2020 Proposal: Establishing a Community Supported Agriculture Program at the Stockton University Farm

Transcription

1 Proposal: Establishing a Community Supported Agriculture Program at the Stockton University Farm Zeenat Azad, Connor Gillis, Steven Knapp, Thomas Nagle Environmental Issues Tait Chirenje Stockton University Spring 2015

2 2 Table of Contents Mission Statement.. pg. 3 Abstract.. pg. 3 Statement of Need.. pg. 3 Project Rationale.. pg. 4 Increase the production and utilization of the farm. pg. 4 Provides increased educational opportunities for students interested in sustainable agriculture.. pg 4 Foster engagement between students, faculty, and staff pg. 4 Provides fresh, organic produce to students and faculty. pg. 5 Supports developing Student food bank initiative pg. 5 School pride and competitive advantage.. pg. 5 Project Narratives. pg. 5 Goals and Objectives. pg. 5 Cost... pg. 6

3 3 CSA Sales/Overview pg. 6 Budget.. pg. 7 Timeline.... pg. 8 Outreach... pg. 9 Workforce... pg. 9 Evaluation of Success.. pg. 9 Examples of Success. pg. 10 Conclusion.. pg. 11 References.. pg. 12 Appendix pg. 13 Mission Statement: Our mission is to foster a more productive and community based farm on campus that provides fresh, organic, and locally grown food for Stockton University and the surrounding communities. With Stockton s new found University status, expansion to Atlantic City, and increase in student population, it would work in the University's best interest to maintain its Green and Distinctive School motif by

4 4 implementing a Community Supported Agriculture program that will allow Stockton students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to purchase fresh and organic food from the Stockton farm on a weekly basis. This program has the potential to further elaborate the themes of Stockton s LEGS initiatives, which will promote an increase in overall engagement at the Stockton Farm between the Stockton and local community. Abstract: The primary purpose of this proposal is to establish a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program at Stockton University. A CSA is a program that allows Stockton and other local communities the opportunity to buy shares of produce on a weekly basis from the on campus farm. Establishing such a program cannot happen overnight. There are a series of steps that need to take place in order to have a successful CSA. Our primary concern is to have farm promotion and advertisement. The results of our survey show that 50% of the people on campus are not aware that there is a farm on campus, thus promotion is key. This can be done by a number of simple tasks. For example, putting up a sign on Vera King Farris Drive so the hundreds of people driving to Stockton can visibly see where the farm is. Another form of advertising can be to introduce the farm in freshman and transfer orientation. Targeting the lower classmen can will bring the farm people that are dedicated for longer periods of time and have potential to grow. Our next step would be to recruit paid interns at the farm to give students the incentive to work. With paid interns, the farm will have the opportunity to expand and the interns will be able to sell the produce that they grow at on and off campus farmer s markets to promote the farm. Once the farm and its produce have an established customer base, the farm can then progress to a CSA style practice, by selling produce shares to the Stockton community. Our survey shows that approximately 92% of people on campus are interested in buying fresh produce from the Stockton farm. If the farm production exceeds, they will also have the opportunity to provide food the Stockton food bank. The overall timeline of this process would take about 8 years, which includes promotion and advertisement, increase farm production and selling at farmer s markets, and establishing a CSA. The approximate budget will initially be high, around $20,000, because Stockton will be supporting the farm until the farm become self-sufficient. Once the farm is making enough money, it will be economically and environmentally sustainable. Having a CSA program at Stockton will be beneficial because it will increase production of the farm, promote learning and engagement in the sustainable agriculture field, provide fresh food to the Stockton community, and can provide surplus produce to the newly formed Stockton food bank for students that cannot afford a meal plan. Statement of Need: The importance of promoting a CSA program at Stockton University would be to give the farm a purpose. In its current state, the Stockton farm exists merely as an experimental site for students to participate in summer internships and gain basic small farm experience. While this idea sounds beneficial in principle, it is a major underutilization of the farm s potential. By converting the Stockton farm to a CSA style practice, it will have a better defined purpose of providing fresh produce to students, faculty, and staff shareholders while simultaneously providing better educational opportunities for individuals interested in sustainable agriculture. Along with the increase in educational opportunities and community engagement, this new farm model will promote the

