the other hand, past workshops on financing options have been well-attended. This is a continuing need for disseminating this information, since past workshops did not catch every producer or potential producer in the state.

Market Development: From Our Kitchen to Yours- Northern Wisconsin: increase consumer awareness about locally produced food products by featuring food products that were produced in the NWTC Woodland Shared Use Kitchen.
Counties Impacted: Florence, Forest, Marinette and Oconto.
The Woodland Kitchen is a fully equipped licensed facility. There are currently four processors using the kitchen and two more waiting licensing. All of the processors have limited means to promote their product. The processors need to rely on a larger market with greater potential revenue to ensure success. Northern Wisconsin is a rural area and efforts will be made to improve networking across county lines to increase retail markets. It is important to make strong partnerships with the local economic development directors to create a regional network for a viable local food system in the Northern Region. Funds would the impact local economy by boosting sales of locally produced products. The NWTC Woodland Shared Use Kitchen is a starting block for new food processors in anticipation that their success will create new business and employment in our rural region.

Topic Summaries of Obstacles and Opportunities:

**Please see the attachment below for details on obstacle recommendations, comments, and a list of resources, stakeholders, and partners.

Infrastructure: Aggregation and Distribution

  • Obstacle 1) Lack of capital and public policy to finance or upgrade/restructure existing distribution operations
  • Obstacle 2) Lack of coordination in anticipating supply and demand
  • Obstacle 3) Managing price fluctuations
Infrastructure: Processing
  • Obstacle 1) Accessibility to meat and poultry processing centers
  • Obstacle 2) Seasonality gap and winter months
  • Obstacle 3) Mixed vegetables and seconds processing
Market Development: Direct (Farmers Market, CSAs, Roadside Stands)
  • Obstacle 1) Seasonality of markets and produce
  • Obstacle 2) Lack of markets in rural areas/difficult to get into urban markets
  • Obstacle 3) Scaling up with CSAs in number and size
Market Development: Wholesale (Wholesale, Restaurant, Institutions, Farm to School, Hospitals, etc.)
  • Obstacle 1) Cost and time of developing specialized packaging for smaller growers
  • Obstacle 2) Buyer and producer unfamiliarity with wholesale market
  • Obstacle 3) Need for education in farm to school markets
Producer Development: Production Assistance
  • Obstacle 1) Management, especially of equipment and labor
  • Obstacle 2) Cost-prohibitive food safety policies
  • Obstacle 3) Post-harvest handling
Producer Development: Business Development/Technical Assistance
  • Obstacle 1) Need for business development knowledge (cost of production and planning)
  • Obstacle 2) Accessing and finding capital
  • Obstacle 3) Cost and clarity of regulation (license, certification, etc.)
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anjanasanford 		Latest page update: made by anjanasanford , Nov 14 2011, 8:35 AM EST (about this update About This Update anjanasanford Edited by anjanasanford

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Sylviambt How to find out more about working groups 0 Jun 28 2011, 12:04 AM EDT by Sylviambt
Thread started: Jun 28 2011, 12:04 AM EDT  Watch
These are very interesting topics of discussion. How can I find out more about what's going on in each topic. It would be helpful to have contact names and emails associated with each one. Thanks.
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Attachments

Adobe Portable Document Format Topic Obstacles.pdf (Adobe Portable Document Format - 737k)
posted by theresa.feiner   Apr 25 2011, 12:36 PM EDT
All 6 Templates from the WI Local Food Summit based on the breakout sessions
Adobe Portable Document Format RFA_Market_Development_Projects_FINAL.pdf (Adobe Portable Document Format - 49k)
posted by JaneHansen   Mar 16 2011, 4:27 PM EDT
RFA for market development projects