Completed Project Report


Producer Network Development and Education: Scaling-up to Sell Wholesale into a Food Hub

  • Award Amount: $49,238
  • Regional Center: North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2015 Education Projects

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Project Overview

Two food hub Feasibility studies were released in the Kansas City region in late 2015. These studies shared data of the producers surveyed and therefore had similar findings for the region: 1.) there are significant barriers for growers to produce on this level and 2.) a producer led food hub is the recommended model.  This project sought to improve the knowledge-base and implement systems for growers to scale-up production of fruits and vegetables and helped the interested producers form a network to own the food hub, now called Fresh Farm HQ (FFHQ). 

As a result of this project we were able to:

  • Hold five workshops on wholesale production for producers that want to scale-up.  
  • Start a cooperatively owned food hub, FFHQ, with Five producers across Kansas and Missouri.
  • Recruit 8 more farmer owners for FFHQ totaling 13 members. 
  • Build a 6X12 cold mobile cold storage unit to be used by FFHQ. 

Number of Participants: 110

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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