FoodHub Blog News and stories from the FoodHub community

News from the Hub – Week of May 14, 2012

Posted on May 18th, 2012 by Megan

Fresh Picks – Top 5 Stories Worth Reading

Balancing fish and farms on a Washington estuary
High Country News
As environmental battlefields go, Fisher Slough seems pretty meek, with a copse of alders in the midst of a small, shallow lake, bracketed on one side by road, on the others by fields. But since Euro-Americans settled the delta in the mid-1800s, Fisher, like most of the sloughs, has been drained and plumbed with levees, ditches and tidegates, creating some of the most productive farmland in the country.

Rethinking the food bank: It’s no longer just about handing out food to the hungry
Toronto Star
Nick Saul is having another “wow” moment. Literally. In giant blue capital letters, the word seems to dance on the office wall behind him as Saul speaks excitedly about his latest plan to turn the food bank concept on its head. “I want to harness the power of food to connect, empower and create knowledge and skills — and hope and self-worth,” he says.

USDA Report Shows Healthy Food Can Be Cheaper Option
Wall Street Journal
Healthy food isn’t necessarily more expensive than junk-food alternatives, according to a government report released Wednesday that contradicts long-held conventional wisdom that it is cheaper to snack on potato chips than carrots. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently revamped nutrition rules for school cafeterias to get kids to eat more fruit, vegetables and whole grains while cutting out fatty foods.

With large PNW fruit crops forecast, enough pickers the big worry
Capital Press
Large crops and labor are forefront in the minds of many in the Washington tree fruit industry.  Good bud set, a warm spring without major freezes, good pollination and increasing production from newer plantings fuel anticipation of large cherry, pear and apple crops.  A record 20.9-million-box Pacific Northwest cherry crop is forecast, pears may also be close to their record at 20.9

Producers monitor impact of cage-free trend
Capital Press
Livestock and poultry producers say recent decisions by companies such as Burger King and Safeway to only buy from suppliers that are cage-free won’t in themselves have a big impact on their industries.  But if the trend continues, the result will likely be higher production costs and higher prices for the very consumers who are driving the issue, they say.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ecotrust Guest, Author Brings Fresh, Hopeful Stories to Dinner

Posted on May 15th, 2012 by Megan
Change Comes to Dinner
Change Comes to Dinner Author Katherine Gustafson

Katherine Gustafson traveled around the United States seeking working examples of how to build a more sustainable, satisfying, and fair food system. She documented her many stops, the people she met, and the solutions she uncovered in her new book, Change Comes to Dinner. The narrative uncovers promising models we could and should replicate more widely, and it lets readers bask in a lot of hard work and ingenuity.

Join Katherine Gustafson for a reading, conversation and light refreshments on the Ecotrust terrace.
Friday, May 18, 5:30 – 7 pm
Free and open to the public.

RSVP by Wednesday, May 16: megan@food-hub.org

We asked Gustafson to give us a taste of the many stories that fill her pages:

Your book is full of hopeful examples, but can you isolate one new development in the food movement that feels especially promising to you right now?
Aquaponics – the practice of growing fish and greens together in a closed-loop symbiotic system of aquaculture tanks and hydroponic trays – gives me a lot of hope, especially with wild fish stocks getting so much pressure throughout the world. The fact that such systems also produce healthy greens and can be located in urban areas is a great bonus.

I visited a small aquaponic operation in Cape Cod, of all places, where a bustling marina with an amazing fresh fish market (featuring saltwater fish, of course) was just a few miles down the road. This farmer was having success selling his tilapia (a freshwater fish) and salad greens at farmers’ markets and his koi to suppliers of ornamental fish in the region. Read the rest of this entry »

FoodHub Connections: Artisan Distiller Deals in Local Flavor

Posted on May 14th, 2012 by Megan
New Deal Distillers
Owners Tom Burkleaux and Matthew Van Winkle.

New Deal Distillery is a small batch producer of spirits in Portland. True to artisan ideals, the distillery’s founder, Tom Burkleaux knew when he started the business in 2001 that he wanted to create an authentic product he could be proud of.

