Birth of a Food Hub

About LCSC

  A public, non-profit membership-based organization    Employs over 100 full and part-time staff Established by MN legislation in 1976 One of 9 service cooperatives in the state, serving a nine-county region, including: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, and Wilkin counties.

Provides services to preK-12 public and private schools, cities, counties, governmental agencies, and non-profit agencies.      Financial and HR assistance Professional development Early Childhood Family Education Health and Safety consulting Cooperative purchasing

LCSC’s Region

 Encompasses 8,615 square miles.

 125 miles between the north and south borders  85 miles between the east and west borders.

 31,700 public school students.

Why LCSC

 Regional planning and partnerships is our mission  Has a long-history of working with food service on Food Bid, Food Service Training, and Food Service Regulation  21 of 33 public school districts and 4 private schools participate in the food bid   LCSC has a Registered Dietician (who also is a School Nutrition Specialist) actively working in the region on nutrition and Farm 2 School initiatives – Dana Rieth Experienced in offering coordinated services   Can provide 5- week cycle menu, and food service consultation Can coordinate with grower community   Provide regional training for growers Partner with UMN, MDA, Economic Development, others

And Why Do We Want to Start One?

It all started with a challenge…

How do we get fresh and healthy food choices into school food programs daily ?

FRESH CONNECT Food Hub

LCSC was awarded two Farm to School grants from the MN Department of Agriculture 1. Perform a feasibility study 2. Purchase equipment to pilot a food hub Planning began in January

Core Team

Dana Rieth, RDN, LD, SNS Melissa Mattson Jane Eastes Jason Bergstrand Gina Nolte

Advisory Team

  Noelle Harden, UMN Extension Donna Tvedt, Moorhead Public School  Penny Doty, Natural Resources Conservation Service  Harold Stanislawski, Fergus Falls Economic Development  Guy Fischer, Becker County Economic Development  Gretchen Boyum, Boyum Farm  Ryan Pesch, Lida Farms and UMN Extension  Wendy Merrick & Greg Wagner, West Central Initiative

Food Hub Vision & Function

 Provide a collaborative, sustainable infrastructure where growers and institutions can have their economic and nutritional needs met using high-quality, local food products  Local foods from area growers will be aggregated by the hub and re-packed in quantities ordered by schools and delivered to them

We Asked our Schools …

What makes it difficult for you to find and use fresh produce on a regular basis?

1. It’s difficult to find enough produce from local growers.

2. We don’t know all of the local growers to purchase from.

3. How do we get it to the school when we need it?

Then, We Looked to Growers …

What makes it difficult for you to sell fresh produce to schools or other large organizations?

It’s difficult to deliver to multiple places.

It’s difficult to produce sufficient volume.

It’s difficult to connect with food service.

We lack storage for the quantities needed.

What’s the largest barrier? Lack of a “middle” sized distribution system that that can work with small-medium growers

Enter… The Food Hub Concept



Focuses on the regional food system.



Enables small volumes to become large volumes (aggregation).



Puts growers in touch with purchasers.



Matches supply and demand.



Delivers fresh, nutrient-rich produce.

Fresh Connect Goals

    Increase the amount of safe, fresh, local produce in student and community diets.

Connect students to local farm/garden nutrition-based education.

Provide opportunities for small to medium growers to access larger markets for long-term, sustainable income.

Provide technical assistance to growers for long-term financial sustainability.

Home of Fresh Connect Food Hub

LCSC operates the food hub from the large storage garage in Fergus Falls.

Pilot Year – Sept – Nov 2014

Eleven Public School Districts, a Preschool, a Hospital, & a Nursing Home Seven Local Growers

supplying Fruits and Vegetables Potatoes Tomatoes Melons Lettuce Onions Carrots Broccoli Apples Peppers Beets Honey Cucumbers Squash

Over 21,000 pounds delivered in the first 6 weeks!

Next Steps

 Review the pilot year  Convene growers and purchasers to  Discuss what worked, and what did not work.

 Plan for planting season  ReConvene the Advisory Committee.

 Revise the operating plan.

 Continue educational events.

 Continue to recruit growers and purchasers.