5 5 economic and environmental sustainability of the farm. However, implementing a program such as this can only be successful if incentives are given and progress is evident. From a survey taken of about 116 Stockton community members, exactly 50% of the people were not aware that there was a farm on campus. The acquisition of this information serves as enough proof that there is not enough awareness of the farm. Approximately 58.6% of the people were interested in a CSA program on campus, while 39.6% did not know enough of CSA programs to decide. About 92.05% of people said they were interested in buying organic produce from the Stockton farm. This proves that majority of the people on campus are willing to participate and buy shares of organic produce from the Stockton farm. About 53.4% of people said they were interested in being a paid intern on the farm, (we received a number of s and phone numbers write in s next to this question) which shows that there is an overall interest in paid farm internships. Because we are an institute of higher learning and education that is dedicated to meeting the demands of our students and faculty, it is important to take into consideration the need of a generally more productive farm and the opportunity to provide the Stockton community with access to fresh food. Project Rationale: Increase the production and utilization of Stockton s farm The 2013 inception of the Stockton farm in itself is a large milestone step towards agricultural and sustainable education. Because the farm is fairly new, there are still many untapped possibilities that have not been explored for the advancement of the farm. Establishing a CSA program would allow the Stockton farm to increase overall promotion and production in order to serve the entire Stockton community and outside communities as well. Provides increased educational opportunities for students interested in sustainable agriculture Stockton University was originally established on the idea of being a Green School, that operates under clean and sustainable methods. We are also home to a prestigious environmental science program and one of the few undergraduate sustainability programs in the Northeast. With its recent changes to University status, Stockton could benefit from an increase in program diversity, with a more specialized set of courses and concentrations. The Stockton CSA program could actively be used in sustainable agriculture courses, be incorporated into several different curriculums across the NAMS department, and provide opportunities for graduate research studies. Fosters engagement between the students, faculty, and staff. In an interview with Jessica Webster, the current Stockton University farm manager, she spoke about the current state of the farm and how fair it has progressed since its construction in Jessica stated that the most pressing issue the farm faces as of today is the lack of reliable workers. Because she is the only paid worker on the farm, she consistently find that all of the work falls on her, which has become increasingly overwhelming (Webster, J. Oral. 2015). The principle idea behind hiring more interns along with keeping a paid farm manager would guarantee that the farm duties are divided into a more manageable and organized fashion. With a consistent working body, the farm will be able to increase crop production so

6 6 each season can prove to be successful. It will also offer a chance to students to work closely and more intimately with faculty and staff members, whether they use the farm for educational purposes or selling shares to staff members. Provides fresh, organic produce to students and faculty One of the biggest complaints among the student body is the lack of healthy food options on campus. Often times, students who prefer to eat healthier than the food that is provided in the Campus Center Food Court, venture off campus to purchase their produce. They are met with bills that are pricey for the average college student. The Stockton CSA program would provide services that offer a happy medium by giving students the chance to purchase shares that are less expensive than what they would find at local supermarkets. This will give students access to the type of food they want without having to leave campus. Supports developing Student food bank initiative Throughout this semester, there has been much discussion about a student run food bank that supplies meals for students who cannot afford a regular meal plan. To help support this organization and better support our student body, the Stockton farm would be able to donate any surplus produce to this student food bank project in order for students who would not normally have the means to buy organic, will have access to fresh seasonal vegetables. School pride and competitive advantage The recent change to University status has had a profound impact on the campus s image. As the year progresses the school will work more and more on improving its incoming and returning student body, trying to attract as many students as possible, especially with the recent acquisition of the Atlantic City campus. With a range of prominent universities throughout the state such as Rutgers, Seton Hall, Rowan, etc., Stockton University will need to have a program that sets us apart from the rest of the schools. More courses covering the topic of sustainable agriculture will definitely draw in a larger crowd of students, especially since it is becoming increasingly important topic. Along with the competitive benefits, students would be purchasing food grown right on campus, they would be able to physically see all the processes involved to get their produce from farm to table and they would know that everything was done with organic methods. The profits from these sales would also go back into the farm to support its following season so students could take pride in knowing that they keep this system going and are helping to foster a healthier and more engaging environment for their fellow students. Project Narratives: Goals and Objectives: Our primary goal for this proposal is to give the Stockton Farm a purpose by implementing an operating and productive Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Establishing a successful CSA program will further foster the engagement of the Stockton community in the campus farm, while also providing the university with fresh produce at a lower cost than at regular supermarkets. This system will provide more educational opportunities for students interested in sustainable agriculture, a topic that is only sparsely covered in the Stockton

7 7 environmental curriculum. Students will have the opportunity to be paid interns at the farm to learn basic farm management, from both a sustainable and economic perspective. They will have the opportunity to sell the produce that they grow at farmer s markets, on and off campus, which will lead to establishing a firm clientele that will be interested in being a CSA members. Lastly, the CSA program will help sponsor the Stockton student food bank by providing them with surplus produce to help feed students who cannot afford the traditional meal plans. Cost: CSA Sales/Overview: In regards to the initial cost to become a member of the CSA, we will model our price per share after those used by Brandeis University. Assuming the season goes well and the farm consistently grows reliable produce, we will charge a member price based on a $15 per week for the length of the harvest season condensed into one initial payment. Assuming the farm could yield a successful harvest through the fall semester the initial cost would range from $ based on a week semester. These values may change based upon the length of semesters in upcoming years. While the actual amount of produce per share would be dependent on the harvest each week and what is grown that season, a rough estimate of how much produce each member could expect to receive each week is expressed in the Figure 1 below: Measurements done by students at Brandeis University showed that the cost of this produce is 65% cheaper compared to an equivalent amount of produce purchased from a local supermarket (Campus Sustainability, 2015). A venue will be established inside the campus

