Producer Connections to Buying Clubs

[Steve Hoad]

Almost a year ago now, I spoke with John Harker (Me Dept of Ag Marketing) about our need, as a producer, to connect with co-ops and buying clubs. We raise enough, and have the willingness to work with buying clubs in some way. John referred me to the Cooperative Maine directory which he said was trying to start a buying club directory. And yes, I found the pages but there was, and is not now, no directory available.
There is a form that can be filled out for buying clubs to add their info, but nothing else.

Last week, incidental to another discussion, I spoke with another member of the Cooperative Maine mailing list. She told me that the group had decided not to post a buying club directory because, as was stated in Merata's post, these may be private and Not want the constant harangue of product salespersons trying to get their club's business.

The suggestion was made that producers who wanted to work with buying clubs form some kind of directory that could be used by buying clubs. This, on the surface, seems like a good idea. However, as I look at the benefits and detriments I'm wondering about a few things.
1. How many buying clubs are there in Maine who would be interested in working directly with food producers?

2. What sorts of information should a producer provide in a directory to make it easy for buying clubs to make choices?
3. How would producers be able to circulate a list to buying clubs, which Merata rightly calls annonymous purchasers?

And, in summary, is a producers list something that buyers clubs want to be available in our state?

Fall is here, winter is coming. This is the ideal time to work on something. I'll be interested in any answers.
Steve Hoad,
Emma's Family Farm
Windsor, Maine

[Joanna Wilbur]

Hi Steve,
I'm the co-founder of a buying club that was started this spring in Farmington, and we're very interested in working directly with producers. I think a producers list is a good idea - maybe it could be available to buying clubs and also institutions that are looking to source more local food. I know there is pressure for a lot of universities to start buying local, and the beginning of some farm to school programs around the country. It would be great if that could happen in Maine, and I think a producers list might help facilitate that.
Some info you might include in a directory would be farm name, location, farming practices (organic, conventional,biodynamic, etc), general product list, minimum order for wholesale prices, whether or not you deliver, payment details, order & delivery schedule, if we can order by email or phone, and contact info. These are just a few details I needed to know about Crown of Maine Organic Co-operative before we could start ordering through them.
Most of the information that travels between buying clubs right now is just by word of mouth. I know some buying clubs on the coast because of a conference we had this past summer, and I have a list of those contacts, so I would be happy to tell them about this. We could propose that this directory be linked to on the EatMaineFoods website or the Food for Maine's Future site.
I think this is a great idea - Keep in touch.

Joanna Wilbur
Farmington Food Co-op
Farmington, ME

[Steve Hoad]

For a general list, any producer, especially small farmers, might have to take distance into account because of delivery, so that would also be a factor. Also, many wholesale price structures are based on various amounts purchased, so it might become clunky reading and appear intimidating for both readers and farmers. Its a seed, the Get Real Get Maine directory has a wholesale section, have any Buying Clubs use it?

[Joanna Wilbur]

Then maybe we don't need to do the work that's already been done. Do you have a link to that directory? I would love to forward that around to other clubs.

[Steve Hoad]

The last time I checked it, probably in late June or early July, that Get Real Get Maine site desperately needed updating. Alison LePage's Food Map was probably much more current, we'll have to ask John Harker about Get Real.

[John Harker]

Get Real is getting updated as we speak. We hired a new web company to update. Should definitely be out by January, then farmers need to update the listings.

[Steve Hoad]

That's great news, John. Since January is Ag Trade Show time, do you think its possible to have some tutorials there for farmers to help them with additions? And, while mentioning that, what about some kind of forum for interested buying clubs and those who might be interested in starting a buying club? There's a natural fit between local farmers and buying clubs if each one knows the other exists, and with the economy being what it currently is consumers at the trade show might be very interested in a way to save money on their household needs. Producers also might be willing to speak about how to engage clubs and a synergy could begin before crop planning for 2010 is completed!

[Joanna Wilbur]

I don't think most buying club leaders/members are aware of this show. And you should keep in mind that there are already a bunch of buying clubs out there that are looking for new members, so maybe we could find a way to hook up consumers with current buying clubs too.

[Steve Hoad]

Jane Livingston sent this to my Email box:
"
Seeing as it was my suggestion, allow me to take a stab at these Qs. Steve Hoad wrote:
The suggestion was made that producers who wanted to work with buying clubs form some kind of directory that could be used by buying clubs. This, on the
surface, seems like a good idea. However, as I look at the benefits and detriments I'm wondering about a few things.
1. How many buying clubs are there in Maine who would be interested in working directly with food producers?

JL: no one knows how many buying clubs there are, let alone how many want to buy direct, but I think the rapid growth in number, size, and season of farmers'
markets gives an indication the demand is significant, and growing (thing about really tasty food is, it does its own 'word-of-mouth marketing'; may family
gets its T'giving turket from Emma's Farm every year becuase it tastes like Grandmother Livingston's birds)

2. What sorts of information should a producer provide in a directory to make it easy for buying clubs to make choices?
JL suggests:
Name (if any) and location of farm (web site)
Contact person's name and email address (or phone no. as you prefer)
Types of food you offer (as detailed as you want but short and sweet gets read)
Method of cultivation: eg CO (certified organic), OG (raised organically, not certified), RN (raised naturally, no pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, etc.;
grass fed, or C (conventional) or use the categories FEDCO uses
Do you deliver? If so, days and routes, and requirements for delivery site.
Minimum order? Specify
3. How would producers be able to circulate a list to buying clubs, which Merata rightly calls annonymous purchasers?
JL: Suppliers can email their availability sheets to the Bangor Food Buying Club or other buying clubs who will send it to their members via a listserve,
so they can either pre-order by e-mail or attend the regular ordering meeting. Clubs can also promote the idea in local media.

And, in summary, is a producers list something that buyers clubs want to be available in our state?
JL: YES. With the caveat that I fervently hope we are all going to make reducing our carbon footprint a primary goal in the local food movement (See Crown
O'Maine's Mission Statement for Jim Cook's great words of wisdom on this.)"