PANEL 8 Viable Enterprises Other Than Fruits and Vegetables
Panelists
Moderator – Margaret Connors (MC)
Bonita Oehlke (BO)
Jen Faigel (JF)
Kyle Sturgeon (KS)
Tonya Johnson (TJ)
Note: is it possible to get BG’s slides for this session?
BG: starting off by giving a slideshow about adding-value
•
Adding value is anything that takes a raw good and makes it more enticing to a consumer
o Can involve changing form (apple -> applesauce) but also quality assurance
o There are many benefits to producing or procuring locally, but the definition of local
depends on the context.
o National Restaurant Association supports local food
o Producing locally, being sustainable, and telling a story are all important
o There are many resources (types of assistance available for starting a business)
o There are 8 “buy local” state campaigns; if you’re starting a business, tap into one!
KS: is testing out aquaponic systems at BAC and is passionate about leveraging the power of big
institutions
MC :Urban Farmers (UFers) are constantly looking into how to get value-added products to use UF
produce.
MC: What is missing from cottage industries and how do we get them to be viable?
Aud: Tell the story of how most mass-quantity food is produced and then make people want your good
because it is produced differently.
MC: The problem is scaling cottage industries up.
JF: When people come to our kitchen, we try to get them to simplify and make their product easier to
produce
BO: Telling your story and being transparent can help you reach a price point that is viable.
KS: Thinking of aquaponics – modes of delivery & built in efficiency are two high points that any cottage
industry should have. Also, capturing externalities (like your knowledge) might help to make businesses
more viable.
Aud: How do you have a viable business model by selling to low-income communities?
MC: Sell high to restaurants and low to low-income markets (and/or take government food supports like
SNAP, WIC, Food stamps).
JF: By cutting transportation costs, the hope is to make food more affordable. CSAs can also help with
price points for farmers.
MC: government provides huge subsidies to agribusiness; can we get them for our enterprises?
Aud: I buy the food that’s expensive and I’ve eventually found that it’s worth it but I pay all the
transportation costs (I drive to get it myself) and I’m lucky enough to be able to afford it. What about
those who can’t?
Aud: using urban farms might be a way to start addressing this.
KS: My new model is making ideas to spread via my institutional presence and creating a new agenda
that way. I’m an architect and using my position at an institute to spread good ideas. Not being in it to
make any money helps and maybe we all should be a little more like that.
JF: My model is to take out as many barriers as possible so we can get more people to produce more
goods. Additionally, connecting entrepreneurs can create interesting new answers to problems
JF: I’m all about equity to asset creation
