Fwd: [GROWERSKC] Food Hub preparing to launch for 2016!

[Steve Moring]

Great News!

We have reached a major milestone

Steve Moring, Coordinator
Kansas Permaculture Collaborative
Jefferson County Food Council

Subject: Food Hub preparing to launch for 2016
From:  Katherine Nixon  <Nix...@LINCOLNU.EDU   
Date:  9/2/2015  9:50 am
To:  GROW...@LISTSERVE.KSU.EDU

Hello Farmers and Ranchers,

We want to update you on the effort to launch a regional food hub that would serve the growers in and around the Kansas City Region.   The Food Hub now has a name- Fresh Farm HQ (HQ for Short). HQ is on track to launch in 2016!  Over the past seven months a core group of producers, with the help of a support team, have been working hard to build a business plan for the food hub.  Key decisions have been made and we are moving forward to develop a marketing and logistics plan.  One thing that is also on the list is a communications strategy for the growers, buyers, and other stakeholders to make sure we are keeping everyone informed.

Fresh Farm HQ has kept the original goals and visions of initial efforts that started more than three years ago in Douglas County, Kansas and Kansas City.  We want to support the growth of local food in the region with particular focus on helping small to medium size farmers and ranchers be able to make a living from their farms.  HQ will be incorporated as a LLC and the operating agreement, currently being written, will mirror that of a cooperative.  Farmers and ranchers who wish to sell to HQ will be able to become members and have a voice in the operation, as well as a stake in profits generated from the business.  HQ is not just another produce distribution company; it is a business that will be run by farmers for the benefit of farmers.

We will be sharing the details about the HQ food hub at several meetings for interested growers.  At these meetings we will share and discuss:
---Details about the structure of the business
---Requirements from growers in order to sell to the food hub
---Grower Membership agreements
---Crop planning
---Pricing, sales, and logistics

There will be 4-5 initial introductory meetings that will start in late September and will be held around the region so all growers have an opportunity to learn about Fresh Farm HQ. Dates and locations will be announced soon.

There is also an opportunity for growers that have limited experience selling wholesale to increase their knowledge in this area.  Thanks to a North Central Extension Risk Management Education Grant, a four-part Scaling-Up Workshop Series will be held every month from October-January.  These workshops will cover all topics related to selling into the wholesale market.  Growers wishing to sell to HQ are encouraged to attend all four, but it is not a requirement.   These workshops will give you the tools you need to get ready to sell to the food hub.  Look for more information soon or contact Katie Nixon (816)-809-5074 or nix...@lincolnu.edu<mailto:nix...@lincolnu.edu>

For more information and questions please contact one of the following people:

Producer-owner steering committee:
Ami Zumalt, Red Ridge Farm (jaaaz...@gmail.com<mailto:jaaaz...@gmail.com>)
Jacki Prettyman, Heritage Acres Farm (jdpre...@ckt.net<mailto:jdpre...@ckt.net>)
Jill Elmers, Moon on the Meadow and Common Harvest (jille...@gmail.com<mailto:jille...@gmail.com>)
Tom Buller, Buller Family Farm and Common Harvest (tjbu...@yahoo.com<mailto:tjbu...@yahoo.com>)

Support Team:
Eileen Horn, Douglas County Food Policy Council (eh...@douglas-county.com<mailto:eh...@douglas-county.com>)
Helen Schnoes,  Douglas County Food Policy Council (hsch...@douglas-county.cm<mailto:hsch...@douglas-county.cm> )
Marlin Bates, K-State Research and Extension (bat...@ksu.edu<mailto:bat...@ksu.edu>)
Brian Denis, KU-Small Business Development Center (brian....@ku.edu<mailto:brian....@ku.edu>)
Katie Nixon, Lincoln University Cooperative Extension (Nix...@lincolnu.edu<mailto:Nix...@lincolnu.edu>)

[far...@gasperfarm.com]

...in the re-comodification of local food.

On 2015-09-02 10:23, Steve Moring wrote:
> Great News!
>
> We have reached a major milestone
>
> Steve Moring, Coordinator
> Kansas Permaculture Collaborative
> Jefferson County Food Council
>

> SUBJECT: Food Hub preparing to launch for 2016
> FROM:  Katherine Nixon  <Nix...@LINCOLNU.EDU   
> DATE:  9/2/2015  9:50 am
> TO:  GROW...@LISTSERVE.KSU.EDU

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