Now, 11 years later, New Deal has a flight of nine lovingly crafted gins, vodkas, and liqueurs with more flavors being tested and developed throughout the year. However, New Deal faces challenges common to many craft producers: How to hone their buying practices and maintain a consistent supply while marketing and selling their product in order to grow their business.

“If you’re going to do a flavor you’ve gotta use the real food,” said Burkleaux of his thought process behind creating the tastes found in New Deal’s spirits. Easy enough, perhaps, for a chef preparing a dish, but when New Deal came onto the scene most beverages were still flavored with ingredients manufactured in a lab.

In the beginning, New Deal turned to grocery store shelves to find fresh ingredients for their flavored vodkas, but it quickly became apparent that the business couldn’t survive buying ingredients at retail prices.

New Deal Distillers Sarah Ashton
New Deal Manager Sarah Ashton works the tasting room.

“That worked for a while,” said Sarah Ashton, New Deal’s Manager, “and then we needed larger quantities than we could find at a grocery store, but we couldn’t meet the order minimums that a lot of the larger food distribution companies wanted in order to have us as a client.”

However, when she discovered FoodHub, Ashton saw the potential to overcome that hurdle in the business’ supply chain challenges.

“FoodHub sounded like a great idea because part of the problem I was having was finding the things I knew existed somewhere because you get them at small quantities at the grocery stores,” she said. “I was looking for that middle quantity, but from a consistent vendor, a reliable vendor, and hopefully a local vendor.” Read the rest of this entry »

News from the Hub – Week of May 7, 2012

Posted on May 11th, 2012 by Megan

Fresh Picks – Top 5 Stories Worth Reading

Your Favorite Restaurant’s Secret Ingredient: Data, and Lots of It
Wired Enterprise
Welcome to the data-driven, number-crunching future of restauranteering. With the food business thriving again in the midst of America’s economic upswing – consistently claiming a whopping 4 percent of GDP — some of the nation’s top eateries are quietly embracing data mining to eke out profit in a tough economy.

U.S. scraps rules to limit farm jobs done by kids
Star Tribune
Facing public outcry from farmers and politicians, the U.S. Department of Labor is abandoning proposed rules that, in the name of safety, would have barred young hired farm workers from performing a range of hazardous tasks.  The department issued a statement saying the withdrawal was made in response to thousands of comments about how the rules might affect family-owned farms.

Oregon asks to kill salmon-eating birds
Capital Press
Oregon officials were successful in getting permission to kill sea lions that feed on protected salmon trying to swim upriver to spawn. Now they want federal approval to shoot a type of seabird that eats millions of baby salmon trying to reach the ocean. Oregon needs federal approval to start shooting dozens of the long-necked, dark gray seabirds on coastal rivers because they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

California Heads for Vote on Modified Food Labeling
Bloomberg
Californians are on course to vote whether genetically modified food must be labeled after a campaign targeting biotech-crop companies gathered enough support for a referendum. A petition was signed by 971,126 people, 75 % more than the minimum needed for a statewide vote. Approval from 50 % of voters would make the proposal law.

Michelle Obama’s Food Desert Plan Yields Few New Stores: Retail
Bloomberg
After vowing to open more than 1,000 stores selling fresh fruit and vegetables in underserved urban neighborhoods, or “food deserts,” grocers have opened a fraction of them, putting in jeopardy Michelle Obama’s effort to improve food choices for low-income Americans.

Read the rest of this entry »

USDA Provides Millions to Fund SNAP Programs at Farmers’ Markets

Posted on May 11th, 2012 by Megan

One criticism of the local food movement is that only the well-off can afford to take advantage of their region’s bounty.  However, now, thanks to $4 million in grant funding from the USDA, state residents who utilize SNAP benefits will be able to spend more of their monthly allowance with their local farmers, at their local farmers’ market.

“Our country’s 7,100 operating farmers markets offer opportunities to our children and their families to access healthy food across the country,” said Deputy Secretary Merrigan. “SNAP participation at farmers’ markets helps provide fresh fruit and vegetables to families and expands the customer base for local farmers – a win-win for agriculture and local communities.”

