This project will employ a mixed methods study to understand the distinct needs of black, hispanic, and tribal producers around access and entry into wholesale markets, and the core competencies of…

This project will employ a mixed methods study to understand the distinct needs of black, hispanic, and tribal producers around access and entry into wholesale markets, and the core competencies of curriculum and preferred modes of delivery to meet these distinct needs. The project plans to deliver this data and resources to regional technical assistance providers, including the regional food business centers (RFBCS) that will support them in understanding and meeting those distinct needs. The research team will review all existing technical assistance [curricula, training manuals, courses, outreach and training activities, singular events, etc.] that fall within defined typologies [market access, marketing, distribution, finance, management, funding/grant development, aggregation/intermediary sales, compliance and social equity-based technical assistance and scaling models] and develop a preliminary recommendation of core competencies for black-, hispanic-, and tribal- centered wholesale scaling curriculum. Lead and CO-lead cooperators will develop outreach and engagement process to producer network leaders, thought leaders, organizational and institutional technical assistance providers [research subjects] to acquire curriculums, develop relationships, discuss, and review resource competencies. Expected deliverables 1. Qualitative and quantitative data informed best practices report on the distinct technical assistance needs of black, hispanic, and tribal producers that would support technical assistance development, outreach, and engagement when scaling to into wholesale markets. 2. Develop multiple engagements and trainings with regional food business center and critical stakeholders, to present summary outputs to support their efforts in developing technical assistance for wholesale market access for black, hispanic, and tribal producers. 3. Provide summary outputs tailored to inform the USDA 2501 and other USDA programs that service black, hispanic, and tribal producers in wholesale scaling and market readiness. 4. Scholarly journal article and conference outreach and engagement on project methodology, outcomes and summary outputs. A. The federal agency will: 1. Provide project federal lead, CO-lead and technical assistance specialists that support project objectives and outcomes, and support cooperator in completing quarterly and annual performance reports. 2. Collaborate with cooperator(S) to meet all objectives and outcomes stated on the scope of work and within the timeline and deadline of project scope as stated in this agreement. 3. Connect public-available federal resources that are determined imperative to obtain project objectives and outcomes. 4. Communicate the charge, the timeline, the deliverables, and the role of the federal agency via an initial conference call with the cooperator and project team. 5. Participate in subsequent conference calls and meetings about the scope and framing of any public outputs including surveys, focus groups and summary outputs. Communicate as needed with the cooperator and project team to plan or follow-up on calls and meetings. 6. Review and provide feedback on all materials developed through this agreement. 7. Connect USDA-AMS outreach and technical assistance staff with project team and cooperators to support national outreach of summary outputs. 8. Launch summary outputs, resources and conduct public outreach to train on the use of the resources and recommendations, and conduct internal meetings with 12 regional food business centers to discuss best practices report. Materials will be shared with the 2501 program participants. B. The cooperator will: 1. Provide project cooperator research lead, post-doctoral researcher and subrecipient researchers as stated in the scope of work, during time frame of project. 2. Meet all objectives and outcomes stated on the scope of work and within the timeline and deadline of project scope as stated in this agreement. 3. Meet on a regularly occurring basis with federal lead and specialists to forward project objectives and outcomes. 4. Provide a subaward to project cooperative sub-lead, illinois institute of technology, to advance project objectives and outcomes. 5. Conduct interviews and focus groups with black and hispanic, thought leaders, producer networks, other black- and hispanic- led institutions, and where feasible, directly with producers educators, in and surrounding the two identified pilot regions. 6. Conduct a literature review and secondary data scan to reinforce the understanding of distinct black and hispanic producer's needs and market access. 7. Conduct a data analysis and synthesis of available resources; development of best practices report provided to regional food business centers to support their development of technical assistance for black and hispanic producers. 8. Engagement with a USDA data specialist to support data resource development to create a local food economics program tab for static data and develop all summary outputs to critical stakeholders. 9. Review existing 2501 grant program reports from the most recent rounds of 3-year projects as provided by USDA-AMS staff and 2501 program coordinators. 10. Conduct an exhaustive review and analysis of current TA and learning resources currently available to support black and hispanic producers to engage in wholesale markets, including resources available to all producers as well as resources specifically targeted to black and hispanic producers