Regional Food Systems Resilience Michelle Morrison Planner | ECFRPC FPC 22
Introduction COVID-19 Highlighted • Food System Gaps • Disconnect Between Producers Consumersand – Too many steps to get from farm to fork Develop FrameworkResiliency i. Existing Conditions Analysis ii. Resiliency Trends Analysis iii. Resiliency Matrix
Existing Conditions Analysis Develop Regional Food Systems Inventory 237 Producers (farms/ranches) 265 Processors 135 Distributors (wholesale) 637 Food BusinessesProduction
Other Crops Existing Conditions Analysis - Indicators • Agricultural Acreage and Type • Mean Parcel Size • Main Market • (Farming) Production Method • Processing Operation Type & Numbers • Distribution Operation Type & Numbers • Employment • Sales Citrus Pastureland Source: Florida Cattle Ranchers Other Animals Source: Evans Fish Farm (Caviar) Source: ECFRPC (Pappy’s)
Existing Conditions Analysis Legacy crops still dominate land use • 1.35M food production acres of 1.6M ag acres • 92% pasture (4% citrus) Mean Parcel Size • Osceola largest: pasture (222-ac) , citrus (118-ac) and other crops (136-ac) • Overall ag mean: Range 10-ac to 121-ac
Steering Committee
Resiliency Trends Analysis ➢ Population Growth & Land Uses Ag Land Vulnerability Index: • size (< 5 ac) • Isolation • encroaching development • current use (still ag?) ➢ Small and OperationsDynamic • Adaptable: Direct-to-Consumer (68% farming sales) • Agritourism • Cottage Food Law • Lack expertise/capital to scale up https://www.local10.com/real estate/2021/03/24/ Source: Showcase of Citrus
Resiliency Trends Analysis ➢ Food Production System Fragmentation • Citrus & berries (few packing houses & juicing/wine) • Bakeries (43% processors) • Implement Value Chain Coordination https://www.local10.com/real estate/2021/03/24/
Resiliency Trends Analysis ➢ Geographic Concentration • Processing & distribution concentrated in Orange • Wide absence of food uses • Zoning code barriers (P/C/A) ➢ Potential Markets • Buyinglocalfood • Riseofminoritypopulations • Strongleisure&hospitality andinstitutional(university, hospitals)sectors–20% tourism$spentonfood Source: ECFRPC research
Resiliency Trends Analysis Multiple growing seasons (High) Government Sustainability & Resiliency Programs (Low) Multiple Direct to Consumer Channels (Medium) Ag parcel conversion (High) Low farmer skill set (Low) Prohibition of animal processing (Medium) Rising demand for local food (High) Solid systementrepreneur(Medium) Innovative & diverse methods for indoor farming (Low) Loss of ag developmenttoexportViabilitytransitionFarming(High)generational(Medium)ofcurrentagmodel(Low) Background Image Source: Wikipedia.com
Food Resiliency Matrix Goals ▪ Improve the operational capacity of food production businesses organizations& ▪ Educate the public & elected officials about the food production system ▪ Develop next generation food production workforce ▪ Develop stronger linkages between food production & sectorsleisure/hospitality ▪ Develop value chain coordination opportunities ▪ Provide food producers with necessary soft & hard infrastructure ▪ Help develop new markets ▪ developmentCoordinate of frameworkregulatory ▪ Address conversion of ag parcels into urban uses People Prosperity Places
Regional Systems Resilience
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”
– Henry Ford
Food
Regional GHG Reduction Jenifer Rupert Regional Resilience Officer | ECFRPC FPC 22