Success of the New North Florida Cooperative:

A Progress Report on

Producer Direct Sales to School Districts

A group of local, limited-resource growers in the northern

Florida area, along with the U.S. Department ofAgriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) andNatural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the WestFlorida Resource Conservation and Development Council(WFRCDC), and the Small Farmer Outreach Training andTechnical Assistance Project of Florida A&M University,are working together with the goal of bettering thefarmers’ financial situations through innovativemarketing.The New North Florida Cooperative (Cooperative) soldproduce to a school district for its school lunch program.The first year of the pilot project resulted in encouragingprogress for the New North Florida Cooperative. Thisgroup of small farmers faced numerous barriers anddifficulties, including weather, credit, governmentregulations, social attitudes, and preexisting preferences.They showed it was possible to form a cooperative ofsmall farmers and profit from new marketing opportunities. The successes and learning experiences of thefirst year of the pilot project will enable the Cooperativeto improve its production and marketing in the future.Successes During the First Year of the Pilot Project3 Innovative Partnership for Assistance: The cooperative effort of USDA, WFRCDC, and Florida A&M

University was designed to provide small farmers withmuch-needed assistance. AMS, NRCS, WFRCDC, andFlorida A&M each have particular expertise and resources. The success of the pilot project was the resultof the collaborative efforts of the agencies and organizations involved in this small farm outreach project.

3 Organization: The Cooperative refined its internal

organization during the first year of the pilot project.The roles of participants were established to enablesmall farmers to concentrate on what they do best,farm. The responsibilities of the management teamwere clearly defined, which eliminated many potentialmisunderstandings. The organization of operatingprocedures for handling fresh fruit and vegetables wasmodified so that the Cooperative could more efficientlyprovide high-quality products in a timely manner.

3 Equipment: The first year of the pilot project resulted

in dramatic improvements in postharvest handling.The Cooperative built a packing/processing shed andbought a refrigeration system, cutting machine, andwashing sinks. These investments improved theefficiency of postharvest handling, improved thequality of leafy greens sold to local schools, andalleviated labor demands on the participants.

3 Market Development: This was one of the most

important successes during the first year of the pilotproject. Overcoming real and perceived barriers, themanagement team opened many doors of opportunity.

3 Delivery Record: The Cooperative made eight separate

deliveries of leafy greens and five separate deliveriesof fruit during the 1997/98 school year. The productssold were high-quality, fresh fruits and vegetablesdelivered in a timely manner.

3 Income for Small Farmers: The Cooperative diligently

followed its mission statement by facilitating the flowof profit from a value-added business operation to andwithin the community. The Cooperative provided itsparticipants with immediate payment upon pickup ofharvested fruit and vegetables.
p

During the First Year

he pilot-project, the Cooperative

n building a strong, long-term

fficulties were encountered, the

ment team viewed each difficulty

 be overcome. The solutions to

 the efficiency of the Cooperative

 business in the long run.

leafy greens to schools in

er, the plants have to be started

mmer. Florida summers are

n be very dry. These are not

to leafy greens, a cold-weather

s withered under the heat and

eet its delivery schedule, the

rchase leafy greens from growers

et the challenges next summer

ation and improving production

on: Strawberry production was

ve and its participants. There

hat resulted in the strawberry

itable as many had hoped. The

ave frost protection equipment,

stantial freezing damage to the

uring an extreme cold spell in

so experienced with the

of the fresh, ripe strawberries.

weet, ripe strawberries for their

s. The delicate condition of ripe

e postharvest handling mistakes

hese difficulties have motivated

prove production and postharvest

next year.

art of the school year, the

have a cutting machine or

y. The management team knew

lly have to make these

g

y

g 

g

temperatures before delivery dates. Immediately beforeone delivery date, unusually warm weather resultedin the loss of over 1,000 pounds of cut and bagged,leafy greens. The loss underlined the necessity forrefrigeration. It caused the management team to quicklypurchase a refrigeration system, which resulted ingreater success for the remainder of the school year.

The second equipment-related learning experience

was the realization that the cut size of the leafy greens,2 inches square, did not meet the specifications ofsome local schools. The size of cut was acceptable forthe Gadsden County schools but not for JacksonCounty schools. To solve this problem, the Cooperativeis looking to purchase another machine that willprovide a finer size cut of leafy greens. Although thiswill require an additional equipment investment, itwill enable the Cooperative to market two lines of cut,leafy greens, the Country Cut and the Fine Cut.

3 Efficiency: The learning experiences in the fall of 1997

showed the management team that the efficiency ofthe operation had to be improved. The improvementsin equipment and organization greatly increasedefficiency and productivity.

