Local Foods and Value-Based Food Supply Chains Workshop

Invitation to a February 22nd Workshop in Corvallis Oregon on “Values-Based Food Supply Chains”.
If you are nterested in local foods and "Value-Based Food Supply Chains," or you are interested in learning what these are, you may want to participate in an Oregon State University workshop planned for February 22 in Corvallis.  It will feature a couple of in-person case studies showing how producers have successfully marketed their produce as "locally grown" and achieved value-added success by building a working partnership at all levels of the food distribution system.

 Background on the Challenges Faced

Many agricultural producers seek alternatives to the low prices they receive in commodity markets. While direct markets are the answer for some, many others are frustrated because they produce too much and/or are poorly located for direct marketing channels. 

 “Values-based food supply chains” represent an emerging alternative. They are distinguished from traditional food supply chains by both (1) products that are differentiated from the mainstream based on superior food quality, environmental stewardship and social responsibility AND (2) the types of  strategic relationships that link together the supply chain actors.  As will be developed in the workshop these supply chains can be both “smart” from a business perspective and “right” from an ethical perspective. More information on this general topic can be found here:  http://www.agofthemiddle.org/

 OSU February 22nd Workshop in Corvallis, Oregon

This one-day workshop will provide the opportunity to examine  in detail two of these supply chains.  Shepherds Grain (http://www.shepherdsgrain.com ), an alliance of grain producers in the Pacific Northwest, and Red Tomato (http://www.redtomato.org/about.html), a marketing and logistics nonprofit in the Northeast US,  have both successfully developed food supply chains that  operate as  strategic alliances among midsize, independent  food production, processing, and distribution/sales enterprises. One key measure of success is that these supply chains  create and retain more value for the farmers who participate.  Also these two supply chains  operate at volumes far greater than those handled by direct marketing systems.

 The representatives from these two  supply chains  will examine their own experiences, opportunities, and challenges and serve as resource people for participants seeking to explore possibilities.

 Who Should Attend

There are two target audiences:  (1) producers, processors and buyers  who wish to better understand these “values-based food supply chains” and (2) public and private sector agricultural professionals who work with producers.

 Cost and Logistics

Thanks to funding from the USDA/National Research Initiative, we are able to provide this full day (8:30 AM – 4 PM) workshop on 2/22 at no cost to participants. Spaces, however,  are very limited and will be allocated based on when requests are received. If you wish to attend, please email  by January 26th a paragraph indicating who you are and why this workshop will be useful to you to Linda Brewer at linda.brewer@oregonstate.edu.

 Limited travel scholarships are available and should be requested when you apply for the workshop.

Questions on the materials to be covered should be directed to Larry Lev at larry.lev@oregonstate.edu.

 
This workshop will take place the day after the OSU Small Farm Conference and in the same location so you may want to attend both:

http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/2009SmallFarmConf. The conference on 2/21 does have a registration fee.

Larry Lev
Professor and Extension Marketing Specialist
Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
221C Ballard Extension Hall
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon  97331-3601
541 737 1417
FAX  541 737 2563
EMAIL: larry.lev@oregonstate.edu