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Grants and Projects

 

Opportunities for Values-based Supply Chains on the North Olympic Peninsula Feasibility Study, 2019
Extension colleagues within the WSU Regional Small Farms Program, North Olympic Development Council, and the Local Food Trust assessed the viability of coordinated production and processing of vegetables for small-scale farmers on the North Olympic Peninsula. Opportunities for the centralized aggregation, processing, storage, and distribution of produce for commercial consumption and noncommercial consumption by area residents were explored. After determining that a larger scale, infrastructure heavy approach to processing and aggregation was not feasible given limitations with both supply (scale of current production) and supplier interest and capacity, it was determined that focusing on smaller-scale, targeted value-chain investments and business assistance for farmers could achieve similar goals to grow the agricultural sectors.

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Meat Producer Survey Result Summary, 2019

WSU Extension colleagues in Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap County, along with regional partner organizations, collected survey results from meat producers as part of a broader feasbility of a USDA Meat Processing Unit on the Olympic Peninsula. The goal of the survey was to identify red meat producers currently using USDA processing, or would if it were more accessible, what volume of animals they produce, and what their processing needs are.

There were 77 Total Respondents – 63 currently derive income from the sale of red meat, 14 do not currently but may in the future.

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Olympic Crossroads Report, 2012

Report prepared by Laura Lewis, former WSU Jefferson County Extension Director and Drew Katz, Extension Associate.

The purpose of this report is to share the findings from the Olympic Crossroads Food Hub Meeting held on 6/26/2012. The meeting was hosted by WSU Extension Jefferson County and the JWJ Group, and attended by over 20 community stakeholders. The old Courtesy Ford building and surrounding property located at the intersection of SR 19 & SR 20 in Jefferson County was owned by the JWJ Group and has been available for lease or sale for the past several years. The JWJ Group approached WSU Extension during the winter of 2012 to see if they had any interest in occupying the building. While the space did not suit the needs of the Extension office, it was suggested that it could be an ideal location for a food aggregation hub. The JWJ Group became interested in this idea and asked WSU Extension to assist them in convening food and farm stakeholders to determine the interest of the community in the property, with the goal of a lease agreement for part or all of the building space. Therefore, the aim of the meeting was to (1) convene local and regional food and farm stakeholders whom WSU Extension had previously identified as having distribution, storage, processing or other aggregation needs/interests; (2) facilitate a discussion on the suitability of the Courtesy Ford building as a potential site to address the above mentioned needs and interests; and (3) identify and propose appropriate next steps based on the findings from the meeting.

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Jefferson County Farmer Survey Report, 2012

In March 2011, Katherine Baril, the recently retired Director of the Washington State University Jefferson County Extension, gave a public presentation on food and farm issues for the Jefferson County Planning Commission as part of the Commission’s review of the Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code (UDC) and in preparation for the 2016 Periodic Update required by the State Growth Management Act. Inspired by Dr. Baril’s talk and after an impromptu discussion with the audience, which included many long-time advocates of local agriculture, the planning commissioners expressed their desire to consider changes to the County’s comprehensive plan to help preserve farm land and to support our Jefferson County farmers. In a moment ripe for collaboration, Citizens for Local Food (CLF) coalesced from the local agriculture supporters in attendance. CLF then began meeting for the purpose of drafting, conducting, analyzing and reporting on a comprehensive survey of our local farmers, and to deliver the results of this work to the Planning Commission.

Read the Report