3 Cooperative Effort of Small Farmers: Some initial

growing pains were experienced as the growers learnedto work together. Several participants left theCooperative because of their preference to operateindependently or for other economic or schedulingreasons. Another difficulty was unrealistic expectationsof financial return. This created tension in the newCooperative as it established itself as a business. Themanagement team worked hard to combat theseproblems. Although some growers left the Cooperativein disappointment, additional participants have joined,and most are positive about the prospect of a betterfuture on their family farms.

This bulletin is the fourth in a series of four targeted toinform small farmers across the country of the potentialof innovative marketing enterprises. The other bulletinsdescribing the experiences of the New North FloridaCooperative are:

y

g 

Customers in a Local Market

3 Small Farmer Success Story: Acquiring Capital and

Establishing a Credit History

A full report on the Cooperative can be obtained at USDA,AMS, T&M, MTA, Room 1207-S, 1400 Independence Ave.,SW., Washington, DC 20250; telephone 202-720-8326;fax 202-690-3616; or e-mail dan.schofer@usda.gov.Information on farmer direct marketing and farmersmarkets is available on the Internet at

www.ams.usda.gov/marketing.htm.

This bulletin was made possible by the joint efforts ofDan Schofer (AMS), Glyen Holmes (NRCS), VondaRichardson (Florida A&M University), and CharlesConnerly (WFRCDC).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs andactivities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, politicalbeliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to allprograms.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication ofprogram information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGETCenter at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 orcall 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
p

During the First Year

he pilot-project, the Cooperative

n building a strong, long-term

fficulties were encountered, the

ment team viewed each difficulty

 be overcome. The solutions to

 the efficiency of the Cooperative

 business in the long run.

leafy greens to schools in

er, the plants have to be started

mmer. Florida summers are

n be very dry. These are not

to leafy greens, a cold-weather

s withered under the heat and

eet its delivery schedule, the

rchase leafy greens from growers

et the challenges next summer

ation and improving production

on: Strawberry production was

ve and its participants. There

hat resulted in the strawberry

itable as many had hoped. The

ave frost protection equipment,

stantial freezing damage to the

uring an extreme cold spell in

so experienced with the

of the fresh, ripe strawberries.

weet, ripe strawberries for their

s. The delicate condition of ripe

e postharvest handling mistakes

hese difficulties have motivated

prove production and postharvest

next year.

art of the school year, the

have a cutting machine or

y. The management team knew

lly have to make these

g

y

g 

g

temperatures before delivery dates. Immediately beforeone delivery date, unusually warm weather resultedin the loss of over 1,000 pounds of cut and bagged,leafy greens. The loss underlined the necessity forrefrigeration. It caused the management team to quicklypurchase a refrigeration system, which resulted ingreater success for the remainder of the school year.

The second equipment-related learning experience

was the realization that the cut size of the leafy greens,2 inches square, did not meet the specifications ofsome local schools. The size of cut was acceptable forthe Gadsden County schools but not for JacksonCounty schools. To solve this problem, the Cooperativeis looking to purchase another machine that willprovide a finer size cut of leafy greens. Although thiswill require an additional equipment investment, itwill enable the Cooperative to market two lines of cut,leafy greens, the Country Cut and the Fine Cut.

3 Efficiency: The learning experiences in the fall of 1997

showed the management team that the efficiency ofthe operation had to be improved. The improvementsin equipment and organization greatly increasedefficiency and productivity.

3 Cooperative Effort of Small Farmers: Some initial

growing pains were experienced as the growers learnedto work together. Several participants left theCooperative because of their preference to operateindependently or for other economic or schedulingreasons. Another difficulty was unrealistic expectationsof financial return. This created tension in the newCooperative as it established itself as a business. Themanagement team worked hard to combat theseproblems. Although some growers left the Cooperativein disappointment, additional participants have joined,and most are positive about the prospect of a betterfuture on their family farms.

This bulletin is the fourth in a series of four targeted toinform small farmers across the country of the potentialof innovative marketing enterprises. The other bulletinsdescribing the experiences of the New North FloridaCooperative are:

y

g 

Customers in a Local Market

3 Small Farmer Success Story: Acquiring Capital and

Establishing a Credit History

A full report on the Cooperative can be obtained at USDA,AMS, T&M, MTA, Room 1207-S, 1400 Independence Ave.,SW., Washington, DC 20250; telephone 202-720-8326;fax 202-690-3616; or e-mail dan.schofer@usda.gov.Information on farmer direct marketing and farmersmarkets is available on the Internet at

www.ams.usda.gov/marketing.htm.

This bulletin was made possible by the joint efforts ofDan Schofer (AMS), Glyen Holmes (NRCS), VondaRichardson (Florida A&M University), and CharlesConnerly (WFRCDC).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs andactivities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, politicalbeliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to allprograms.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication ofprogram information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGETCenter at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 orcall 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.