Summary of Individual Responses (Raw)

Where do you currently sell or buy your ag products/food products? Consumers Purchase at supermarket or farmers market during season (x7) Colorado Springs, Arkansas Valley Watershed Area, West Slope, from AVOG and small producers Farmers Markets, direct from ranchers, major retail centers Grocery stores, urban gardens, CSAs, food bank-donated food, USDA commodities Grocery stores, restaurants farmers markets, direct from farm, internet King Soopers, Wal-Mart, local farmers market, sometimes get locker beef or lamb Colorado farm and art market, direct from local farms, whole foods, king Soopers Ranch foods direct, CFAM & Grocers, Mauro Farm, Miller Farm, small local grocers in Colorado Springs, Thaxtons Foods I buy from a CSA in the summer & fall, I invest in my neighbors farm for milk, cheese, eggs, and pork, (spring, summer, fall). I grow my own veggies in the winter. Local markets (grocery and farmers), chain markets (Safeway, Whole Foods, Natural Grocers) Local farmers markets, Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage Colorado Farm and Art Market, from Southern Colorado growers including Frost Farm, Venetucci Farm, Large Vista Ranch, Smith Farms, Country Roots Farm. Also at Ranch Food Direct, Mountain Mama Supermarkets (90%), restaurants/food service (5%), direct from producer (5%) Lucky's Market, Boulder county farmers market, backyard production Farmers Market & Grocery (Vitamin Cottage, Whole Foods, Sunflower Markets, Sprouts, Alafalfa) Producers I sell through CSA and to restaurants through AVOG co-op Potatoes o Locally = farmers markets o Statewide, nationally, internationally (to Mexico soon) Alfalfa, hay, barley o Locally, statewide, western states Canola o Local biodiesel production Beef cattle o Local/regional farmers markets, including value added o Nationally Vegetables o Local farmers market Colorado Springs, National seed companies Direct to buyer/consumer

What does/what would motivate producers to engage in Colorado based markets? i.e. selling into Colorado markets or buying Colorado products?

(14) Market Access Better access to markets Access to market Guaranteed buyers Broaden available markets Market access Distance to markets Consistent market access Knowing where the markets are Markets need to be available Reasonable market access- distance, hours, etc. Customers to buy products Convenient locations to sell ID markets Ease of transportation (13) Financial Incentives Financial based incentives Financial incentives Price/profit Price points Increase profit $

Higher price points Price Price premium for local label Price- affordability of local products Prompt payment Opportunity to make $ (customers willing to pay more $ for goods) A better price- a net better price- less transportation, develop a market of trust

(7) Support Local Economies/Communities Benefits to broader community Support local economies Community connection Relationship to community Satisfaction of providing local food to local eaters Regional/state pride/sense of community support Supporting local producers (5) Education/Technical Assistance Pricing info available so buyers and sellers know if they are buying or selling at a reasonable price Understanding input/output in terms of pricing Market transition support (subsidies, feasibility assessment) Knowing the economic value Continue to educate communities the importance of buying food locally (5) Consumer support/recognition Support of local products from restaurants, retailers, distributors, consumers Having regional food manufactures make food from grains/crops to sell in stores and farmers markets Recognition and support for local products (CO Proud as example) More recognition of smaller and organic producers at annual governors forum on agriculture I want to bring attention to the need to support these industries- and keep our Coloradoans eating better food and being good environmental stewards (5) Infrastructure/Systems Efficient systems, ordering and delivery Centralized hubs A system that insures a safe-local product that has less distance to travel to get to us Market that has transportation available to them that does not take a large section of the profit Coordinate programs better (4) Quality Quality Locally grown food, organically grown food More fresh/better nutrition I value the quality products that our dedicated farmers/ranchers produce (3) Directness/Knowing your producer/consumer Less middle men Better bargaining position

Ease and comfort with whom you do business

(2) Environmental Concerns Environmental concerns Reduce carbon footprint Other/Misc. Local incentives Global, national disincentives Efficiencies Positive image return from customers/general public Incentives to keep produce/food products local instead of having to ship out of state Ease Community support ag would help support suppliers for fruits/veggies Availability of products Economics dictate where and how we do business What are the barriers to engaging in Colorado based markets?

(11) Infrastructure Lack of USDA inspected meat processing facilities Lack of commercial kitchens for small food manufactures Infrastructure- either on-farm or regional processing, packaging Time involved away from production to travel to market Availability of processors to the proximity of producers Processing infrastructure Lack of infrastructure to support local AG products into multiple marketplaces

Infrastructure- storage, processing, transportation Lack of processing options Lack of infrastructure, refrigerated trucks Absence of hubs

(10) Regulations Regulations (x4) Rules Lack of anti-trust law enforcement Knowing how to comply with food safety rules and regulations Regulations on certified kitchens to process food Insurance issues for food products GAP/GHP (9) Market Access Knowledge of where markets are (x2) Lack of fair, competitive, open markets Small markets Not enough market access Lack of information about different markets (schools, hospitals, etc) Lack of knowledge of how to develop markets by producers Area w most potential customers- urban areas are not close to farm Under-developed demand outside of major urban areas (7) Size/Competition Being price competitive with large corporations Size, either too small or too large Competition from more consistent markets and industries Small growers vs. large Volume Most growers are too small to sell to retail outlets Competition with large scale industrial ag (6) Distance/Transportation Distance to viable markets in rural SE Colorado Transportation (x4) Long driving distances-poor distribution systems (5) Growing Season Short growing season (x2) Seasonality of produce Varieties of produce and livestock in short growing season Low production, short growing season in mountain communities Other/Misc. Co-ops (Dairy market) Location to niche market Lack of staff to find markets and do marketing More supermarkets supporting Colorado proud Perceived price difference

