Center for Rural Affairs

Nebraska Ready for Regional Food Systems

Center for Rural Affairs report says yes, with much work

Lyons, NE –  There is significant interest in creating local and regional food production and marketing systems among Nebraskans, especially among farmers, ranchers, consumers and institutional buyers, according to a report released today by the Center for Rural Affairs.

The report, “Regional Food Systems in Nebraska: The Views of Consumers, Producers and Institutions,” also indicates that despite that interest, there are major challenges existing today that will have to be resolved before more local and regional food systems can be fostered.

To view or download a full copy of the Regional Food System report go to:

http://files.cfra.org/pdf/fsmip-focus-group-report.pdf

In February 2013, the Center for Rural Affairs released a report that analyzed the results of a survey of Nebraskans on local food system issues. After the survey was completed, the Center for Rural Affairs held a series of focus groups for each of the project relevant groups – consumers, farmers, ranchers, food-serving institutions and grocery stores. This supplemental report provides findings and observations from those focus groups.

“Both the surveys and focus groups done for this project show there are several issues between producers and consumers that require answers before local and regional food systems can be truly successful,” said Jon Bailey, Center for Rural Affairs Director of Rural Research and Analysis and author of the report.

According to Bailey, the usual food buying experience of consumers (location, hours, convenience) do not always translate to a local or regional food buying experience. Farmers are experienced in farming and growing and producing their products for sale; their skills in marketing and basic business operations may be lacking at times.

Moreover, balancing the expectations and needs of consumers and the skills and desires of farmers and ranchers will be necessary to create long-term successful and sustainable local and regional food systems.

“Nonetheless, all groups with a stake in the food system appear to want to make a local and regional food system work,” Bailey added. “It is incumbent now to capitalize on that support and enthusiasm in order to build for the future.”

“It is clear from the survey results and the focus groups that all three groups – farmers, consumers and institutions – will need to collaborate to make regional food systems in Nebraska a viable reality,” Bailey continued. “Those involved in developing regional food systems also need to address questions regarding future viability for regional food systems.”

The Center for Rural Affairs report describes a number of steps that need to occur to bring about the necessary collaborations between food system partners, which include:

• Development of a state food policy council or local and regional food policy councils to organize regional food systems and determine the strengths, challenges and needs of localities and regions in relation to food systems.

• Local and regional entities to develop infrastructure necessary for the cultivation and advancement of regional food systems. Needed infrastructure includes information and education for consumers and institutions on local foods, their advantages, how to purchase them and how best to use them; non-farm business training for farmers involved in local food production and marketing; and “bricks and mortar” infrastructure such as distribution and retail channels.

• An issue that was not discussed much in either survey responses or focus groups was the issue of distribution. In a state like Nebraska geography is crucial to feasible distribution. As it relates to food systems, geographically challenged or remote communities could include almost any community outside of Omaha and Lincoln or any other population center. If regional food systems are to be viable in more geographically remote communities, questions of distribution and aggregation must be discussed and dealt with.

• Questions and issues of resources – both financial and human – are, of course, always paramount in developing new systems and infrastructures. Communities and regions developing food systems must develop sources of funding for needed infrastructure, communications, networks and training. These funding sources will likely need to be alternatives to government funding, and significant questions exist as to the source of needed resources. With the collaboration of all interested stakeholders, however, that question is not insurmountable.

“ Nebraskans raise some serious questions and challenges that must be addressed for regional food systems to have a viable future in the state,” Bailey concluded. “However, they also express genuine interest in seeing regional food systems become part of the state’s food landscape and indisputable excitement about making regional food systems become a workable part of Nebraska’s food production, marketing and consumption approach. Matching the questions and needs with the interest is the next step in making regional food systems in Nebraska a reality.”