Farm Membership

Thank you for your commitment and dedication to providing Kansans with locally produced food and specialty crops.

Our Local Food-Kaw River Valley wants to make it easier for consumers and businesses to find and support your farm!

We are a network of local farms, farmers markets, food businesses and consumers who are committed to increasing the production and sales of fresh, local foods here in Kansas. The Our Local Food Program is supported by the Kansas Rural Center (our founding sponsor) plus the Kansas Department of Agriculture through a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant and the USDA Risk Management Agency.

We hope that you will join us by becoming a Charter Member of the Our Local Food Program!

As a Farm Member, you will receive a range of services and individual support from our coordinator and interns, including:

• Placement of your farm name, information and profile on our web site (launching early summer)
• Sales opportunities with member markets, restaurants, and institutions who are committed to buying local
• A regular e-newsletter in which you can promote your farm events and activities to interested consumers
• Events through which you can directly interact with consumers
• TV, radio, internet, and print media publicity about our efforts to grow our local food system and its farm members, including you!
• Marketing materials that you can use wherever you market your farm, including an electronic version of our logo plus future materials that may include logo stickers, banners, price cards and more.

As a“Charter Member," in addition to the above, you will receive:

• a 20% discount on annual membership fee in future years as long as you continue to participate in the Our Local Food program
• discount registration for Our Local Food-Kaw River Valley events, such as our Producer/Purchaser Workshop.

Annual Membership Fee: $25 *
* If you produce specialty crops–defined by USDA as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture–you are eligible for complementary 2011 OLF membership through a Kansas Departments of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant. Farms that only produce non-specialty crops, such as meat, dairy, and grains are not eligible for support from the grant and must submit the $25 annual membership fee.

Please join us in connecting your farm products with consumers who value the delicious bounty of local foods. We look forward to working with you!
Sincerely,

Mercedes Taylor-Puckett
Our Local Food Program Director
785.840.6202
mercedes.taylorpuckett@gmail.com

Register Now! 

Rules of Eligibility

FARMS:
Eligible for membership are farmers that grow or raise foods or other agricultural products (ornamental plants, bedding plants, cut flowers or Christmas trees) in the twelve county chapter region primarily for consumption in these counties. Farmers with a similar local focus who reside outside these counties may be approved for membership in the Our Local Food-Kaw River Valley (OLF-KRV) program based on one of the following exemptions:
1. a pre-existing market in the chapter region,
2. a product not readily available in the chapter region, or
3. the ability to significantly and uniquely stimulate the local food economy.

Please note:
The primary market for products promoted with OLF-KRV materials must be the campaign region.
OLF-KRV products must be traceable to a specific farm.
OLF-KRV materials should be used only for locally grown products. OLF-KRV members who also retail non-locally produced items are expected to be sure such products are properly labeled to distinguish them from local foods. Example: Missouri Peaches.

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Participation Agreement

PARTICIPATING FARMS, RESTAURANTS, CATERERS, GROCERS, MEAT LOCKERS, PROCESSORS, BROKERS AND DISTRIBUTORS AGREE TO:

• Use OLF-KRV promotional materials only in conjunction with qualifying local products;
• Agree to preserve the identity of the producer to the end consumer and be able to document the origin of any local products being promoted under the program;
• Commit to growing or purchasing local products and to work with the OLF-KRV staff to help facilitate the development of the Kaw River Valley local food market.
• Set a local purchasing goal (Business Members) of a particular percent or a particular dollar amount for the period of May-October, and report results back to the program in November (data tracking and data submission is voluntary but appreciated and critically important). Proprietary information, such as total dollars spent on local purchases by participating OLF-KRV producers, will be kept confidential, if requested.

KANSAS RURAL CENTER AGREES TO:

• Provide participating farms and businesses with OLF-KRV program promotional support.
• Serve as the operator of the Our Local Food-Kaw River Valley program, including attempting to measure and define the contributions of local, independently operated restaurants, local producers, and other stakeholders in developing the Kaw River Valley local food system, with associated economic, social and cultural benefits.
• Advocate for increased sales volume and market penetration of locally grown products in our area and throughout the state of Kansas.
• Host an online local food directory for businesses and consumers, which provides information about Our Local Food-Kaw River Valley members and sponsors.
• Provide access to special OLF-KRV events, merchandise and services.

PURPOSE: Because the effectiveness of the Our Local Food program (herein “OLF”) depends on consumer trust in the integrity of the OLF label (i.e. most importantly, products are locally produced and fresh), members AGREE to follow these guidelines to ensure appropriate, equitable and consistent use of the label by all parties involved.

LABEL & PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS: All OLF point of sale and promotional materials are copyrighted and MUST NOT BE COPIED or otherwise reproduced without prior written consent of the program. Membership in OLF provides you with permission. OLF-KRV promotional materials may only be used in connection with the sale of products meeting the local product and market area definitions (see below).

LOCAL PRODUCT DEFINITION: “Local product” means food products produced as close to the point of purchase or consumption, as possible. For the purpose of the Kaw River Valley campaign, the local product definition includes those products, which are produced, processed, prepared, raised, or grown, in Atchison, Douglas, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, or Wyandotte Counties.
Other products grown or produced in Kansas may meet the local product definition as determined on a case-by-case basis, in coordination with the Chapter Coordinator and Steering Committee.

LOCAL MARKET AREA DEFINITION: “Local market” means that any local product being advertised or otherwise promoted through the OLF campaign within Atchison, Douglas, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, or Wyandotte Counties.

FARM TRACEABILITY: With respect to meat, dairy, eggs, honey, processed foods, fruit and vegetables, the OLF label can be used only in the local market area for qualifying local products, traceable to specific, individual farms. For example, “Moonridge Farm garlic from McLouth” meets the traceability criteria for a local product.

LOCALLY PROCESSED FOODS: Locally processed foods carrying the OLF label must contain at least one primary local product or ingredient that is traceable to a specific, local farm. For example: an apple pie made by the Miller Family with local apples from Rees Fruit Farm in Topeka would qualify, but a locally baked apple pie that contains no locally produced ingredients would not.

PROGRAM VIOLATIONS: Any participant who violates one or more of the program guidelines above may be asked to immediately terminate all promotional activities associated with the OLF-KRV campaign, at the sole discretion of program management. Membership fees and fees paid for promotional materials are non-refundable.

EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPING LOCAL MARKETS: The OLF campaign is intended to stimulate the economic, agricultural, and culinary vitality of the Kaw River Valley by promoting locally owned and operated, independent family and community-based farms and other food related businesses, which are primarily serving this local market area. This program is neither designed, nor intended to support local producers, processors, or food artisans who either a) have a non-local ownership structure, or b) have well-established distribution channels outside of this local market area. For example, tomatoes from Missouri do not meet the guidelines for the OLF label. The campaign reserves the right to disqualify any local product, which does not meet these guidelines or the general spirit of the campaign, under its sole discretion.