The additional funding will go towards ensuring farmers’ markets have the tools in place to process SNAP transactions through Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT, technology. Currently, there are more than 1,500 farmers markets using the EBT systems and since 2008, SNAP expenditures at farmers markets have risen by 400 percent.

In 2009 more than 6.6 million people in FoodHub’s current 6-state membership region qualified for SNAP benefits. (Check out the break-down by state in a report by USDA Food and Nutrition Services here.) In 2010, 40 million people received benefits in an average month. As of August 2011, 45.8 million people received monthly benefits from the SNAP program.

“This funding will help SNAP customers increase their opportunities to access healthy, local foods,” Merrigan said. “And evidence suggests they will take advantage of that access. When we couple this approach with strategies like the education, cooking demonstrations, and community support often found at farmers markets, consumption of healthy foods should rise even more.”

The funding is being funneled through the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, which also houses National School Lunch Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, and the Summer Food Service Program.

Learn more about getting SNAP benefits at your farmers’ market here.

Getting Down in the Weeds About Grassfed Claims and Certifications

Posted on May 11th, 2012 by Megan

Pasture raised. Grass fed, grain finished. All natural. Been wondering what the beef is about how much grass a cow has to eat to be labeled grassfed? We ran across this glossary put together by the American Grassfed Association (AGA) that answers some of those questions.

As you’ll read, the Association has clear distinctions between the meat that can be labeled grassfed and what can’t. As a chef, caterer or restaurateur, which should you choose? That’s up to you: The flavor and qualities of the meat changes depending on how the animal is raised and handled. The main moral of this story is to get to know your farmer, their production practices, and standards.

For those of you who have yet to ask those questions of your farmer or rancher (or visit their farm or ranch!) and still have questions that need answering, keep reading … Read the rest of this entry »

Organic Farmers in the Green

Posted on May 7th, 2012 by Megan

New stats from the Organics Trade Association show that the organic food industry has reached more than $29 billion in sales.

Overall, organic food sales experienced 9.4% growth in 2011 and now represent 4.2% of all food sales in the industry. Organic fruits and vegetables contributed close to 50% of those new dollars with organic meat, fish and poultry experiencing the fastest growth in the sector, posting 13% growth over 2010 sales. Of all organic operations nationwide 94% are planning to maintain or increase their employment in 2012.

These stats and more are illustrated on the info graphic below and were generated from a 2012 survey from the Association that explores the impact of the organics industry on the US economy and jobs market. According to Executive Director, Christine Bushway, this is the first time the overall organic sector of the economy has surpassed the $30 billion mark. Of that, $2 billion was spent on organic non-food items.

Organics Trade Association

News from the Hub – Week of April 30, 2012

Posted on May 4th, 2012 by Megan

Fresh Picks – Top 5 Stories Worth Reading

A Silicon Valley-Style Incubator For Local Food
Co.Exist
What better place to churn out savvy food startups than in Silicon Valley, the place that spawns startups on a daily basis? Local Food Lab, a food incubator that came out of Columbia Business School’s Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center (itself an incubator for student startups), wants to make it happen. “We want to tie in technology, design, and the lean startup model,” explains Krysia Zajonc, Local Food Lab’s cofounder.

Commercial food waste to be banned
Boston Globe
State environmental officials are preparing to ban hospitals, universities, hotels, large restaurants, and other big businesses and institutions in Massachusetts from discarding food waste in the trash beginning in 2014, a measure that in coming years they hope to extend to homes as well.

Study: Food insecurity is high where food is grown
Lincoln Journal Star
Food insecurity for children is more of a problem in rural areas of Nebraska than in more populated places, according to a “Poverty on the Great Plains” analysis released Friday by the Nebraska Center for Rural Affairs. Almost one in five children living in rural Nebraska counties fit the food-insecure profile in research results drawn from the 2010 Census and from 2009 Feeding America data.

