OHIO ECOLOGICAL FOOD AND FARM ASSOCIATION
LONG-TERM PLANNING: SUMMARY
SEPTEMBER 2008
MARKETING: OEFFA endeavors to assist growers by helping to expand markets, create
supportive infrastructure, promote their products, and develop as entrepreneurs.
Goal 1:
Identify areas with potential to facilitate regional food system
connections between farmers and buyers to expand Ohio’s processing
and distribution infrastructure.
Recommendations:
1. Build infrastructure needed for a local food system, esp. processing
facilities and distribution networks
2. Explore a CO-OP model for growers, starting with publicizing
existing co-op models, facilitating a VAPG (Value-Added Producer
Grant or SARE Producer grant proposal.
3. Investigate the creation of a producer sheet updated monthly and
distributed to restaurants and institutional buyers.
Goal 2:
Recommendations:
Expand product promotion efforts for all OEFFA growers, including
web and print resources.
1. Create a better/statewide "Fresh Sheet" and "Local Harvest Guide"
by distributing the Good Earth Guide more widely; improve it by
including information on where to find locally produced food (eg.,
farmers markets OEFFA members sell at, restaurants that use
OEFFA member food).
2. Build the "Homegrown" promotion program to include Point of Sale
materials and tie to the communications plan.
3. Hire a marketing coordinator
4. Create an online message board where producers and buyers can
communicate.
Goal 3:
Enhance capacity to provide farmers with business management,
finance, and development assistance.
Goal 4:
Develop key partnerships to explore provisioning of fresh local and
organic food to underserved communities.
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY & DEVELOPMENT: It is OEFFA’s intent to operate in
a manner which consistently best serves the needs of its members and furthers the mission
of OEFFA while safeguarding the sustainability of the organization.
Goal 1:
Recommendations:
Clearly assess membership needs and how the organization can better
serve them.
1. Develop and conduct a comprehensive member survey and
evaluation
2. Develop and conduct chapter phone survey to inventory needs,
interests (Depending on list size, survey all or smaller random #;
review old surveys)
Goal 2:
Recommendations:
Diversify income sources through grants, planned giving programs,
individual and major donor and endowment development.
1. Evaluate potential for and generate grant proposals from long-term
planning recommendations
2. Set up a planned giving program
3. Develop and execute OEFFA 30th anniversary fundraising campaign
by:
a. Identifying campaign co-chairs and volunteers to carry out
activities.
b. Holding local harvest dinners around state in Aug and Sept
c. Setting fundraising campaign goals
d. Developing support materials/brochures for activities.
Goal 3:
Recommendations:
Increase membership by 50% in the next 5 years.
1. Work with CSAs to provide OEFFA newsletters to their members
for 6 months
2. Target certified producers to become members
3. Increase awareness among the gen. population of who and what
OEFFA is and reasons to support (become members of OEFFA) by:
a. Organizing membership booths at farmers' markets, County
Fairs, State Fair, etc. to increase awareness of OEFFA
b. Implementing an OEFFA speakers' bureau to expand
outreach
c. Putting out frequent press releases related to
organics/sustainable/local and OEFFA's role in these.
Goal 4:
Recommendations:
Enhance board capacity
1. Undertake a board self-assessment and make refinements to Board
structure and operations.
a. Determine if size of board needs to be increased (make bylaw changes, if needed).
b. Determine if terms should be longer (make by-law changes, if
needed).
c. Write job descriptions for board members.
d. Target board searches based on assessment and identified
needs.
2. Hold board orientation for new members; synchronize beginning of
terms.
3. Undertake regular board trainings.
Goal 5:
Recommendations:
Create a comprehensive communications plan.
1. Assess and revise current brochures, create new brochures
a. Assess current brochures (membership, "What organic means
to you," "12 reasons," etc.) update/discard, as appropriate.
b. Identify additional educational brochures that should be
developed.
c. Author brochures, get feedback, revise.
d. Give to graphic designer, publish.
2. Create plan for regular placement of articles about OEFFA in media.
3. Publish annual report.
4. Develop weekly podcast series from OEFFA conference tapes.
Goal 6:
Recommendation:
Nurture networking opportunities among our members.
1. Provide networking tools and resources in print form, including
OEFFA News, membership directory, and the Good Earth Guide.
2. Provide online forums and resources, including including list servs,
blogging, action alerts, and other opportunities organized for
members to plug into issues/items of interest.
Goal 7:
Recommendations:
Encourage chapter development by:
1. Addressing barriers for chapter participation and developing
incentives
2. Clarifying relationship between office and chapters.
3. Providing administrative and promotional assistance
EDUCATION: OEFFA affirms that, above all else, it exists to meet the educational needs
to sustainable and organic producers and the general public, all of whom depend on healthy
food, a clean environment, and strong communities.
Goal 1:
*Recommendations:
Provide timely, accurate, comprehensive education regarding organic
and sustainable food production and marketing to growers.
1. Continually update the content and improve tools available on the
OEFFA website which further the education of organic and
sustainable farming, including chat rooms, issue awareness/response.
2. Develop and offer high quality educational programming, including
3.
4.
5.
6.
Goal 2:
Recommendations:
the annual conference, free-standing workshops, and farm tours
around Ohio.
Develop a speakers bureau to increase educational outreach on
organic and sustainable production.
Develop programs which recruit new farmers and increase their
success rate, including formalizing the apprenticeship program.
Work with partners (e.g. CVCC New Farmers Course) to help
producers understand bus. development, understand their costs,
pricing, finance, etc.
