THE CENTER FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE CAMPAIGN FOR
THE CENTER FOR FOOD AGRICULTUREAND CAMPAIGN FOR Bringing Food, Farm, and Communities Forward
The Center will embody regenerative principles and be among the first closedloop, zero-waste farmers markets in the world. It will serve as an essential connection point between those who need quality, nutrient-dense foods and those who make their livelihoods providing this produce in a way that protects soils, pastures and seas.
DEAR PARTNERS, For over 39 years, the Marin Farmers Market on Thursday and Sunday has been devoted to creating access to quality food, advancing the economic viability of farmers, and fostering community resilience. The time has come to bring this vital community asset to its next phase of growth. Join us in an important new chapter with The Center for Food and Agriculture.
It will reflect AIM’s values of building a food system that is equitable by supporting small to midsize farmers, family businesses, and underrepresented communities.
In partnership with the County of Marin, the Center was approved in 2014 with 84% of Marin County residents voting to establish the project. With immense historical momentum, public enthusiasm “Together, we can ensure that the people who grow, catch and harvest food that nourishes all of us — and our planet — have the resources that they need in order to thrive.”
In 2022, our food system’s inequities and dysfunctions have only become more exposed: diet-related disease, loss of viable farmland and small family farms, racism in food production, soil loss, water scarcity, flood risk, excess food waste, and carbon emissions from a globalized food system.
AIM is committed to addressing all of these interrelated issues, and the Center will facilitate the work required to do so.
HEAL FOOD ALLIANCE
Bringing Food, Farm, and Communities Forward
for the Center continues to build. The State of California has already invested $2 million in seed funding to turn our plan into reality. The Center for Food and Agriculture is our response to the community and our need to nurture the health of our bodies and of our shared environment. We present to you our vision for the Center. Join us in building this world-class hub which will connect communities to a regional farming system that will heal our land and planet. There is no better time or place for us to realize our healthier food Pleaseculture.support the creation of The Center for Food and Agriculture and, together, we can make a difference in shaping the future of food. Thank you, Andy Naja-Riese AIM CEO
Nearly every week since 1983, the Marin Farmers Market was situated on borrowed parking lots. Leased on a month-to-month basis, this once small local market has grown to support hundreds of small and midsize farm and food businesses, nourishing more than 15,000 households each week. Now it is AIM’s flagship location, one of California’s larger farmers markets, with a diverse variety of seasonal vegetables, fruits, seafood, meats, and artisanal goods. Beyond just a place to shop, the market empowers a radical direct relationship between independently-owned and operated farms, ranchers, food purveyors, artisans and our local communities. Such quality engagement has evolved into a community-centered cultural fixture where critical bonds have formed between producers and eaters with an intentional commitment to sustain each other and the land. This beloved cultural destination has become a bustling community hub for social connection and responsible food production. Fostering direct relationships with California farmers and producers across 40+ counties with local chefs and eaters, AIM has become a leader in the “delicious revolution”. The time has come for our farmers market to put down roots in a permanent space—one that will continue to serve as a vibrant public commons that truly honors regional food, farms and producers.
The mission of the Center for Food and Agriculture is to create a thriving model for a regenerative system where fresh and nutritious food is only the beginning. The Center will enable small to midsize farmers, fishers, food producers, and craft artisans to make a living while contributing to a system that fosters equity and environmental regeneration. It will be a place to connect us to our agricultural past and future, where we can engage with one another to build a healthier food culture.
An inspiring destination for eaters of all ages, cultures, incomes and abilities, the Center will be a one-of-a-kind space designed to bring farmers and communities together.
Our Vision
A MORE RESILIENT MARKETPLACE
WELCOME TO THE CENTER FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
The farmers market that we know today will evolve into an enduring marketplace that can withstand inclement weather, and will feature 250 10-feet by 10-feet spaces for producers, partially covered walkways, solar powered electricity, shade coverings, trees, restrooms and water/produce washing stations. It will also be a reliable space that can be utilized for community emergency response in times of crisis.
MISSION-MINDED
IMAGINE A LIVELY COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE
Dedicated to celebrating and fostering the interdependence of farmers and eaters, the pop-up village of producers will continue to offer the freshest local and sustainably produced food. Surrounded by climate-smart landscaping, the market will host shaded spaces to rest and learn about California native plants in the company of others.