Study: Organic crops sales worth $244M to farmers
The Seattle Times
The value of certified organic crops to the state’s farmers rose 16 percent in 2010, to a total of $244.6 million, according to a study by the Washington State University Center for Sustaining Agriculture released on Wednesday. The study also found that the amount of certified organic crop acreage and the number of certified organic farms in Washington state decreased.

On the Highest Floors, Food Comes to the Workers
New York Times
New York, the most vertical of cities, has become a tad blasé about its skyscrapers, high-rise malls and multistory restaurant collections. At last, though, it has a fresh take on the perpendicular: the vertical food-truck court. Every weekday in recent months, fancy-food trucks have been rumbling into the gigantic freight elevator of the Starrett-Lehigh Building at 601 West 26th Street in West Chelsea.

Read the rest of this entry »

Picture This: Visualizing food systems through film

Posted on May 4th, 2012 by Megan

This week, two interesting kick-starter campaigns came to our attention. Interestingly enough, both are for the production of food documentaries. These two productions come on the heels of dozens of food films in the past few years – including the Oscar-winning Food, Inc. – in what seems to be a clear message from the documentary community that food is worth talking about, a lot. More than that, there is the hope that bringing the faces and stories of the food system into the spotlight can create the kind of informed society capable of bringing about systems level change for the better. If you agree, like we do, keep reading, and show your support for one of these two films:

Food Chain
This film explores the state of labor within the agriculture sector in the United States and the immoral practices that affect the lives of countless thousands of farm workers.
The team spent eight months on the road and logged more than 400 hours of footage to expose the injustice in the nation’s food system, particularly toward the farm workers toiling in the fields. With the help of dozens of farm workers the film goes to expose the often heartless, exploitive core of the industrial farming system.

Growing Cities: A film about farming in America
This feature-length documentary examines the role of urban farming in America and asks how much power it has to revitalize the country’s cities and change the way people eat. Mad by two friends from Omaha, Neb., the film tracks the duo’s journey across the country to meet advocates, farmers, and others who are challenging the way food is grown and distributed in and around urban environments. At its core, the film asks people to re-imagine what’s possible in urban settings and inspire them to create their own version of a “growing city”.

Connecting to the World of School Food

Posted on April 30th, 2012 by Megan


With close to 200 schools and preschools on FoodHub and more than 2,500 thriving Farm to School programs nationwide, it’s safe to say that school food is changing for the better. But, in case you had any lingering doubts that kids will actually eat their vegetables, take a look at some examples of school meals in the rest of the world!

A whole artichoke served for lunch in France, juicy fresh tomato halves and smoked mackerel in Slovakia, a multi-course meal (for school lunch!) made up of organic, local ingredients in Italy? Yes, please!

There’s no doubt in our minds that kids will eat their veggies, and school lunches around the world seem to reflect the same. However, quality ingredients accompanied by food systems education is key: When fresh, local foods get paired with a lesson about where food comes from and how it is grown, we create engaged eaters who are excited by the thought of eggplants, yellow carrots, and leafy greens.

That’s why we’re so excited about the connections happening between schools and farmers on FoodHub: because good food is all about relationships. The connections between schools and farms, and between students and their food, are crucial to developing a nation of healthy eaters. You might remember reading about the successful FoodHub matches made by the Gervais School District, Portland Public Schools, or by Pete Mulligan of Bull Run Cider, who sold local kiwis to several nearby school districts.

Make your own FoodHub connections with these tips:

Sellers: Use the Member Directory to search for schools near you. Suggest a product or two that you can supply, or offer to host a field trip, or talk to kids in the classroom about where their food comes from and how it’s grown.

School food buyers: It’s possible that you’re already sourcing some items locally (ask your distributor!). Use FoodHub to strike up a relationship with a local farm to source an item or two, then highlight these local items in the cafeteria and with your school community (teachers, parents, etc.), so they know about the good work you’re doing.

And, associates: Show your support! Do you have connections or expertise that could help a school district to move forward with farm to school? A little positive community support can go a long way.

Here’s to a school lunch that might look a bit more familiar to the rest of the world: real food, grown nearby, with the relationships to make it work. Yum!

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