Farmer Survey Results Respondents: 134 Survey Open: Sept 1, Jan 31, 2014 Outreach methods: Ag Coms, Farmers Markets, PV Grows, CISA

Transcription

1 Farmer Survey Results Respondents: 34 Survey Open: Sept, Jan 3, 204 Outreach methods: Ag Coms, Farmers Markets, PV Grows, CISA E-Newsletter, Mount Grace Direct Mail, Ag Com Conference, Mass Maple Producers Meeting. 285 farmers contacted directly by FRCOG via mail, , and/or phone.

2 Table of Contents Demographics Marketing Produce-Specific Dairy-Specific Meat-Specific Distribution, Storage, Equipment, and Waste Land-Related Farm Workers Other

3 Demographics 3

4 General Farm Info Q: Where is your farm primarily located? 20 Answered 4 Skipped Amherst 3 Plainfield Williamsburg Winchendon Note: All maps in this document show responses by town, but not by geographic location of individual farms. 4

5 General Farm Info Q2: What products are currently grown or raised on your farm? TOP TEN RESPONSES: 30 Answered 4 Skipped 5

6 General Farm Info Q2: What products are currently grown or raised on your farm? ALL RESPONSES : 30 Answered 4 Skipped OTHER Product # cheese 2 corn silage Emu Wood products 2 garlic Goat 5 herding dogs ice cream mushrooms Nuts 2 Oxen straw tobacco Turf and straw turf, straw Bees Wool crafts 6

7 General Farm Info Q3: What was the total market value of agricultural products sold by your farm in 202? 05 Answered / 29 Skipped 54% below $25k 46% $25k and up 7

8 General Farm Info Q4: How many farm workers including family members typically work on your farm annually? Q5: How old are you? 25 Answered 9 Skipped 28 Answered 6 Skipped Part time seasonal Full time seasonal Part time year round Full time year round Just myself to to to to > to to to 44 8

9 Marketing 9

10 Selling Your Products Q6: Where are your products sold? (check all that apply) OVERALL: 2 Answered 22 Skipped 0

11 Selling Your Products Q6: Where are your products sold? (check all that apply) BY TOWN: Pickyourown Our own farm Farmers Direct to Direct to other Direct to Direct to Direct to Wholesale through distributors or stand market CSA restaurants farms stores institutions schools farmers' coops Ashfield Bernardston Buckland Charlemont Colrain Conway Deerfield Erving Gill Greenfield 0 Heath Leverett Leyden Montague New Salem 0 0 Northfield Orange Other Shelburne Shutesbury Sunderland 4 3 Warwick 3 2 Wendell 0 2 Whately Other Answered 22 Skipped

12 Selling Your Products Q6: What marketing programs or certifications do you use? (check all that apply) 72 Answered / 62 Skipped 2

13 Selling Your Products Q6: What percent of your products is sold within Franklin County? 8 Answered / 6 Skipped 3

14 Selling Your Products Total 202 Market Value Q: What are the barriers to your farm selling more products in Franklin County? BY TOTAL MARKET VALUE: 74 Answered / 60 Skipped I can get a better price elsewhere I can't find new places to sell my products in F.C. I don't have time to look for new markets I need I think the product local development market is or marketing saturated in assistance F.C. It's difficult to sell to institutions / schools in F.C. Many people can't afford to buy local produce in F.C. Less than $,000 2 $,000 to $2,499 $2,500 to $4, $5,000 to $9, $0,000 to $9, $20,000 to $24,999 3 $25,000 to $39, $40,000 to $49, $50,000 to $99, $00,000 to $249,999 2 $250,000 to $499,999 2 $500,000 or more

15 Selling Your Products Q: Does your farm sell or donate any products through any of the following programs? (check all that apply) 6 Answered / 73 Skipped My farm sells or donates products to a food pantry, food bank, or senior center My farm accepts EBT/SNAP/food stamps through our farmstand, CSA, or farmers' market My farm offers a discount CSA share to low income customers My farm participates in CISA's Senior FarmShare program My farm sells or donates products to one or more K-2 school(s) 5

16 Produce-Specific 6

17 Produce Specific Q: Where is your farm s produce processed? (check all that apply) 6 Answered / 73 Skipped 7

18 Total 202 Market Value Produce Specific Q: If you would like to process more of your produce (value-added products), what is keeping you from doing so? (check all that apply) 44 Answered / 90 Skipped Need to upgrade Need more or purchase new farm laborers equipment / to help process facilities to produce on my process on my farm farm Need heated washing and packing space for winter There are too many regulations to navigate My farm is too small to use a processing facility Less than $,000 It is too expensive to use a processing facility $,000 to $2, $2,500 to $4,999 3 $5,000 to $9,999 $0,000 to $9, $20,000 to $24,999 2 $25,000 to $39, $40,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $99, $00,000 to $249,999 $250,000 to $499,999 3 $500,000 or more 3 2 TOTALS