Continue and expand farm tours, raising the quality of tours and
expanding them across more seasons. Aim for 12-14 tours/year
(How can we add to these to make the economic argument?)
Demonstrate benefits of organic certification with regards to
marketing products
1. Articulate clear economic models for certified and/or sustainable
farmers by:
a. Publishing detailed examples of how different kinds of
producers make a living doing what they do.
b. Work with partners (such as CVCC - New Farmers course) to
help producers understand their costs.
c. Recruit OEFFA farmers willing to discuss economics of their
operation, help them develop as speakers, and use them in
Speakers' Bureau
Goal 3:
Recommendations:
Increase efforts to educate a new consumer base about the relative
personal, social, ecological, and economic benefits of supporting local
and organic farmers through expanded outreach efforts to new
constituencies.
1. Continually update the content and improve tools available on the
OEFFA website
2. Continue to make OEFFA members' farms available through farm
tours or other opportunities specifically geared to consumers.
3. Develop a marketing/communication/outreach program/strategy
that would include:
a. Developing consumer-oriented PPT presentation to be used
when talking to the public and which can expand
participation in the speakers bureau
b. Implementing the "homegrown" promotion program:
I. Fact sheets for consumers (can be distributed by
producers at farmers markets, and other venues
II. Distributing buttons (""ask me how I grew it"") and
Point of Sale materials for ""Homegrown"" marketing
program"
c. Creating a plan for placing articles in media, add resource
materials to website, which make a clear case for the health
benefits of organics (re: residues, nutrit. value), also argues for
local foods as econ. development and for fresh tastes
Goal 4:
Recommendations:
Support transfer of appropriate technology, with specific attention to
season extension and small farm technologies.
1. Regularly include these as conference workshops.
2. Feature these topics in intensive workshop.
3. Help farmers reduce on-farm energy use through utilization of alt.
energy and energy-conserving technologies.
POLICY DEVELOPMENT & ADVOCACY: All work which OEFFA undertakes takes
place within the bounds imposed by policies. It is incumbent on OEFFA to advocate for
policies supportive of sustainable farming and family farms.
Goal 1:
Recommendations:
Improve OEFFA’s capacity to advocate for (and even proactively
develop) local, state, and federal policies and programs (including
appropriations) supportive of sustainable family farming and amend
existing regulatory barriers through lobbying and grassroots efforts.
1. Allocate staff (Exec. Dir.) time for greater involvement with national
partners such as Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and/or National
Organic Coalition.
2. Engage members by:
a. Establishing electronic action alert network and offering
events to membership around policy issues.
b. Tracking (in OEFFA database) interest in policy and provide
training to interested members.
c. Developing tools to engage volunteers and track
participation.
d. Utilize members to track articles in major Ohio newspapers
and write responses as LTEs
e. Establish a "policy coordinator" staff position, or add this
function to an existing staff position.
f. Review all OEFFA goals and programs for the purpose of
identifying associated policy development and advocacy
opportunities and to the extent permitted by the C-3 tax
exempt status, strive to make policy development and
advocacy an integral part of all OEFFA activities.
g. Seek funding to include in each annual budget a line item to
support OEFFA member/staff travel to D.C. for fly-ins and
other opportunities to meet with elected representatives.
Goal 2:
Wage a broad public campaign to educate the public and policymakers regarding economic benefits of local and organic agriculture,
especially the role they play in fostering sustainable economic
revitalization and redevelopment of urban neighborhoods and rural
communities.
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM: OEFFA is committed to providing organic certification
services and working in a manner that upholds the integrity of the organic label.
Goal 1:
Work with OEFFA (Education) to meet the informational and
educational needs of existing and transitioning organic producers by:
Recommendations:
1. Answer growers' (general) organic questions related to crop
production.
2. Hire an organic educator specializing in livestock issues to provide
services to organic producers (or those transitioning to organic)
3. Connect experienced growers with new growers through a voluntary
mentoring program.
4. Alert OEFFA Education staff of trends in order to inform
educational programming
5. Develop partnerships, such as with the OFFER Program, to enhance
educational outreach, advocate for the research needs of organic
producers, and produce educational materials.
Goal 2:
Recommendations:
Deliver professional, timely, and affordable certification services that
meet the needs of clients in accordance with the rules set forth by the
NOP.
1. Define the regional scope of the Certification program, review fee
2.
3.
4.
5.
Goal 3:
Recommendations:
structure, and charge higher fees from applicants located outside
OEFFA's primary region.
Produce an annual certification guide, which would have a list of
FAQs, resources available, and new interpretations of certification
standards. (Note: to be available electronically and on paper.)
Produce fact sheets, including documents that address products and
ingredients that ensure NOP compliance.
Explore with Greenfield Farms opportunities to train someone to
work with their producers to complete applications correctly; identify
Amish who may want to become IOIA-trained inspectors
Add an online certification bulletin board to the OEFFA website, to
be accessed by members through a password. (I am not sure what the
intention is here)
Preserve and increase the certification program's integrity.
1. Conduct "integrity inspections," annually re-inspecting 5% of
applications.
2. Post a separate list of certified growers on the OEFFA website.
3. Form a "standards committee" to advise Cert Staff on interpretation
of organic standards.
4. Work to educate producers, consumers, and farmers market
managers about the legal use of the term "organic."
Goal 4:
Recommendations
Maintain and increase the independent inspector pool
1. Host another inspector training.
2. Ensure a competitive pay rate and increase in income by organizing
multiple daily inspections when possible.