Exemplifying a regenerative design approach, sunharvesting solar panels will supply electricity for use on site. Rainwater collection will supply irrigation to our climate and food demonstration gardens. Making a Center that is energetically self-sufficient and adds to the power grid will be a model for the entire country.
THE FARMERS MARKET OF THE FUTURE
Well-designed outdoor and indoor places for learning and growing will bring people of all ages together to celebrate seasonal produce through sensory-based interaction. Our demonstration kitchen and classroom space will afford hands-on experiences in cooking, food preservation, and change-making in our local and regional food system. A job board will support community residents in finding meaningful work in food and agriculture.
A VITAL POLLINATOR CORRIDOR, ESSENTIAL TO OUR FOOD SYSTEM Pollinators are essential to the production of food. Without them, fruit does not form, vegetables do not mature, and people are not able to be fed. A pollinator corridor onsite will be a friendly habitat where we will honor and protect their critical presence as they attract beneficial insects and birds.
EDUCATION THAT IGNITES CHANGES FROM WITHIN
DISCOVERING HOW FOOD IS GROWN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR A teaching and demonstration garden, complete with a green house, where visitors will become more intimate with how plants live and grow in the soil. Immersion in this garden prompts curiosity, teaches life cycles, and inspires people to move from observer to actor in the food system.
AIM is committed to the goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions and net zero energy. The Center will be fully electric without any onsite greenhouse gases. Low-flow plumbing fixtures will be incorporated to substantially reduce water use. The project will also target a goal of zero construction waste during Anconstruction.indoor-outdoor relationship with the building and site will provide a healthy and comfortable environment with thoughtful consideration of the site location, water use, energy use, and material selections. The design will also ensure resilience in the face of rising sea levels through historic waterways.
The Center exemplifies Wendell Berry’s concept of “solving for pattern” by presenting an integrated approach to repairing a fractured food system. We used an iterative and community engaged design process to create the overall vision for the project.
Design Innovation
CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY MEMBER MARC LEVINE, 10TH DISTRICT SELECT DESIGN FIRM MASTER PLANNING/CONCEPT FUNDRAISINGPR/OUTREACHCLOSECONSTRUCTIONPERMITTINGBIDDING/CONTRACTINGBUDGET/COSTDESIGNSITEENTITLEMENTS/DISCRETIONARYFEASIBILITY/ECONOMICS/BUSINESSDESIGNPLANAPPROVALSCONTROL/NEGOTIATIONSWITHCOUNTYSCHEMATICDESIGNDESIGNDEVELOPMENTCONSTRUCTIONDOCUMENTSESTIMATING/VEMARKETAREACENTERFORFOODANDAGRICULTUREOUT/PROJECTOPENING Q12019 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q12020 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q12021 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q12022 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q12023 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q12024 Q2 Q3 Q4
TIMELINE In 2024, the Bay Area will welcome the vibrant Center for Food and Agriculture, a destination for producers, farmers and communities committed to sustaining each other and the land. By 2050, we envision a food system where our local farm and fishing communities are able to increase production, grow soil organic matter, sequester mas sive amounts of carbon, mitigate flooding, restore biodiversity and riparian water systems, and fish sus tainable seafood, all while earning a living wage. The Center’s thought leadership today will pave the way for a healthier food system for generations to come. The Center will be a place where people of all ages and backgrounds can learn about the rich history of agriculture in the North Bay and to showcase how sustainable food can nourish our bodies and our community for generations to come.
Project Details
After completing our value engineer processing, we developed a realistic business plan and financial model through 2027. Construction will start in late 2023 and occur in three phases: market foundation, market enhancement, and education & training facilities. We hired a consultant who is preparing our initial environmental study in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Center will reflect the vision of the communities it serves. That includes you! AIM will continue to engage funders whose values include food justice, diversity, environmental sustainability, education, economic development, and community health.
MARYBETH KAMPMAN LOYAL FARMERS MARKET SHOPPER AND LOCAL ARTIST
Since 2019, we’ve raised a total of $5.6 million in public and private funds to date, including a $2 million grant from the State of California to build the project. Your contributions will bring the Center to life. We are hoping to raise a total of approximately $16 million toward our capital campaign to make this vision a reality. In addition to supporting the material costs for construction, permits and utilities, design, and kitchen equipment, you are investing in our shared future of farms, families, and food.