Developing relationship to then develop systems Knowledge of what is available Expense Technology We dont have to feed the world! Existing business relationships Clear pathways for local ag members to engage local buyers We have always done it one way, hard to change Lack of marketing skills and available resources to develop labeling and packaging to sell to public Producers have too much to do already, limited time for organizing, marketing, connecting w buyers, need an easy way to collect and distribute and buyers who are wiling to purchase seasonal variety Lack of, but now growing, advocacy for local production Options to help get their produce to market Advertizing, misunderstanding costs and prices, conventional marketing does not do our ag folks justice Lack of help on the farm Diluted markets full of imported goods from other states Cant make enough $ to sustain attendance at markets Storage and transportation costs National food distribution centers No source location ID on packaging City Market Colorado Proud not on potatoes Payment plans Cost of production is quite high

What would help producers to engage in Colorado based markets?

(12) Marketing, Market Access Ease of marketing (good reason for joint marketing through co-op) Education to understand how different markets work Marketing- help in branding, telling the story More local markets Marketing Marketing support Market orders, etc Reliability of local market Availability Diversity Consolidated, bigger markets in urban areas (Like boulder county does it) Long term broker relationship to other markets (7) Organization/Coordination/Support Organization and distribution Organization Institutions Help producers Coordinate numerous food groups Slow Food, F2School, Local Foods, etc. State assistance- CSU, Dept of Ag, EDC in promoting CO products Research and innovation support (7) Regulation/Policy Keep regulations reasonable Better understanding of regulations

GAP/GHP issues More small farm-friendly regulations Regulations and taxes Less onerous compliance, measure marketing to institution A streamlined process with examples to follow to explain regulations more easily

(4) Infrastructure Infrastructure, shared resources like trucks, refrigeration Local hubs to meet food safety Improved distribution Local/regional processing & distribution (3) Education/Technical Assistance Better understanding of USDA programs (nutrition) Knowledge of dollars being missed Ease of information, if it is government or quasi-government, how do you build that trust? Other/Misc. Technology Financing support Increase effort on community to reach out to a market for food (rather than the ease of the grocery store) Perceived excessive cost of local food Pooling products to build economies of scale Price to fit my budget Development of CO Proud program Which support organizations do producers rely on?

CSU Ext (x8) CO Dept. Ag (x6) USDA (x5)

Farmers Union (x4) Farmers markets (x4) o Farmers market organizations o Colorado Farm and Art Market Local restaurants (x2) CSU (x2) AVOG (x2) NRCS (x2) Farm Bureau (x2) Commodity/ag groups CFAM Food distributors Grocery stores Food banks State Ag Local commissioners Farm organizations FSA Banks Marketing support Current Technology Distributors Transporters Local utilities Consumers Food safety technical assistance Market potential assessment Traceability- labeling CO Proud Marketing Access to financial/business development resources CCA Breed associations and because of independent nature of some ag people they rely on themselves and neighbors Real Food Colorado Product Specific Industries Farm to School Sierra Club Ag Committee Transition Town Local permanculturist Brokers Colorado Potato Admin Committee Colorado Proud CSAs Colorado Cattlemen Colorado Cattlewomen Traditional markets

Auctions/Elevators

What additional support do producers need?

(7) Additional Markets/Marketing Restaurants willing to take time needed to seek and use local foods, modify menus to seasonal availability and be able to be flexible Marketing (x2) Marketing of CO goods Public Relations Markets Marketing networks (6) Education/Technical Assistance/Research How do alternative markets work? How to identify new markets? How to deal with compliance issues Consumers need to be more educated on why this is important Research based info to help make good choices Alternative options, farming/ranching ideas/concepts that are outside the box Reliable data Education Support for beginning farmers and start up food processors CSU Extension outside of Northern Colorado Business management How to get product to market (5) Scaling Up/Infrastructure How to scale up to meet new market needs? Storage, transportation, processing

Co-operative business structures Infrastructure for processing Processing & distribution infrastructure & networks

(5) Government/Policy They need their local government to support them Decrease cost for market space Promote citizens to seek local produce Tax incentives Eliminate government subsidies to big ag Incentivize local Unifying organizations to bring policy forward- the dedicated work to get folks to share thoughts (Thanks for getting this started!) Restriction and regulations hinder rather than help (3) Financial Resources ($) for local communities/agencies to explore markets Financial resources Funding and direction for regions to develop their own food assessments (many areas are doing this, we need to keep it going) (2) Food safety How to deal with compliance issues Food safety (2) Networking/Coordination Coordinating with other producers Marketing networks (1) Labor Labor Resources Other/Misc. Technology Disaster relief from drought Local preference districts Direct consumer relationships