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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <london@calypso-2.oit.unc.edu>
  • To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu, sustag-public@ces.ncsu.edu, sust_ag-mg@ces.ncsu.edu, permaculture-mg@ces.ncsu.edu
  • Subject: N.O.M.C.- Feasability Study, Regional Marketing Meetings (fwd)
  • Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 22:19:52 -0500 (EST)


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Eric Ardapple Kindberg
501-434-5231
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The National Organic Marketing Cooperative Feasibility Study
Regional Meetings coming to a location near you!
November through December, 1995

The Regional Meetings' purpose is to bring together organic farmers,
consumers,
and supporting public interest and environmental groups to discuss options
for more efficient marketing of organic products within a region and beyond.
The Farmers Meeting will allow the Study's coordinators to gather input from
organic farmers in each region on the barriers they face to efficiently
marketing their crops at reasonable prices. At the consumer meeting, the
Study will provide a slide show accompanied by a narrative tape. Consumers
strongly desire to know how their food is produced and the impact of food and
fiber production on the environment and their health. This is a valuable
opportunity to encourage dialogue between organic farmers and consumers on a
regional level. We hope you will join us in our cooperative attempt to learn
from one another.


The National Organic Marketing Cooperative Feasibility Study
Regional Meetings:

November, 1995

8 Midwest: Indianapolis, Indiana, Catholic Center Assembly
Hall 1400 N. Meridian St., free parking, enter from either
Illinois or 14th St., Contact: Cissy Bowman, HOME, 317-539-
6935, or 317-539-2753, Consumer meeting scheduled.

10 Central High Plains: Leavenworth, Kansas, St. Mary's
College, at the College contact, (913682-5151, George Anna)
off of KS Hwy 7 (also US Hwy 73) approximately 2 miles north
of Lansing, KS, 4100 S 4th St., TRFWY, Leavenworth. Contact:
Allen Moody, 316-379-4472. Consumer meeting scheduled.

13 Northwest: Portland, Oregon, Westminster Presbyterian
Church, 1624 NE Hancock St. Contact: Annie Ladas. West/NW
Organic Valley Family of Farms, 503-285-8279.

15 Intermountain: Missoula Montana, Union Hall, 208 E. Main
St., Floor 2, Rm. #2, Contact: Eric Newman, Jersey Pride,
406-585-0014 and Nancy Taylor, Palouse Clearwater Envt.
Institute, 208-8821444. Consumer meeting scheduled.

16 Central Midwest: Sinsinawa Mound Center, Wisconsin Rt. 35
NE 12 miles out of Dubuque to Cty. 11, to Cty. Z South,
follow signs. Contact: Faye Jones, Wl/OCIA, 715-772-3153
RSVP for lunch. Consumer meeting scheduled.

27 Northern High Plains: Jamestown, N. Dakota, North Dakota
Farmers Union Auditorium, Contact: Will Schill, 701-256-
2424.

December, 1995

2 Northeast: Amherst, Massachusetts, Hampshire College Farm
Center, the Red Barn, 731 W. St. (Rt. 116) Contact: David
Holm, 413-582-5348. Consumer meeting scheduled.

5 Central Northeast: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Department of
Agriculture Bldg. 2301 N. Cameron St., Rm. 309 Contact: Ron
Gargasz, PA/OCIA, 412-530-7220.

6 Southeast: Jim Graham Building, North Carolina State Fair Grounds,
Raleigh, North Carolina; Consumer meeting scheduled.
Contact:
Archie Hart, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, 919-733-7125
Mark O'Farrell, Chatham County Cooperative Extension Service,
919-542-8202 voice, 919-542-8246 fax
Lawrence London, 919-942-1114

7 Southern High Plains/Coastal: Austin, Texas, AFL-CIO
Bldg., 1106 Lavaca, main meeting hall Contact: Jay Cockrell,
Texas Organic Growers Association, 512-454-5467. Consumer
meeting scheduled.

8 Rocky Mountain: Boulder, Colorado, Pleasant View Grange,
Corner of 95th St. and Isabel Contact: Annie Ladas, West/NW
Organic Valley Family of Farms, 503-285-8279. Consumer
meeting scheduled.

