THE EASTERN FOOD HUB COLLABORATIVE (EFC) IS A NETWORK OF FOOD HUBS AND FOOD SYSTEM ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO GOOD FOOD FOR ALL PEOPLE. EFC INCLUDES 12 FOOD HUB MEMBERS AND FIVE COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS, REPRESENTING GROWER COMMUNITIES AND FOOD HUB NETWORKS ALONG A 1,000 MILE STRETCH OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES FROM MAINE TO SOUTH CAROLINA. IN 2021, THE FOOD HUB MEMBERS OF THE COLLABORATIVE PROCURED MORE THAN 18M IN LOCAL FOOD FROM 800 PARTICIPATING PRODUCERS, WITH COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING EFFORTS THROUGH LOCAL NETWORK MANAGEMENT, VALUE CHAIN COORDINATION, AND GROWER SERVICES. THE EFC IS A PROGRAM OF LOCAL FOOD HUB.THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THE EFC WILL COMPLETE FOUR PLANNING OBJECTIVES: - OBJECTIVE 1: UNDERTAKE A MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-STAKEHOLDER STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS TO ESTABLISH A FIVE-YEAR VISION FOR EQUITABLE AND IMPACTFUL NETWORK DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNANCE.- OBJECTIVE 2: RESPOND TO CHANGING TECHNOLOGY NEEDS BY PILOTING INTEGRATED SUPPLY DEMAND FORECASTING AND PRODUCTION PLANNING SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS DEVELOPING TOOLS TO INCREASE COLLABORATION ON FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCE, ACCESS, AND EQUITY.- OBJECTIVE 3: DESIGN A HUB-TO-HUB (H2H) TRADE AGREEMENT TOOLKIT, PROVIDING BEST PRACTICES AND FINANCIAL PROFORMAS BASED ON REAL-WORLD TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN MEMBERS.- OBJECTIVE 4: FACILITATE VIRTUAL AND FACE-TO-FACE CONVENINGS OF EFC MEMBERS AND OUTSIDE STAKEHOLDERS, RESULTING IN DEMONSTRABLY INCREASED PEER-TO-PEER ENGAGEMENT, RESOURCE SHARING, AND TRADE.DURING THE PROGRAMS 2-YEAR PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE, THE EFC WILL GROW TO SUPPORT 1,200 GROWERS WITH OVER 30M IN PROCUREMENT. EFC WILL PROVIDE NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES FOR 20 FOOD HUB TRADING PARTNERS AND 10 COLLABORATING ORGANIZATIONS, COLLECTIVELY GENERATING 40M IN GROSS SALES OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THE EFCS WORK WILL NOT ONLY GENERATE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SMALL FARM REVENUES IT WILL PREPARE THE NETWORK TO MOVE FORWARD WITH INTENTION AND CONFIDENCE, DEMONSTRATING A TRANSPARENT, FINANCIALLY-VIABLE, AND REPLICABLE MODEL FOR BUILDING STRONGER REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMSBEYOND THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE, THE EFC WILL PUT PLANS AND LESSONS LEARNED INTO ACTION, ENSURING CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. USING IMPROVED SHARED TECHNOLOGIES, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE POLICIES, AND SUPPORTED BY AN INTENTIONAL AND HIGH-TRUST COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE, THE EFC WILL IMPLEMENT THE BUSINESS PLAN DESIGNED UNDER THIS PROGRAM, RESULTING IN OVER 100M IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL PROCUREMENT BY EFC MEMBERS BY 2030. MOREOVER, EFC WILL LEVERAGE ITS INCREASED OUTREACH AND WORK THROUGH PARTICIPATING NETWORKS-OF-NETWORKS TO DISSEMINATE PROGRAM BEST PRACTICES AND SHARE A SUSTAINABLE, SCALABLE, AND REPLICABLE MODEL FOR NETWORK-BASED FOOD SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT NATIONWIDE.
Posted 10/30/23, 12:00 AM