New City Neighbors

THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN THAT INCREASES COMMUNITY SELF-RELIANCE AND STRENGTHENS LONG-TERM FOOD SECURITY THROUGHOUT KENT COUNTY MICHIGAN. COMMUNITIES BECOME MORE FOOD SECURE WHEN RESIDENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME FOOD PRODUCERS SERVING THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. FARMERS WHO ARE ROOTED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES ARE BETTER POSITIONED TO UNDERSTAND LOCAL FOOD PREFERENCES RESPOND TO COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND BUILD LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEIGHBORHOOD CONSUMERS. YET MANY BEGINNING FARMERS FACE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO ENTERING LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS INCLUDING LIMITED ACCESS TO TRAINING LAND SHARED POST-HARVEST INFRASTRUCTURE AND STABLE MARKETS. EVEN WHEN BEGINNING FARMERS SUCCESSFULLY GROW FOOD THE COSTS OF HARVESTING AGGREGATING DISTRIBUTING AND MARKETING PRODUCE CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO REACH NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACES SERVING LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS IN A FINANCIALLY VIABLE WAY. WITHOUT COORDINATED INVESTMENTS THAT SUPPORT BOTH BEGINNING FARMERS AND COMMUNITY-BASED MARKETS COMMUNITIES REMAIN DEPENDENT ON EXTERNAL FOOD SYSTEMS AND HAVE FEWER OPPORTUNITIES TO SHAPE A FOOD SUPPLY THAT REFLECTS THEIR OWN NEEDS AND PREFERENCES.NEW CITY NEIGHBORS AND PARTNERS ACCESS OF WEST MICHIGAN AND THE KENT COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL WILL ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES THROUGH FOUR COMPLEMENTARY STRATEGIES.BEGINNING FARMER DEVELOPMENT WILL PROVIDE ASPIRING FARMERS WITH A PATHWAY THAT COMBINES PAID HANDS-ON AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE FORMAL EDUCATION THROUGH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY'S ORGANIC FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING NEEDED TO ESTABLISH VIABLE FARM BUSINESSES.SHARED FARM INFRASTRUCTURE WILL GIVE BEGINNING FARMERS ACCESS TO INCUBATOR FARM PLOTS AND SHARED RESOURCES WHILE THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS THE DESIGN OF A WASH-PACK FACILITY AND THE PURCHASE OF POST-HARVEST EQUIPMENT.COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN INTEGRATION WILL ALLOW BEGINNING FARMERS TO AGGREGATE AND DISTRIBUTE PRODUCTS COLLECTIVELY THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD FARMERS MARKETS AND WHOLESALE OUTLETS ACCESS OF WEST MICHIGAN'S FRESH MARKETS AND FOOD RESOURCE CENTERS.COMMUNITY MARKET DEVELOPMENT WILL BE LED BY THE KENT COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL THROUGH A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF THREE BEGINNING FARMERS AND THREE SNAP PARTICIPANTS. THE COMMITTEE WILL HELP IDENTIFY PRIORITY NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETS IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO MARKET PARTICIPATION AND WORK WITH A MARKETING CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP CULTURALLY RELEVANT OUTREACH SNAP AND DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS EDUCATION AND FIRST-TIME PURCHASE INCENTIVES. THIS STRUCTURE ENSURES THAT BEGINNING FARMERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONSUMERS HAVE A DIRECT ROLE IN SHAPING THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN INTENDED TO SERVE THEM. TOGETHER THESE FOUR STRATEGIES WILL CREATE A COORDINATED COMMUNITY-BASED FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN THAT STRENGTHENS BEGINNING FARMER SUCCESS INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF LOCALLY GROWN FOOD REACHING LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS AND ADVANCES KENT COUNTY'S LONG-TERM FOOD SECURITY AND COMMUNITY SELF-RELIANCE.

TO COLLABORATE WITH NEW CITY NEIGHBORS TO IMPROVE AN EXISTING GARDEN INTHE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AS A MODEL PEOPLE’S GARDEN TO BENEFIT THE LOCALCOMMUNITY.