The Center will be located in Marin County, California, just north of San Francisco and the gateway to much of California’s rich agricultural landscape. It will be built on a 4.63 acre site within the Frank Lloyd Wright Marin Civic Center complex. This is a high-profile, iconic location, known not only in Marin and the Bay Area, but worldwide. It is the center of multicultural, mixed-use neighborhoods and a transportation corridor, and has always been an iconic and historical home to the county fairgrounds and municipal auditorium.
For me, it’s multigenerational. Now my daughter, who was raised at the market, brings her sons. My daughter not only remembers the food, but the people we bought food from and their stories. As an artist, the food from the farmers market is my palette. The farmers market has helped me develop as an artist.
PLANNING
LOCATION
PROJECT COSTS
• Coffee kiosk operation and merchandise sales in the visitor’s center.
• A hub for innovative solutions to ensure community members and schools can access a safe, culturally acceptable diet.
• Jobs and business incubation for farmers and food makers, especially people of color, women, LGBTQ folks, and immigrants.
• A transportation hub with ample bicycle parking and electric vehicle (EV) stations and transfer link to the local SMART Train Station.
Project At-A-Glance
• Indoor and outdoor dynamic learning spaces, including a teaching kitchen, classrooms and meeting spaces, and edible gardens.
• An open-air year-round farmers market up to three days per week (with ADA accessible restrooms, hydration stations, tie-downs for market tents, partial overhead coverage to protect farmers and shoppers from inclement weather).
• An educational garden demonstrating how food is grown seasonally in this bioregion.
• Solar panels to harvest energy from the sun, powering the Center and our programs.
• A pollinator corridor dedicated to supporting essential life-giving insects and birds.
• A zero-waste market that re-defines how producers package food and how consumers bring food home.
• Gathering places for people to enjoy food, art, music and community together.
• A visitor center with digital kiosks to welcome and assist guests.
JANET BROWN FARMER ALL STAR ORGANICS
The Center will be a hub for equitable, healthy food access. It will provide refrigeration for AIM to store fresh produce and dairy products for delivery by the Rollin’ Root to older adults and others with limited mobility. We will offer curbside pickups of the AIM Bounty Box, produce boxes discounted for CalFresh cardholders and donated to food insecure families. Through community partnerships, we will redistribute excess produce and baked goods from the farmers market to feed the hungry and reduce food waste.
This will be a profound new destination point for Bay Area Food Culture enthusiasts, where the Farm to Table movement began.
The Center will serve as a welcoming public square that facilitates social interactions and cultural vitality. Meeting and education spaces will foster deeper community connections year-round with events, cooking demonstrations, guest speakers, “Harvest Talks”, book signings, and specialty dinners with chefs and food producers.
Cultural Impact
COMMUNITY BUILDING
EQUITABLE FOOD ACCESS
The Center will house AIM’s food access programs for nutrition benefit clients participating in CalFresh, WIC, and the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, and inform clients on how to stretch their food dollars. We anticipate a 400% increase in CalFresh (EBT) redemptions, making healthy fresh produce affordable to more children and families in need. In 2021, AIM distributed $960,304 in EBT/CalFresh and Market Match incentives for free fruits and vegetables from the farmers market.
EDUCATION With dedicated learning spaces, including indoor-outdoor classroom spaces, the Center will be a place to learn about how food is produced and cultivate deeper relationships between people and the food we consume. Our Dggin’ the market tours, edible gardens and climate resiliency gardens will allow visitors to see first hand how food is grown responsibly in healthy soils from the perspective of the people who grow our food. Our all-electric teaching kitchen will feature market cooking demonstrations that make the seasonal farm-to-table experience culturally relevant and accessible to learners of all ages and backgrounds. Through educational programming, we will elevate the visibility of responsibly produced food across the California foodshed and sustainable seafood caught in U.S. Pacific waters. Artisanal producers of handmade crafts will demonstrate their production methods using agricultural byproducts and upcycled sustainable materials. All visitors to the region will be able to learn about the connection between healthy soils and healthy nutrition, and understand how their food choices can contribute to a healthier, earth-friendly environment.
Environmental Impact
It will be fully electric without any onsite greenhouse gases, strive for zero net energy, and incorporate low-flow plumbing fixtures to substantially reduce water use. The project will also target a goal of zero construction waste. We predict it will take us two years to achieve climate positive design at the new Center—that means, we will sequester more carbon dioxide than emitted.
