Regional Food System Infrastructure & Markets

Growing public interest in, and demand for, locally and responsibly produced food has encouraged many family farms to diversify and gear their businesses to serve local markets.  However, regional food systems look and function differently than the industrial model that is now in place. The consolidation of processing and distribution has decimated the infrastructure and markets that were once in place to serve independent farmers, ranchers and their communities.  Support is needed to regenerate these vital pieces of our regional food system.

The Current Situation

Our current food production and distribution system is concentrated in the hands of a few, large operations which are inflexible and unable to meet the needs of all consumers:

• Local, diverse systems are more flexible and have greater resilience to outside forces, leading to increased stability and security

Need to build and expand local/regional processing, value-added, and distribution infrastructure to service independent farmers, ranchers, food buyers, and their communities:

• Nominal access to regional processing facilities across all agricultural sectors
• Cost of developing processing infrastructure is a barrier

More support for local and regional market development is needed:

• Producers are finding challenging and varied pathways to institutional purchasing
• It is not easy or straightforward for Oregon producers to access large, corporate retailers
• Current record keeping requirements makes it difficult for independent retailers to source from local producers
• Many niches go unfilled

Developing regional food systems can strengthen multifunctional agriculture and   contribute to food safety, food security and reaching common goals:

• If food safety problems arise, it is easier to identify the source of the problem, address and then correct the issue
• Improvements to our regional food system can make nutritious food more accessible, can help prevent hunger and obesity, and can increase our capacity to feed ourselves
• A regional system of production, transportation and distribution could lower agriculture’s carbon footprint, as food travel miles are exponentially increased by industrial production and distribution systems

Regions are getting more and more dependent on the image or picture that they portray.  The cultural characteristic of a region becomes a framework for economic  integration and consumers are showing more and more interest in regional identity:

• Regional production of agricultural goods and services can add to rural economic development and local food security

Priority Action Items

1.  Public investment, grants or incentives for community projects such as:

• Certified commercial community kitchens
• Grain processing & storage facilities
• Meat slaughter & processing facilities
• Transportation & distribution centers
• Farmers’ Markets
• Micro-processing facilities
• Other business expansion opportunities within food and agriculture sector

2.  Establish ways for local farms to sell to local retailers and institutions such as grocery
stores, hospitals, schools and restaurants:

• Create State-supported incentives for local purchasing
• State mandate for local food into government agencies and public schools
• Support the Farm to School program, assist growers in accessing these opportunities
• Assist in the establishment of cooperatives and networks for local purchasing

3.  Create tax incentives (instead of subsidies) to increase private investment in regional food systems:

• Promote Oregon food grown by family farms via a “Keep Oregon Viable” Campaign
• Incentivize the use of empty warehouses for processing facilities and indoor markets

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