19 Produce Specific Q: What type of fruit and vegetable processing services or facilities do you need? (check all that apply) 30 Answered / 04 Skipped Type of Processing Cleaning, coring, trimming, etc Pickling Canning or bottling Freezing Packing Area of concentration Note: All maps in this document show responses by town, but not by geographic location of individual farms. The stars indicate farmer. 9

20 Dairy-Specific 20

21 Dairy Specific Q: If there was a dairy processing facility in Franklin County, what would your level of interest be in the following? (check all that apply) 4 Answered / 20 Skipped 4 Answered / 20 Skipped Area of concentration of Unknown location of Unknown location Note: Number in circles on map indicates number of farmers responding to each item. All maps in this document show responses by town, but not by geographic location of individual farms. 2

22 Meat-Specific 22

23 Meat Specific Q: If the Western MA Food Processing Center permitted users to process meat, how interested in using these services would you be? 60 Answered / 74 Skipped 23

24 Meat Specific Q: Please indicate your level of interest in the following options: 6 Answered / 73 Skipped Highly interested Somewhat interested Not at all interested An organization or clearinghouse that could convey producer concerns and interests to processors A service that would hold peak-season slaughter slots for last-minute scheduling (for an additional cost) 4 29 A transportation or logistics service that would provide shared transport of animals from slaughterhouse to different post-slaughter facility Value-added meat processing at the Franklin County CDC s Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center Note: This question is based upon recommendations made in 203 CISA Meat Study. 24

25 Meat Specific Q: If there was a small-batch poultry processing facility in the region, what would your level of interest in it be? 66 Answered / 68 Skipped Unknown location Unknown location Note: Number in circles on map indicates number of farmers responding to each item. All maps in this document show responses by town, but not by geographic location of individual farms. 25

26 Meat Specific Q: Please rate your level of satisfaction with your current meat slaughter facility: 53 Answered / 8 Skipped 26

27 Meat Specific Q: Are you able to sell your meat and poultry products at an acceptable profit margin? 58 Answered / 76 Skipped 27

28 Distribution, Storage, Equipment, Waste 28

29 Distribution, Storage, Equipment, Waste Q: What local services/suppliers are critical to your farm s operation? 3 Answered / 2 Skipped Q: Are you interested in sharing equipment with other farmers? 09 Answered / 25 Skipped Yes 50 No 59 29

30 Distribution, Storage, Equipment, Waste Q: Are you interested in participating in a food/organic waste composting program or plastic recycling program? 75 Answered / 59 Skipped I'm interested in receiving compost for use on my farm I'm interested in sending some of my farm waste for compost I'm interested in participating in an agricultural plastic recycling program 30

31 Distribution, Storage, Equipment, Waste Q: Are you interested in using a cold storage rental facility and/or refrigerated vehicle? (check all that apply) 06 Answered / 28 Skipped 3

32 Land-Related 32

33 Land-Specific Q: How many of farmland do you own? 20 Answered / 4 Skipped Cropland Pasture Hay Town < acre > 500 < acre -9 Ashfield Bernardston Buckland Charlemont Colrain Conway Deerfield Erving Gill Greenfield Heath Leverett Leyden Montague New Salem Northfield Orange Shelburne Shutesbury Sunderland Warwick Wendell Whately Amherst Winchendon Unknown > 500 < acre Continued >

34 Land-Specific Q: How many of farmland do you own? 20 Answered / 4 Skipped Orchard Sugarbush Woodlot Town < acre > 500 < -9 acre 0-49 Ashfield Bernardston Buckland Charlemont Colrain Conway Deerfield Erving Gill Greenfield Heath Leverett Leyden Montague New Salem Northfield Orange Shelburne Shutesbury Sunderland Warwick Wendell Whately Amherst Winchendon Unknown Continued from previous > 500 < acre >

35 Land-Specific Q: How many of farmland do you lease? 60 Answered / 74 Skipped Cropland Pasture Hay Orchard Sugarbush Woodlot T o wn < 5 acre > 50 < 5 acre > 50 < 5 acre > 50 < 5 acre > 50 < 5 acre > 50 < 5 acre > 50 Amherst Ashfield Bernardston Buckland Charlemont Colrain Conway Deerfield Erving Gill Greenfield Heath Leverett Leyden Montague New Salem Northfield Orange Shelburne Shutesbury Sunderland Warwick Wendell Whately Plainfield Williamsburg Winchendon Unknown

36 Land-Specific Q: If you lease land, check all that apply: 60 Answered / 74 Skipped 36

37 Land-Specific Q: Do you need or want additional land to farm? 35 Answered / 99 Skipped Note: All maps in this document show responses by town, but not by geographic location of individual farms. 37

