U.P. Agricultural Assessment
As interest in local food increases so does the pressure on our local farmers to keep pace with this demand. As a significant purchaser of local food, the Marquette Food Co-op has an active interest in assessing the needs of local farmers in order to ensure a steady supply of high quality food for our owners and customers. Beyond that, we strongly believe that a vibrant local food economy is integral to the health of our small rural communities and we are entirely invested in helping develop food security here in the U.P. Our Co-op currently assists local farmers in a variety of ways from marketing to purchasing.
Our Co-op as well as other organizations and groups in the U.P. want to do more, but we need to hear from the farmers themselves as to what their needs are. This is where you come in. We have teamed up with MSU Extension, The Eastern Upper Peninsula Food Hub Project, and Northern Michigan University’s Center for Community and Economic Development to conduct a comprehensive survey of U.P. Farms that sell directly to consumers. We are interested in hearing from all U.P. producers of hay, vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, mushrooms, fiber, maple syrup, honey, flowers, and plant starts regardless of growing practices. Our survey is inclusive of conventional and organic farms of all sizes.
We truly need your help to get an accurate picture of the needs of U.P. farmers. No individual farm information will be published under any circumstances. All of your responses will remain completely confidential. No names or addresses will ever be connected with the information provided. Please note that the questions about income are asked strictly to help us get a better understanding of the total financial contribution local farmers are making overall to local economies and will in no way be linked to your farm in the compiled survey results. Upon completion, only the compiled information will be shared with survey participants, the agencies working on the project, state officials, and those interested in U.P. agriculture.
| |
|
| |
|