1	Partnership & Collaboration Rural Roots’ Approach to Building Local & Regional Food Systems In the Inland Northwest Colette DePhelps Brown Western SAWG Annual Meeting January 31, 2003 www.ruralroots.org
2	Rural Roots’ Mission Rural Roots’ mission is to create healthy, vibrant, and sustainable community-based food systems in the Inland Northwest.
3	Rural Roots’ Vision The Inland Northwest food and agricultural system is made up of urban and rural communities that actively support and participate in locally owned and operated food and farm enterprises. These sustainable enterprises contribute to individual and community health, prosperity, and quality of life.
4	Rural Roots’ Goals Increase the availability and visibility of locally grown food and fiber in the Inland Northwest. Encourage and support sustainable, locally owned and operated food and farming enterprises. Enhance the economic viability of Inland Northwest small acreage farmers, ranchers, market gardeners and food-based businesses. Increase community participation in the development and revision of food and agriculture related policy. Develop community-based and regional food system networks and partnerships.
5	Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Education Farm & Ranch Tours Workshops ~ Conferences Networking Meetings Newsletter ~ Website ~ Listserve
6	Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Education Cultivating Success Sustainable Small Acreage Farming & Ranching Certificate Program
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8	Direct Marketing Rural Roots Farm Fresh Buying Guide (RR, UI) Regional Farmers’ Market Directory (RR, UI) Food & Farm On-Line Map & Directory (RR, IOA, NCAP, Moscow Food Coop, Boise Food Coop, ISDA) Northwest Direct: Improving Markets for Small Farms (OSU, WSU, WSDA, UI, RR) Direct Marketing / Farm Profitability Case Studies Idaho Farmers’ Market Assessments Input / Output Study Bonner County
9	Farm Fresh Buying Guide
10	Farm Fresh Buying Guide
11	Farm Fresh Buying Guide
12	Farmers’ Market Directory
13	Farmers’ Market Directory
14	Food & Farm On-Line Map & Directory launch date March 1, 2003 www.ruralroots.org Modeled after map & directory on www.foodroutes.org Idaho, Washington & W. Montana Will include farms, ranches, value added businesses, farmers’ markets, grocery stores, food coops, restaurants, B&Bs and other retail outlets offering local products. Develop “Buy Local” logo point of purchase materials. Listings will be shared with FoodRoutes.
15	Direct Marketing Case Studies Idaho Case Study Farms Greentree Naturals, Sandpoint Riley Creek Blueberry Farm, Laclede Meadowlark Farm, Nampa M&M Heath Farms, Buhl Oregon Washington
16	Farmers’ Market Assessments Kootenai County Farmers’ Market 2002 Moscow Farmers’ Market RMA Workshop July 2003 Two Southern Idaho Farmers’ Markets August & September 2003
17	Sustainable Agriculture as an Engine for Local & Regional Economic Development
18	Community Economic Development · Stimulate a self-sustaining process of economic development - Ensuring a rate of development that can be maintained by the community · Create jobs with good wages, benefits and opportunity - Distributing development so that it is equitable to all community residents
19	Tenants Shared by Sustainable Agriculture and Community Economic Development · Both stress sustainability - Practices and development that provide for long-term self-sufficiency · Local control is a parallel in each strategy - Building local assets and wealth - Control of development · Social responsibility is highly emphasized - Focus on quality of life - Equitable treatment of all people is a basic belief in both practices - Goods and services meet basic social needs · Create genuine opportunity for community residents - Jobs created have good wages, benefits and real opportunity
20	Sustainable Food and Farming Enterprises & Community Economic Development Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Coop Development Center, AERO, Rural Roots, University of Idaho, University of Montana, Mission Mountain Market Coop Development Center, Timeless Seeds Can food and farming enterprises could be meaningful components of rural community economic development? What are the impacts of sustainable agricultural based ventures, economically and socially? Are we encouraging folks to go from farming to value-added businesses without providing them with the tools and support they will truly need to make the transition successfully? Are we setting good sustainable farmers up for business failures when they move to marketing their own products? Are sustainable agriculture businesses qualitatively or quantitatively different than other agricultural businesses?
21	Retooling Ourselves to do this Work… Building Relationships & Dialogue Developing Partnerships… ... requires communication, time, and building relationships, that are more than one person deep.
22	Retooling Ourselves to do this Work… Organizational & Leadership Development Its more than just training, its applying what we learn.
23	Celebrate & Have Fun!!
24	Rural Roots Leadership Team & Staff Cinda Williams, Diane Green, Colette DePhelps Brown, Cathy Weston, Margaret Gilman, John Potter Skeeter Lynch, Theresa Beaver, Elaine Pandolfi www.ruralroots.org