8 8 center where individuals can meet to pick up their weekly shares of produce. If a shareholder cannot pick up for that week they have several options: they may have a friend pick up their produce for them, they may receive a one-day grace period in which they can pick up their produce the following day at a designated storage site, or they may offer for their share of produce to be donated to the student food pantry for that week. As with any organic produce, these shares are perishable and cannot be held for an extended period of time. We would also be unable to reimburse individuals for lost shares without causing a reduction in the shares of others. For this reason, the Stockton CSA will encourage shareholders to pick-up their produce each week however possible so as to provide the shareholders with what they payed for. Budget: Revenue will be generated by selling the produce grown on the farm to the Stockton community and the outside general public as well. All profits will be used to support the farm s costs in order to keep it afloat and sustainable, rather than the university bearing the weight of necessary and costly funds. This will allow for the farm to eventually reach a self-sustaining economy in which anything it needs it can pay for itself. At first, Stockton will have to fund the farm completely, due to the fact that current funds would not support the shear costliness of expanding the farm and its overall program. The faculty member in charge, who is currently Dr. Patrick Hossay, would be the oversight on how the funds are spent and managed throughout the entire year, with some assistance from the student farm managers as well. The overall budget will initially be much higher than Stockton would prefer. this is just to get the program off the ground and get things moving. As the farm becomes more sustainable, grows larger, and people become more involved the overall need for the program s budget will be able to decrease significantly. When the farm becomes part of the CSA program, it will essentially pay for itself. Community members will pay for a subscription and receive produce on a weekly basis. The members are simply investing into the Stockton farm and will be paid back in fresh produce. This will provide significant funds for the farm, provide profits for the organic produced, and the food will reach more people who would appreciate the quality of good produce. Expenses Costs Farm Expenses $4,000 (Equipment, seeds, irrigation, compost,manure, etc.) Student Farm Management Stipend $ $7,000.00/year

9 9 Interns (3-4 students) $8.50/hour Volunteers Free ($0.00) Total $20,000 *Costs based off of 2013 and 2014 Stockton Farm s Annual Report of Budgeting and Expenses Timeline: Year 1-2: Advertise and Promote Stockton Farm: Tabling, Post Fliers, s, etc. Engage Students to become more involved in working the farm by holding meetings. Ensure Faculty member(s) are on board with the project and willing to participate Begin expansion of the farm infrastructure and total area Year 3-5: Begin internship and start selling produce Schedule interns Sell harvested crops at local farmers market Increase productivity and utilize funds to make improvements of the farm to become more sustainable Continue improving the quality and efficiency of the farm Year 6-8: Start CSA Gain signatures and payments from Stockton community to become a CSA program. Sell produce to those who have shares in the CSA program Sell excess produce at on and off campus farmer s market Continue improving the quality and efficiency of the farm

10 10 Outreach: Many in the Stockton community are not aware that Stockton has a farm. Within the first two years of our plan, the Stockton farm and the internships will be advertised via brochures, flyers and on the Stockton University website. Incoming freshman and transfer students will be the main targets since they will provide the most interest and availability. Initially, students and Stockton community can receive weekly s with information about the farm s management, on-going projects and current status. The fact that the internship is paid will be stressed as to capture the attention of possible interns and volunteers. Once the program becomes established, the Stockton community can become part of the CSA and purchase the produce grown. In order to keep the Stockton community up to date on the proceedings of the the farm and its plans, campus wide s will be sent out weekly with relevant information pertaining to the farm s growth and agenda. Workforce: Both interns and volunteers will be in charge of maintaining Stockton s farm. There will be three to four interns who would be paid by Stockton to tend to the farm on a set schedule throughout a given semester. The interns would be responsible for managing the crops, selling the crops and overall maintenance of the farm. They would also be required to learn about new sustainable organic methods of farming in which they would have to be able to apply in the field. As an incentive to keep students diligent in their work while at the farm, we propose they be given a paid internship for their time and work. The internship will consist of education and hands on experience in growing crops, managing a farm, and working in a small business environment. This will encourage the interns to follow their schedule and given tasks instead of slacking off and showing an overall decrease of interest. The interns will also be in charge of advertising the farm. They can do this in many ways like a sign in front of the farm entrance, word of mouth, and flyers spread around campus. Their payment will be separate from the farm managers payment. The volunteers would come and go as they please and contribute a helping hand to the program. Evaluation of Success: Success of our project would be monitored by reaching several key initiative that are vital to achieving our end goal of becoming a successful CSA in a timely fashion. The most pressing initiative is to better promote the Stockton farm and hire stable, dependable interns to manage the farm throughout the growing seasons year after year by providing reasonable hourly wages and credit incentives. Next is to establish a farmer s market each semester to promote the farm to the local community as well as to prove the interns can successfully grow produce year after year provided optimal circumstances. If selling our produce at farmer s markets proves to be successful, this would allow for an expansion of the Stockton farm in order to meet produce demand. Finally, after establishing a comfortable reputation with the students, faculty, and local community, the Stockton Farm can make the transition to a certified CSA and begin taking in members who will pay an upfront cost in exchange for weekly provisions of fresh produce of the length of the growing season. Any money taken in by the farm will be absorbed back into the farm budget as to support the farm for future growing seasons and research projects. Any

