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2	Details of this Presentation Presentation is 20 minutes in length I will introduce The Food Alliance program: Why Food Alliance-Approved? Review of the history and composition of The Food Alliance Questions before we start?
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4	Sustainable Agriculture A long term goal to help farming and ranching become more: Economically viable Environmentally sound Socially responsible
5	OK, but why the Food Alliance- Approved label program, really… Because many innovative stewards need help telling their story with better marketing and branding…not organic, necessarily. Many not so good stewards also needed help, and are willing to change practices in order to get some help. There is a huge segment of consumers who want to purchase sustainable produced items, and need help to ID these items.
6	The Food Alliance: 1992 to 1996 A project between WSU and OSU convening Farmers Extension Scientists Environmentalists Organic advocates Government agency staff How to increase the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices?
7	The Food Alliance: 1997 a Watershed Year First Major funding received Independent non-profit set up First staff hired National market study conducted
8	The Food Alliance: 1998 to Present 1998: first farms certified, now 69. Certifications: a Stewardship Council of stakeholders oversees criteria development, IPM Works develops crop specific criteria. Strong recruitment program seeks out new participants. Retail participation: strong retail partnership program builds demand for Food Alliance-Approved items. National development: Board oversees organizational expansion
9	Hartman Market Study: Food and the Environment a Consumer’s Perspective. (1997)
10	Market Research Summary
11	2 disparate groups
12	2 programs
13	Pest and Disease Management
14	Safe and Fair Working Conditions
15	New for 2002: Wildlife habitat/biodiversity criteria
16	Sounds Radical
17	The Food Alliance Value Proposition: Producers
18	Not perfection…
19	"The Food Alliance Retail Partnership..." The Food Alliance Retail Partnership Program
20	On the retail floor….
21	Produce Managers Say: 45% said Food Alliance helped them increase sales 88% said the program allowed them to offer an environmentally friendly product at a competitive price 90% said they were able to offer more local produce
22	Quotes from Consumers
23	Scope of The Food Alliance: regional activity…. Pacific Northwest: the original Food Alliance Upper Midwest: the Midwest Food Alliance
24	Mwfa-tfa Same Guiding Principles Same Consumer Message Same Process and certification procedures Same fee structure Alleviates Consumer Confusion Increases Scale and Impact of sustainable agriculture
25	Care campaign example
26	Food Choices Program becomes the Midwest Food Alliance… Midwest Food Alliance project partners: Organic Alliance, Land Stewardship Project, Cooperative Development Services. What was compelling about The Food Alliance program? How is this good for sustainable agriculture?
27	Other regional activity…. Florida: Grapefruit producer needs site evaluation! Hawaii: Banana producer needs site evaluation! California: Sweet potato, citrus, etc. coming soon!