The Center will be one of the world’s first closed-loop, zero-waste farmers markets.
Beyond the physical structure itself, the Center will help provide farmers, ranchers, and fishers with better access to more steady income streams. AIM has learned that increased financial stability means that farmers are able to invest more heavily in climate-smart practices such as soil organic matter growth, carbon sequestration practices, flooding mitigation, restoration of biodiversity and riparian water systems, and sustainable fishing. We will showcase the importance of foods grown organically, responsibly, and regeneratively, including the ways that agriculture can help mitigate climate change.
In recognition of the project’s potential impact in reversing the climate crisis, the Drawdown: Marin Steering Committee endorsed the Center for Food and Agriculture as one of seven countywide solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase carbon sequestration, increase personal and community resilience, and address current racial and social inequities.
The Center is one solution to the interrelated issues of diet-related disease, loss of viable farmland and small family farms, soil loss, water scarcity, flood risk, excess food waste, and carbon-emissions from a globalized food system.
Economic Impact The Center is designed to ensure that the farmers and producers travelling from over 40 California counties maximize their economic success at AIM’s markets. Shoppers represent a diverse demographic base, drawing from over 600,000 households in Marin, Sonoma, and San Francisco counties*, as well as area visitors. The project represents a four-fold economic impact: 1. Producers receive over 90 cents on the dollar at farmers markets (after fees) versus 15-17.4 cents of every dollar spent on food by Americans** 2. Keep farms selling local foods directly to consumers in business: beginning farms that sell directly to consumers are more likely to survive compared to those that don’t sell direct** 3. Support climate-smart practices: nearly half of all organic farms sell through local food markets** 4. Stimulate the local economy: direct-market farms create 32 local jobs per $1M in revenue*** DATA Households - US Census (2019); Restaurants - Open Table (November, 2020) ** Farmers Market Coalition & USDA Economic Research Service (2018) *** Report: Economic Impact of Local Food Producers in the Sacramento Region, University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources, Hardesty et al. (2016)
Holistic Impact
Following AIM’s Path to Racial Equity, our marketplace will prioritize space for Black, Indigenous, and people of color producers, who have historically been denied access to capital, wealth, and markets. We will also provide support for other socially disadvantaged producers including women, LGBTQ folks, immigrants, and veterans. AIM will make intentional efforts to recruit and create market space for BIPOC farmers, food purveyors, and artisans and other diverse groups based on gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, physical ability, class, and age into AIM’s markets. As part of an incubator model, AIM will establish a “Racial Equity Fund” to invest in a selected group of BIPOC producers to position them for success at AIM’s markets and beyond.
The Center reflects AIM’s commitment to equitable access to healthy food, true community food security, regenerative farming, and ecologically-responsible farmers markets—placing high prior ity on supporting small to midsize farmers and family businesses. We will provide opportunities for volunteers and job seekers who have a passion for food and agriculture careers, including professional guidance for beginning farmers and ranchers in successful direct sales and marketing of local foods. The Center’s programming will include technical assistance and workshops led by a network of experts in the fields of small business advising, healthy soils, marketing, and business planning.
The healthy food system we envision is one that is regenerative not only agriculturally, but also economically and culturally. The capital assets we are building through the Center will contribute to our overall well-being as a community, especially advancing health and equity. This project will offer a social return on investment through gains in diet and public health, food security, climate action, and economic development in the communities we serve. As we look ahead, we are also reminded that Marin County is unceded Ohlone territory, historically cared for and protected by the Coast Miwok people. AIM is committed to learning from our regional native communities and agricultural history, and incorporating indigenous principles into creating a healthy food system and building a center that is responsive to all people’s needs and collective healing.
AIM has helped keep our local milkshed alive. Without AIM, there might no longer be cows in Marin. The Center for Food and Agriculture will educate the Bay Area community about what is growing in California to ensure they value the viability of local agriculture’s future.
KAREN TAYLOR, BIVALVE DAIRY
EMPOWERING POSSIBILITY In order to create this impact, we need your commitment. This is our moment to act on our values. Let’s invest in this shared vision of a world where all people have access to foods from healthy soils, healthy pastures, and healthy seas. Together, we can make a difference and shape the future of food, nourish communities, and heal the environment for generations to come.
