Locally grown faces financial challenges

[depakid]

By the time Yamhill chicken farmers Chrissie and Koorosh Zaerpoor cut an enviable deal this summer to sell their poultry to New Seasons Market, the pair already had poured $80,000 into an on-site processing operation -- an impossible expense for most other small farmers and ranchers.

Although the Zaerpoors cleared the processing hurdle that's thwarted other potential poultry suppliers here, they still must shell out at least $75 in gas each Wednesday for the 100-mile loop north through Portland to drop off 16 birds each at eight of the local grocer's nine stores.

It's a familiar trek for many small- to mid-size farmers and ranchers, who may not regularly produce enough to gain access to larger processing or distribution facilities, yet would like to see their goods on grocery-store shelves or restaurant tables.

Farmers, retailers, government agencies, nonprofits and policy groups have worked for years to find more efficient ways to bring more local crops to market. Yet today, they say, they have found new momentum -- and broader public understanding of their mission -- due, in part, to consumers' distress over rising fuel costs and inflation, and growing concerns over where their food comes from.

Although New Seasons identifies produce suppliers down to the farm's name in many cases, shoppers are increasingly seeing banners in larger chains identifying locally grown produce, including Fred Meyer and Albertsons, which currently stocks more than 60 fruits and vegetables from Oregon and Washington, including cantaloupes, plums, alfalfa sprouts and collard greens. Even Wal-Mart announced plans last month to spend $400 million this year to expand its offering of local produce, citing a need to reduce its "food miles."

"There's never been more opportunity to create lasting change," said Deborah Kane, vice president of the nonprofit Ecotrust's Food & Farms program, which plans to launch a Web site this fall called FoodHub that would hook up farmers in Oregon and Washington and their real-time seasonal crop offerings with buyers from restaurants, schools, hospitals and grocery stores.

"More and more people are supporting the idea of buying local and direct from farmers," she said. "It's just that all those half-full Nissan Sentras aren't the most efficient way to bring food into the market."

More: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/12182451093000.xml&coll=7

[99th_Monkey]

1. great example of making lemonaid out of the proverbial lemon. thanks for posting ~nt~