Roles for Educatorsin Economic Development

In the Context of Two “Local Food” Projects

Greg LawlessAg Innovation Center, Director

UW-ExtensionScaling Up Local Sustainable Food Systems Conference

Madison, WisconsinSeptember 28, 2010

In a prolonged recession, with budgetary and political pressures to cut public sector funding, Extension may

want to increase and publicize its role in economic development.

Types of Roles• Applied researcher– Data collection & analysis– Zoomerang® surveys

• Information provider– Organizing workshops– Making presentations– Via Extension webpages

• Network organizer – start-up• Network facilitator – on-going

Types of Roles• Strategic planning – Facilitator– Participant

• Grant writer• Storyteller– Text, photos, video– Press releases

• Matchmaker– Creating space for collaboration– Connecting individual companies

Risks & Dangers• High expectations• Risk of failure• Politically-charged issues• Intense personalities• Turf battles• Dynamic, unpredictable forces• Unclear boundaries for engagement

Engagement Continuum

Opinion provider

Selectivity,favoritism

Command & control

Applied Researcher

Advocate, promoter

Strategy team member

Information provider

Two Local Food Projects

• Grocers Buy Local – regional pilot project• Food Business Incubator Network (FoodBIN)

Grocers Buy Local

• Partners: Wisconsin Dept of Agriculture, Thrive and the Wisconsin Grocers Association

• Utilized a state-owned marketing logo

Video clip – not aired

2-second clip – went public

What is a Food Business Incubator?

• Access to processing facilities

• Wrap-around technical assistance and support– Business plan

development, Label generation, Pricing, Marketing, Distribution, Regulatory issues, etc

– May also include shared office facilities and services

Incubator composition

• Food entrepreneur incubation

• Product incubation/ custom processing

• Hybrid usage

Food business incubators can:

• Support early stage development of local food products

• Provide satisfying employment—as a long term endeavor or short term strategy

• Offer a diversification option for area farms

Developing strong companies

• International distribution

• Dedicated facility• 2 owners have hired 4

additional employees to assist with operations

Diversifying farm income

Food Business Incubator Network• Algoma: Algoma Farm Market Kitchen• Beloit: Bushel & Peck's Local Market• Gays Mills: Kickapoo Kitchen• Madison: FEED Madison• Mazomanie: Heritage Kitchen Incubator• Mineral Point: Iowa County Econ

Development/Hodan Center• Monroe: Green County Economic

Devel.and Green County UW-Extension• Prairie du Chein: Opportunity Center• Viroqua: Vernon County Development

Asoc. and Vernon County UW-Extension• Watertown: Farm Market Kitchen• Thrive• UW-Extension Ag Innovation Center

Food BIN Roles

• Balancing group cohesion with inclusivity

• Differing public vs. private sector needs

• Meeting economic development goals