Subject: N.O.M.C.- Feasability Study, Regional Marketing Meetings (fwd)

From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 1995 22:19:52 -0500 (EST)

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Eric Ardapple Kindberg 
501-434-5231
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

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.
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
The National Organic Marketing Cooperative Feasibility Study
is funded by a USDA Rural development Administration Grant

------------------------------------------------------------
Lawrence F. London, Jr. - [email-masked] 
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/The_Sustainable_Farmstead.html
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/permaculture.html
http://sunSITE.unc.edu/london/NOMC/index.html
------------------------------------------------------------