38 Land-Specific Q: Of the land you currently own, check all that apply: 40 Answered 94 Skipped Cropland Pasture Hay Orchard Sugarbush Woodlot Not in active production Available to rent Not in active production Available to rent Not in active production Available to rent Not in active production Available to rent Not in active production Available to rent Not in active production Available to rent T o wn Amherst Ashfield Bernardston Buckland Charlemont Colrain Conway Deerfield Erving Gill Greenfield Heath Leverett Leyden Montague New Salem Northfield Orange Shelburne Shutesbury Sunderland Warwick Wendell Whately Plainfield Williamsburg Winchendon Unknown

39 Land-Specific Places where supply and demand may intersect based on previous 2 questions: Type This map shows towns where there is a demand for additional types of farmland and where there may be farmers willing to rent (based on them identifying land not in active production or land for rent. Note: This map does not show actual land locations nor actual numbers of farmers seeking land or having land available. 39

40 Land-Specific Q: Do you have a transition plan for your farm? (check all that apply) 4 Answered / 20 Skipped By Age 40

41 Land-Specific Q: Is any of the land you own under a farmland protection / support program? 5 Answered / 9 Skipped Chapter None CR APR Q: If not, why? Concern that the program might change/become more constrained 5 I don't want to be limited in how I use my land in the future 0 I want to make sure I can sell my land for as much as possible 4 I don t know enough about the program to consider using it 5 4

42 Farm Workers 42

43 Farm Worker-Specific Q: What types of workers do you regularly employ and how challenging is it to find them? (check all that apply) 54 Answered / 80 Skipped 43

44 Farm Worker-Specific Q: Through what service/venue do you typically hire your workers? (check all that apply) 5 Answered / 83 Skipped 44

45 Farm Worker-Specific Q: What are the skills / credentials you would like your workers to have? (check all that apply) 5 Answered / 83 Skipped 45

46 Farm Worker-Specific Q: Which of the following best describes your farm worker employment situation? (check all that apply) 43 Answered / 9 Skipped I only employ season workers I employ workers year round with equipment repair/maintenance during non growing months I employ workers year round by using season extending measures such as greenhouses I currently have difficulty finding qualified seasonal workers I employ workers year round with food processing work during non growing months I currently only employ seasonal workers but would like to expand to year round 46

47 Other 47

48 Requests in Survey for Assistance FOLLOW UP OFFERED # of Requests CISA WMFPC FC Solid Waste FRCOG Kestrel LFG MDAR Assistance finding farmland to buy or lease 7 x x Assistance leasing farmland to others 5 x Farm transition planning (including succession or estate planning) 33 x x Information and assistance with farmland protection programs 5 x x x Mount Grace NOFA Mass UMass MWA Training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) 9 x x Training in organic farming 0 x x Training in using EBT / SNAP at my farm stand or CSA 3 x Hiring farm workers x Information on being a mentor or finding a mentor 7 x x Farm business planning or marketing 22 x New product development (eg: value-added products) 28 x Farm business financing 6 x Organizations Agreeing to follow up: Information on the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center 5 x Information on the Local Hero program 7 x Recycling collection for agricultural plastic 4 x x On-farm energy production - Mass Farm Energy Programs 32 x x x FOLLOW UP IF IT BECOMES AVAILABLE: Dairy processing facility in Franklin County 2 x x Poultry processing facility in Franklin County 38 x x Meat processing facility in Franklin County 43 x x Value-added meat processing at the WMFPC 27 x Retail food waste recovery program x Organization to convey producer concerns to meat processors 9 x Service for last-minute scheduling of meat slaughter x Shared transport of meat animals to / from slaughter 8 x Program for retaining workers year-round 0 x 48

49 Potential Projects Based on Findings/Outreach General FRCOG Work with Advisory Group to follow up on farmer requests from survey Processing FRCOG Inventory commercial kitchens create best practices checklist include info on FCCDC Work with farmers to upgrade or purchase new equipment / facilities for on-farm processing Farm Labor Work with MA Workforce Alliance, GCC, and other agencies to provide training on skills identified by farmers Land FRCOG work with LFG, CISA, and land trusts to cohost additional land access workshops Link up willing landowners with farmers looking to lease land Note: Items in green may be undertaken by the FRCOG with existing grant funding Advisory Group Feedback: This requires more thought there may not be enough demand to make the project worthwhile Equipment, Waste FRCOG Work with FC Solid Waste to support additional ag plastic recycling FRCOG-Develop an online equipment share info site Work with economic development agencies to bring equipment and parts dealer to region Develop a program around new DEP food waste regulations and farms who want to receive compost *MDAR Farm Viability Enhancement Program or Matching Enterprise Grants 49

50 Phase 2 Cost of Food Myth or Reality Compare cost of farmers market food with grocery store during growing season Pilot Produce Stand at Convenience Store Work with willing convenience store owner in environmental justice area to pilot a produce stand, supplied by local grower in conjunction with the Mass in Motion Healthy Markets program Advisory Group Feedback: This requires more thought it s a complicated issue that isn t just about the price tag on the produce Food Access Survey Work with North Quabbin Community Coalition to determine whether to expand the reach of their recent Food Access Survey. Determine next steps and/or expand to other towns in Franklin County 50