Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
City Greens in the 1980s out of concern over agriculture's dependence on fossil fuels. The group created
a vision of an alternative food system that was based on solid relationships between farmers and eaters.
Hendrickson notes that while it's easy to dismiss a group like this, they “challenged the existing economic
and political structures” in an important way for the community.
In the late 1990s Hendrickson and her colleagues at the University of Missouri Extension received fed-
eral and state grants to develop the Food Circles Networking Project, which embraced KCFC's original
vision. The project drew in other academic and public interest organizations to help locate farmers and re-
develop the local infrastructure and distribution system. Hendrickson says, “Chefs and grocery stores still
want local and seasonal food on their own terms—at the price and with the packaging and the delivery op-
tions that work for their own businesses. This is where 'scaling up' may conflict with the vision and needs
of farmers.” She explains this is always an ongoing challenge for communities trying to establish “food
hubs.”
In Kansas City, with the help of government and foundation money, Hendrickson and the food activists
were able to move the food circle concept by teaming up Balls Food Stores, a regional chain with thirteen
Hen House Markets and fifteen Price Choppers, with Good Natured Family Farms (GNFF), an alliance of
farms in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. The farmers needed a market, and Balls Foods wanted to
attract customers and differentiate its business from the large consolidated national chains by offering local
food. Importantly, Balls was willing to invest in a warehouse as a distribution center for receiving farm
products and providing cooling before items were sent to the chain's stores. The GNFF alliance's success
is due in large part to the organizing capacity, hard work, and vision of Diane Endicott.
Endicott, an energetic woman who is constantly on the go, had moved back to the family farm from
Texas and wanted to make a living on the farm. She remarks about her initial experience: “First of all, I
didn't realize what small, family farms were up against until I set out to sell our tomatoes. You have to
initially find a market for your product. Then, if you are fortunate enough to locate a store willing to carry
the products, they have to let people know that the product is local and better tasting and healthier. I guess
what really surprised us all was how much money it takes to do that.”
Initially, Hendrickson and her colleagues worked with Balls's management to identify more local pro-
ducers, and they shared research on consolidation in the grocery industry and held seminars on food safety
and quality issues. Over the past ten years, GNFF and Balls Foods have worked to successfully create per-
sonal relationships between farmers and eaters. Hendrickson notes, “Farmers who market to the grocery
chain are required to attend at least one summer Saturday event that showcases the 'Buy Fresh, Buy Local'
products, and to participate in training in food safety or marketing.” All food sold at the Balls stores is
sourced within two hundred miles. More than one hundred farmers are part of the GNFF, and Balls has
relationships with twenty-five additional growers.
Balls wanted to be able to offer “local” food all year long, and one way to achieve this is by providing
locally grown meat. Endicott helped organize the All-Natural Beef Co-op, which comprises eighteen fam-
ily farms. This endeavor has been made possible by the Endicott's purchase of a meat-processing plant that
is USDA certified. The co-op currently raises beef and chickens.
Good Natured Family Farms is now the brand name for all of the local products sold through Balls
stores, including meat, eggs, milk, honey, and a wide range of produce during the growing season. Accord-
ing to a report on “Innovative Models” by the Wallace Center at Winrock International, “BFS' [Balls Food
Stores] partnership with the GNFF alliance is the role it plays in helping farmers to remain financially
viable. For example, the grocery chain works with farmers on negotiating price.” 1 Pricing is based on a
communications process between the farmers and the Balls buyers that allows both the farmers and Balls
to achieve profitability. Balls acknowledges in the report that promoting locally grown food throughout its
stores attracts customers and has increased overall sales, including conventional food and nonfood items.
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