Local Food Systems as Community and Economic Development in Rural Illinois

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Local Food Systems as Community and Economic
Development in Rural Illinois
Sarah Hultine Research Assistant, Lab for
Community Economic Development University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Project Team Dr. Leslie Cooperband, Principal
Investigator, Lab for Community Economic
Development Pat Curry, University of Illinois
Extension Anne Heinze Silvis, Lab for Community
Economic Development
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What is a local or community-based food system?

• Production, processing and consumption tied to a
  geographic region
• Food policies that promote local food production,
  processing and consumption
• Widespread access to adequate, affordable and
  nutritious foods
• Stable base of local, family-owned farms that use
  sustainable farming practices
• Food and agriculture related businesses that
  create jobs within community

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Local Food Systems as Community and Economic
Development for Rural IllinoisResearch Questions

• How do we build locally based food systems in
  rural communities?
• What makes a local food system successful? Are
  there key characteristics within a community that
  promote local food system activities?
• What are the economic impacts of local food
  system activities?
• Do community residents attitudes about their
  community influence the success of local food
  system activities?
• What impact do relationships between producers
  and food buyers have on a community?
• What information is necessary for local leaders
  to influence the development of a local food
  system?

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Research Methods

• Case Studies
• Fairbury, IL
• Central Illinois Farmers Markets
• Surveys
• Intercept surveys at farmers markets and Daves
  Supermarket (late summer 2005)
• Mail surveys to
• Direct market farmers in 13 county region (Fall
  2004)
• Institutional food buyers in 13 county region
  (Fall 2004)
• Random sample of residents in 22 county region,
  oversampled in case study communities (February
  2006)
• Focus groups/Interviews
• Focus group with farmers market vendors and
  managers to define a successful farmers market
  (February 2006)
• Interviews with key stakeholders in the Fairbury
  project, including business owners and producers
  (summer 2005, and ongoing)

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Economic Community DevelopmentKey Findings

• Local food system markets/activities provide
  a place to socialize.

Community Survey Community Survey Farmers' Market
  Did not purchase local food Purchased local food Customers
Agree 64.3 70 96.1
Disagree 35.7 30 3.9

• Local leaders and government officials are aware
  and supportive of the farmers market.
• In Effingham, 57 responded dont know, and
  another 14 disagreed. In the other communities,
  dont know responses ranged from 40-53.
• Local leaders encourage and support business
  innovation.
• Respondents unsure whether local leaders
  encourage and support business innovation.
• Farmers markets may not be the most viable
  opportunity for all rural communities need
  critical mass of consumers and vendors consumers
  want more vendors and variety of products.

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Urban
Farmers Markets
Rural
Sullivan Metamora Taylorville Effingham Bloomington/ Normal Urbana/ Champaign
Population 4,326 2,700 11,427 12,384 110,194 103,913
Year Market Started 2004 2002 2003 1995 1998 1978
Average Number of Food Vendors 4 6 4 5 40 55
Estimated Weekly Customers (peak) 100 300 100 100 3,000 3,000
Median Dollar Amount Spent at Market (survey day) 7.00 10.00 2.00 6.50 12.00 20.00
Location of Market downtown square downtown square downtown square edge of town, on highway downtown square downtown
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Rural/Urban Contrasts
I visit the farmers market strictly to purchase
food.
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Have you purchased locally grown food at other
markets this year?
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The Anomaly Metamora

• A rural market, but
• Urban influences
• Active, engaging manager
• Involved local officials
• Coordination with local businesses

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Other Opportunities for Building Local Food
Systems in Rural Communities
The Fairbury Project
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Fairbury, Illinois
Fairbury Sullivan Illinois
Population 3,968 4,326
Median household income 41,298 33,197 46,590
Families below poverty level 3.3 5.4 7.8
high school degree or higher 78 78.4 81.4

• 1,330 farms in Livingston County in 2002 (7
  decrease from 1997)
• Average farm size of 479 acres, increase of 11
  since 1997
• Livingston County ranks 4th in state for total
  value of agricultural products sold.

Sources U.S. Census Bureau, 2000. NASS, USDA
2002 Census of Agriculture
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Spence Farm, Fairbury IL
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Diversity of produce
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Integrating heritage breeds of livestock with
vegetables
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Osage Acres Farm, Fairbury, IL
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Daves Supermarket, Fairbury, IL
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The Fairbury Project

• In 2004, total local food store sales of 850 by
  2005, total sales increased 136 to 2,009.
• Additional sales to several restaurants in
  Fairbury, plus requests from other grocery stores
  in region.
• 96 of respondents do their primary food shopping
  at Daves
• 85 of customers agree that the business
  relationship between Daves and the local farmers
  is good for their community.
• Comment from respondent Daves is definitely a
  vital part of Fairbury. Its wonderful to have
  this quality of store close to home!

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So what do Daves customers think?

• We surveyed 73 shoppers at Daves in Fall 2005.
• Almost 65 have purchased food from the local
  farmers shelves.
• 96 rated the farmers products as excellent or
  good quality.
• 98 said they would recommend the farmers
  products to their friends and family.
• 85 said they would buy more products from the
  local farmers shelves if they were made
  available.

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Community comments

• Chamber of commerce, economic development
  committee chairperson Anyone visiting Spence
  Farm has to drive through Fairbury great
  tourism opportunity for the community.
• Fairbury mayor This is just the tip of the
  iceberg on what could be done. Fairbury is
  unique there is tremendous pride and support
  for the community. I mention the project when
  Im promoting Fairbury to potential businesses.

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What can you do with leeks?Building local food
systems in your communityAdvice from Fairbury
leaders

• Develop public education materials targeted to
  rural community People dont realize the
  product theyre getting locally the concept is
  not the same in rural areas as in Chicago.
• Create entrepreneurial workshops- including
  agricultural businesses
• Encourage cooperation among growers to provide
  variety of products
• Promote inclusion of rural businesses (including
  farms) within Chamber of Commerce
• Encourage appreciation of alternative
  opportunities for agricultural operations

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Next Steps

• Continue data collection and analysis
• 22 county consumer survey
• Visiting farmers markets
• Direct marketing outlets
• Design educational programs and materials for key
  participants
• Identify and develop approaches for providing
  technical assistance
• Publish results

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www.communitydevelopment.uiuc.edu