11 11 surplus produce left over will be given to the farm interns as well as donated to the upcoming Stockton Student Food bank. Examples of Success Rutgers University: Located in New Brunswick, Rutgers operates their student farm under the CSA model and relies on 4-6 interns to manage all of the farms needs throughout the season. The harvest season at the Rutgers farm typically begins in early june and runs all the way through november, distributing the produce to the shareholders each week as well as donating any excess produce to the local food pantry (About the Student, 2015). Rutgers advertises the student farm in their college newspaper as well as participating in other outreach activities. University of Kentucky: University of Kentucky also maintains a very successful community agriculture program on its campus farm. The University even incorporates the farm into its Sustainable Agriculture curriculum while also providing opportunities for credits and internships for students of all other disciplines (Sustainable Agriculture, 2015). The CSA s harvest season runs 22 weeks from the end of May to the end of October with shares costing roughly $600 for Faculty and Staff and a discounted price for students of about $530 (Sustainable Agriculture, 2015). Michigan State University: Michigan State manages a 15-acre farm that is certified organic that provides a plethora of educational opportunities for students of all disciplines while providing ample room for research. This University manages year round produce production, incorporating the produce in campus dining halls through a 7-month period as well as participating in local farmers markets. Along with regular year-round production, the farm also does work with local communities and organizations to establish year round production methods in those areas, along with providing an informative 9-month organic farming instruction course (Michigan State, 2015). For our proposal this would be the ultimate long term goal for the stockton farm of reaching its maximum potential as a CSA. Conclusion: As mentioned above, having a CSA program at Stockton University has the potential to greatly improve student engagement on the farm. It will give the farm a purpose and increase utilization, foster learning in the fields of sustainable agriculture, provide the Stockton community with fresh, organic produce, and will give Stockton the opportunity to have the upper hand in sustainable initiatives compared to other schools across the state. Although the initial budget of the CSA program is high, if successful, it will become economically and environmentally sustainable. Extra produce that is not sold can be donated to the Stockton food bank for students that cannot afford a meal plan. Also, if successful, produce grown on the Stockton farm can be used by our food providers, such as Chartwells, and can be incorporated in the Campus Center Food Court. Again, all of this can only be attainable if students, faculty, and staff come together to promote and advertise the farm in order to get interns to expand the farm. The CSA program will allow for a more healthy and engaged student body that is dedicated to promote and represent a strong University.

12 References: 12

13 13 About the Student Sustainable Farm at Rutgers. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from Community Supported Agriculture. USDA Retrieved from Campus Sustainability Initiative. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20, 2015, from Michigan State University Student Organic Farm. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from Sustainable Agriculture Program. (n.d.). Retrieved March 16, 2015, from The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Annual Report for 2020 Initiatives Project Dr. Patrick Hossay. Retrieved from Webster, Jessica Farm Manager. Webster, Jessica, Stockton University Farm Manager. Oral communication. Appendix

14 14 Survey Questions and Results 1. Are you a: Stockton Student =91.4% (106) Stockton Staff Member = 8.6% (10) Stockton Faculty Member =0% (0) 2. Are you aware of the farm on Stockton's campus? Yes =50%(58) No =50%(58) 3. Would you be interested in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program on campus? Yes =58.6%(68) No =1.7%(2) I do not know enough information about CSA programs = 39.6%(46) 4. Do you buy organic produce? Yes = 33.6% (39) No =18.9%(22) Sometimes =46.5%(54) 5. Would you be interested in being able to buy fresh organic produce grown on the campus farm? Yes =92.25%(107) No =7.75%(9) 6. Would you be interested in being a volunteer working and learning sustainable farming methods on Stockton's Farm? Yes =51.7%(60) No =48.2%(56) 7. If you are a student, would you be interested in being a paid intern working and learning sustainable organic farming methods on Stockton's Farm? Yes =54.3%(63) No =37.1%(43) Not a student =8.6%(10)