WESTMINSTER — The Great Falls Food Hub (GFFH) recently received a $25,000 grant from the John Merck Fund that will further help it to advance its mission of developing a regional food center and distribution system.
The John Merck Fund has been a supporter of other regional food system projects in Vermont, and has recently expanded is funding of local food projects across New England.
Also, John Ryan, a consultant with Development Cycles, will conduct a feasibility study for GFFH for the project.
“We are particularly happy to have a consultant of John's background and expertise,” said Carl Mailler, GFFH Project Coordinator, “and feel that he will greatly help us move toward our goal of making locally-produced foods available and affordable in southern Vermont and New Hampshire while providing a fair return to farmers.”
The Great Falls Food Hub is a project of Post Oil Solutions, in partnership with Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA). The Food Hub's purpose is to support local agriculture in the Vermont counties of Windham and Windsor, as well as Sullivan and Cheshire counties in New Hampshire through the creation of services and facilities that will support farmers and food producers.
This may include a licensed, commercial-sized processing kitchen that will accommodate value-added, incubator, commercial, and educational activities; dry, cold and frozen storage facilities for ingredients and retail-ready products; a regional distribution system for fresh, stored, and value added local food products; and a retail outlet of its own.
Through this variety of services and facilities, the Food Hub hopes to provide locally and regionally produced food to institutions, such as schools and hospitals, as well as retail stores (including the Hub's), food co-ops and restaurants.
Ryan, who began his work for GFFH in January, 2011, is familiar with food system infrastructure, business planning and economic development. His study, which will be completed by June, will establish the feasibility and financial viability of the initiative and begin the development of the physical and social infrastructure needed to ensure its success.
The feasibility analysis includes identifying farmers and other producers that can benefit from the Food Hub, creating a methodology and conducting a survey to identify their needs, determining the ways that collaborators might use or contribute to a regional food center and community kitchen/commercial processing facility, and staging community forums to present the findings.
Following the feasibility study, the GFFH will undertake the development of a business and sustainable implementation plan, conduct a site search and analysis to identify and select an appropriate location for any identified facilities, and further develop programming to achieve our regional goals.
The Food Hub and Post Oil Solutions is actively reaching out to the community through films and forums, and sponsoring classes and workshops around gardening, cooking, storing and preserving food.
Through its Interim Working Committee, the Food Hub has been guided by a number of highly motivated people with a variety of skills and experiences essential to moving the project forward. It is now looking to recruit people with relevant expertise and background to serve on its Board of Directors and Advisory Board.
Interested parties should contact Mailler at greatfallsfoodhub@sevca.org. Further information about the Food Hub can be found at www.greatfallsfoodhub.com.