JOIN US IN BRINGING FOOD, FARM AND COMMUNITIES FORWARD. Together, let’s build The Center for Food and Agriculture and make the creation of a healthier food system part of your legacy. GIFT LEVELS Visionaries $2,000,000+ Innovators $1,000,000+ Champions $500,000+ Leaders $100,000+ Guardians $50,000+ Sustainers $25,000+ Growers* $10,000+ * Founders Circle = Early Contributions of $10,000+ LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $100,000+ The Leadership Circle is a community of committed and generous donors who have a transformational role in the success of the campaign by contributing $100,000 or greater. A gift at the Leadership Circle is an investment in the future of California agriculture and farming. BENEFITS • Name recognition on a prominent element of the farmers market • Exclusive invitation to the opening of The Center for Food and Agriculture • VIP Invitations to AIM’s special events A FARMERS MARKET MADE BETTER Walkway Shade Canopy $ 550,000 EACH Outdoor Seating $ 100,000 RESERVED Cafe Area $ 100,000 RESERVED Permanent Restrooms $ 100,000 RESERVED Farmer Amenities $ 44,000 Shade Structure $ 20,000 Hydration Stations $ 10,000 Bicycle Parking $ 10,000 HANDS-ON LEARNING Teaching Kitchen $ 1,000,000 RESERVED Indoor Classroom/ Meeting Rooms $ 1,000,000 Outdoor Classroom $ 500,000 RESERVED Climate Garden $ 125,000 Education Farm Garden $ 125,000 Greenhouse $ 50,000 RESERVED Children’s Play Space $ 25,000 Bug Hotel $ 12,000 Learning Yurt $ 5,000 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Pollinator Corridor $ 500,000 Solar Panels $ 300,000 EACH Green Roof $ 200,000 Irrigation System $ 55,000 Electric Vehicle Stations $ 50,000 Rainwater Collection Cistern $ 40,000 Shade and Landscaping Trees $ 25,000 PER TREE On-site Composting $ 18,000 RESERVED Waste and Recycling Stations $ 15,000 RESERVED COMMUNITY BUILDING Visitor’s Center $ 1,000,000 Plazas $ 250,000 Music and Performing Stage $ 50,000 Art Installations $ 25,000 EACH Picnic Tables $ 4,000 EACH COMMUNITY FOOD SECURITY Cold Storage for Rollin’ Root $ 36,000 Wayfinding $ 20,000 Bounty Box Storage $ 15,000 NAMING OPPORTUNITIES All donors will be recognized on site at The Center for Food and Agriculture. Naming opportunities are available for the following (final amounts to be determined based on cost estimates):
PLEDGE CARD INEMAILPHONEADDRESSNAMESUPPORT OF The Center for Food and Agriculture Capital Campaign, I WOULD LIKE TO DONATE $ One-time payment Installments PLEASE SEND PLEDGE REMINDERS QUARTERLY SEMI-ANNUALLY ANNUALLY
PROJECT MISSION To foster regenerative and emergent food systems between those who need quality food and small to midsize farmers, fishers, producers that will reverse climate change and promote economic growth.
PROJECT VISION
We envision a responsible food and farming system that is environmentally beneficial, economically viable, and socially just. Operator of nine farmers markets, The Rollin’ Root Mobile Market, Diggin Education, and Bounty Box curbside farm box. Champions for Farmers, Food Access, and Education across the Bay Area.
AIM IS A 501(C) (3) FEDERAL TAX ID 86-1156712
We envision a world where all people can experience the benefits of eating real foods from healthy soils, pastures, and seas.
ORGANIZATION,
AIM serves 350+ farmers, food purveyors, and artisans from 40 California counties who participate in AIM’s nine Certified Farmers Markets across the Bay Area. Please send me more information about Naming Opportunities. I am interested in joining the Leadership Circle, a community of committed and generous donors who have a transformational role in the success of the campaign by contributing $100,000 or greater. A gift at the Leadership Circle is an investment in the future of California agriculture and farming. I am interested in learning more about making a Legacy Gift by designating a gift to AIM as a part of my estate plan, including gifts that cost nothing to make now, gifts that pay income, gifts that reduce taxes, and gifts that benefit heirs, along with opportunities for naming recognition. To learn more or discuss alternative recognition opportunities, please contact Andy Naja-Riese or Danielle Spoor at aimdevelopment@agriculturalinstitute.org
AIM ORGANIZATION
