FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
What are the forces pushing our Douglas County Community towards Local Food and what are the forces pulling us away from a local food system?
Pushing us Towards:
Sociological
- We have the demand
- Customer loyalty has built an expectation of local food choices
- Provided many recent documentaries and information on local food in the popular media
- Community and value system that includes good food.
- The time is right.
- Media/outside influence results in increased awareness in our community of quality and flavor, taste.
- Restaurants draw customers with local food
- Local pride, community connections, building professional networks, bridges, resiliency
- Choosing local vendors for distribution
- Desire for a return to traditional food system
Health
- Fear for food safety
- Concerns about our individual food systems being safe
- Benefits to health options
- Educated kids and parents on value of “good” food
- Federal new requirement for healthier school food
Economic
- Niche Market
- Keeping $ local
- Partnerships with supply chains
- Higher income input, higher value market
- Change in supply…more agile to demand
- Because it is local, it helps our economy grow
- Save $ by growing your own
Environmental
- Less food waste
- Food safety in relation in pesticide use
- Sustainability issues
- Lack of local grocery chain=increased incentive to garden
Pulling Us Away:
Sociological
- Laws do not support local efforts (prevent market)
- A lower income /educational demographic= lower expectations and where with all to participate
- Education and knowledge
- Access
- Knowledge of where to find local food
- Convenience- consumer must make multiple stops
- Eating out. Wish for more attention by restaurants on local food
- Location of access…no public transport to get to the food, hours that food is available,
- Lack of understanding or awareness
- Habits of consumers. Need more education on how to eat locally, seasonally, etc.
- Lack of diverse people in all conversations about local food and community
- Lack of leadership , formal and political
- Lack of outlets
- Lack of Gardening knowledge
Health
- Fear by consumers that food is not inspected or safe
Economic
- Supply of local food
- Seasonality /accessibility
- Higher costs
- Fluctuating supply
- Not enough volume to market
- Large capital investment
- Low # of vendors limits expansion
- Adding SNAP
- Cost of eating healthy
- Geography of growers and market spread out
- Farmers make more $ selling at auction and shipping out of local market
- Retail: profit margin is narrow
- Economy of scale
- Regulations cost $
- Cost, real or perceived
- Infrastructure is not very developed.
- Certifications/rules i.e.-FDA create barriers or restrictions
- Time is money for both purchasers and sellers
Environmental
- Short growing season