14 Southwest: San Jose, California, Masonic Temple, 2500
Masonic Dr., Phone: 408-267-7121 Contact: Natalie Mattson
CCOF, 408-423-2263. Consumer meeting scheduled.
Grass Roots Organic Farmer Meetings

The Feasibility Study Steering Committee has stressed a
commitment to make the Feasibility Study a grassroots
process. The Study has prepared assessment papers, published
in the October Organic Organizer, discussing problems and
opportunities for farmers in marketing organic food and
fiber products. Starting with the premise that farmer
cooperation is the process through which solutions to our
marketing problems can be effectively developed, the
Regional Meetings provide an opportunity, nationally, for
organic farmers to dialogue.


Organic Farmers Meeting: How Can We Cooperate To Enhance Organic Markets?

Agenda:

9:40AM-10:00 AM: Call to order and introductions.

10:00AM-10:45AM: Information on the Feasibility Study: goals and objectives,
the process and time-line; the regional meetings' purposes. Questions,
discussion.

10:45AM-Noon: Breakout by commodity groups to identify farmers' needs and
possible solutions

1:00PM-1:45 PM: Summary of issues and assessments made by each commodity
group.

1:45PM-2:05PM: Presentation of Cooperative Marketing Options.

2:05PM-3:00PM: Discussion of Organic Farmers' Marketing Options.

3:00PM-3:30PM: What can we do in our local region? What are the next steps?


Organic Farmer/Consumer Meeting

The Feasibility Study's goal is to look closely at what
benefits organic farmers can have working together. As we
looked at the twelve regional meetings, we saw an
opportunity to discuss models that directly link organic
farmers concerns with consumer concerns. And so we decided
to add a farmer/consumer meeting on the same day as the
organic farmer meeting if the regional contact was
interested. These meetings would in no way replace the
organic Farmer meetings on marketing options, but are
scheduled to occur after the farmer meetings conclude.

Agenda

Organic Farmers Greet Consumers: How can we be a more effective partnership?

4:00PM-4:30PM: Introductions. Organic Farmers' Goals for the meeting:
-To answer consumer questions on Organic Farm Production and Handling,
-To further build a grass roots Partnership between existing Public
Interest and Organic Farmer Organizations for the promotion of organic
food and fiber products
-To make the economic stability of existing and new organic farmers
more secure through refining regional consumer outreach programs
-Organic from the farmer's point of view

4:30 Slide Show: De-mystifying Organics: will provide an overview on
organic farm production, handling practices and systems.

5:30 Panel Discussion: Topics
-The right to know what is in our food. What are the
standards and procedures of the USDA's National Organic
Program (Organic Foods Production Act).
-Organic food costs: How can we determine a fair and
sustainable farm gate price for organic foods and fibers?
-Choices in purchasing organic farm products: How close a
partnership do you want with your food and fiber provider?
-CSA, Community Supported or Shared Agriculture;
family farm production versus corporate farm production:
organic in school lunches; cooperative wholesale distributors,
and retail stores.

6:30PM-7:15PM: Concerns? Questions to the panel and group.

7:15PM-7:45PM: Creating an organic farmer/consumer regional Alliance.
What has been done by local consumer/farmer organizations. How can we
further assist each other? Where can we go from here?

7:45PM-9:00PM: Organic Wine and Cheese Reception--Social Hour


We welcome and encourage participation in these innovative meetings.
Please contact the person listed as the contact in your region for further
information. Not all regional meetings may include organic farmer/consumer
meetings. All the meetings will be documented and considered when developing
the final Feasibility Study.

For more details, call the regional contact nearest your home or farm.

We hope that these events will serve to build a lasting relationship
between organic farmers, consumers and organizations interested in
land stewardship, conservation, environmental and consumer protection,
and economic and rural justice! There is no cost for these events.
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The National Organic Marketing Cooperative Feasibility Study
is funded by a USDA Rural development Administration Grant

------------------------------------------------------------
Lawrence F. London, Jr. - london@sunSITE.unc.edu
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/The_Sustainable_Farmstead.html
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/permaculture.html
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/NOMC/index.html
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  • N.O.M.C.- Feasability Study, Regional Marketing Meetings (fwd), Lawrence F. London, Jr., 11/09/1995

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