NORTHWEST MICHIGAN
Food & Farming Economy
IDEA TO
IMPACT
A NEW ECONOMY FOR
MICHIGAN’S RECOVERY
Along with the auto industry, manufacturing,
and technology, the state’s recovery is being
fueled by its natural resources.
“As our state economy transitions from one built on the
platform of an old industrial model to one built on the
principles of the next economy, it is important for state
residents and their elected representatives to better
understand the range of assets that are relevant in
economic development in the New Economy.”
From - “DRIVERS OF ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN MICHIGAN” MSU – Land Policy Institute 2012
This new approach precisely fits the
economic strengths of northwest Lower
WHAT CONSTITUTES THE
AGRICULTURE ECONOMY IN
NORTHWEST MICHIGAN?
Large scale commodities
Apples, Cherries, Asparagus, Potatoes, etc.
Small farms
Direct to grocer/consumer, institution, etc.
Value-added producers
Wine, beer, jams, jellies, salsa, potato chips, canned goods,
etc.
Agri-tourism
Vineyards, fruit-picking, color-tours, etc.
A COLLECTIVE VISION FOR THE
REGION’S AG ECONOMY
Our Food System Partners Share this Goal:
“By the year 2020, 20% of northwest Michigan
food will be supplied by local growers and food
entrepreneurs.”
Represents only
four of the
ten counties in
Northwest Michigan
There’s a business
In here somewhere
HOW WE’RE GETTING THERE
Job creation
New farms and food businesses
Growing existing farms and food businesses
Economic activity
Rich region-wide collaboration
Openly articulated and shared goals
Branding and Marketing the Food System
Comprehensive marketing plans
Connecting the consumer to the grower and the retailer
Real partnerships with the business community
Michigan
MEDC
KEY COMPONENTS
Business Counseling
MSU Extension and SBDC Michigan via:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Susan Cocciarelli (MSUE & NWMCOG – Traverse City based)
Annie Shetler-Olds (SBDC Michigan & NWMCOG - Kalkaska based)
Wendy Wieland (MSU Extension – Petoskey based)
And other through network partners
Access to Capital
SBDC Michigan, EDCs, local Angel groups
TBEDC 20/20 fund +$500k distributed to ag businesses through 2013
New Food Hub
Grand Traverse Food Shed Alliance, Cherry Capital Foods, MLUI,
NWMCOG, Goodwill Industries, Traverse Bay EDC
KEY COMPONENTS
CONT.
Regional Food Marketing/Branding
Taste the Local Difference, Cherry Capital Foods, Goodwill, Tom’s,
Oleson’s, Oryana, Kroger’s, etc.
Land Conservation and Succession
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Leelanau Conservancy,
Little Traverse Bay Land Conservancy, MSUE Research Stations, etc.
Funding Resources
Rotary Charities Traverse City, Petoskey Harbor Springs Area
Community Foundation, Charlevoix Community Foundation, USDA
RBEG, MDARD, MSUE, Cherry Republic, Cherry Capital Foods, Tom’s
Markets, Crystal Mountain, Kellogg Foundation, Private Donors.
KEY RESEARCH
SBDC Counseling
Detailed record-keeping helps us measure progress and see
trends n business development needs
Food Innovation Districts Study
Via NWMCOG—Helps us understand needs and requirements
Regional Food Hub Feasibility Study
Completed in 2013. Executing recommendations now.
Taste the Local Difference Market Studies
Each year TLD surveys farms, retailers, wholesalers, and
consumers
Statewide Partner Research
MSU Extension, Good Food Charter, Fair Food Network, more…
THE 2014 EXPERIMENT
A = local food
B = Consumer demand
X = 20%
(A)*(B)*(Y) = X
If X = (20% of Local Market)
Find for Y
THE HYPOTHESIS
We will measurably increase sales of locally grown
food in northwest Michigan by applying four
distinct strategies:
1.
Testing the TLD (Northwest Michigan) brand itself
2.
Testing customized brands for differing business sectors
3.
Testing whether food quality is a differentiator in selling
locally grown food
4.
Testing the concept of “consumer local”
5.
Testing new methods of distribution of our already
successful marketing materials
We have active participation of several major grocery store
chains that will allow us access to their stores for testing and
measuring this hypothesis.
THE SHELF TALKER
DISTANCE LOGO
•
We will generate a branded logo that
strongly emphasizes the distance
between the farm and where the
consumer is standing at the point of
purchase.
•
The green leaf icon indicates the
product is GROWN here.
•
The orange/brown hand icon indicates
the product was “made” here.
•
These icons will be used as part of a
shelf-talker.
•
The distance will be applied with a
sticker by a TLD staffer, volunteer,
store employee, or distributor.
•
Further information about the
producer can be accessed by calling a
TLD representative, going to the online
database, on our iPhone app, or by
scanning the QR code.
PROPOSED SHELF TALKER
2013/2014 Test
Apply this branded shelf-talker to
market-basket selection of 50
northwest Michigan products.
This will encompass a broad collection
of products grown, made, and grown
& made here.
THE SHELF TALKER
DISTANCE LOGO IN CONTEXT
•
Marketing materials will be
designed with consumer buying
decisions in mind.
•
Marketing materials will be
designed to match existing retail
store conventions.
•
They will stand out on the shelf
while fitting a level of quality that
other retail branding elements
represent. (They won’t look like
they were printed on your home
ink-jet machine.)
•
2014 projects underway with Tom’s
Markets, Oleson’s Markets, Oryana
Natural Foods, and Kroger’s
www.localdifference.org
BROCHURES &
REGIONAL MAPS
TLD iPhone / Android App
THIS IS ONLY A TEST
Our primary goal in its simplest form is to sell more locally grown
food products within our region. This will help support existing
business, new business development, and create new jobs.
Remember, 20% local foods by 2020.
All the elements of this project will need to answer both of the
following questions in the affirmative:
1.
“Will this directly help us to sell more local food here?”
2.
“Can the impact of this be measured?”
WHAT WE’D ASK OF YOU
Help Us Evaluate This Project’s Portability
• Imagine how Northwest Michigan’s agricultural
support mechanisms may help serve other regions
in the state.
• We’ve done the research.
• We’ve built systems that work and are built to
scale.
• Help identify the regions that can make use of
such collaborative effort.
• Not every region fits.
This is all designed to create jobs in the food and
farming sector of the economy by expanding current
businesses, and building new ones.
NORTHWEST MICHIGAN
Food & Farming Economy
QUESTIONS?