Rural Grocers Summit II

Notes from Breakout Session

Policy Initiatives

June 14-15, 2010

The “Policy Initiatives” breakout session was attended by a group committed to improving policy efforts to support rural grocery stores and improving access to nutritional foods.

Facilitator: Trudy Rice, K-State Research and Extension, PRIDE Community Development Recorder: Wendee LaPlant, Kansas Sampler Foundation

Breakout 1:

Following introductions, the room was asked to identify examples of good policy initiatives that support the overarching goals of sustaining grocery stores and improving access to nutritional foods.

Policies that ARE working:

  • USDA Rural Development program
  • SL Tax Credits for rural business
  • Center for Entrepreneurship- Private/Public-STATE (NetWork Kansas)
  • Food Stamps used at farmers markets-Oklahoma and Kansas
  • Senior Farm Markets/WIC – Fed/State (Oklahoma, OR, Iowa, NM)
  • Local stock ownership- community owned business
  • Energy upgrade programs
  • Local educational programs to buy local
  • State to invest in local business
  • Community food program
  • Healthy urban/rural developments program- grant
  • Locally owned utilities- can write or reduce fees to reduce start up cost
  • Local tax abatements

The Group was then asked: “What are the characteristics of a good policy initiative which supports the overarching goals of sustaining grocery stores and improving access to nutritional foods?”

What Good Policy Should Include

  • Provide local sales tax policy to purchase locally produced food
  • Develop local investment club
  • Change state laws regarding tobacco/liquor purchase by minors
  • More education-less regulation
  • Provide incentives (state to local) to create economic development
  • Change packers license rule-state
  • Better communication between government and private industry
  • Need a comprehensive rural economic development policy
  • Sustainable, uniform policies- no unfair advantages
  • No Unfair attribution/advantage system - large stores being allowed to only sell liquor

The group was then asked, “If you were to suggest changes, what changes or improvements could be made to existing educational campaigns in KS. to reflect the characteristics listed above to support the overarching goals of sustaining grocery stores and improving access to nutritional foods?” Suggestions Included:

  • Develop campaigns and make them known to store owners and the community
  • Keep them simple and basic
  • [Create materials/information that is] Eye appealing
  • [Focus] Education on the importance of social marketing and have dollars available to support this
  • Needs to have an emotion component
  • Needs to be delivered by someone other than the store owner

The group was then asked the question: “If you were to suggest changes, What changes or improvements could be made to existingpolicy (in Kansas)to reflect or enhance these characteristics to support the overarching goals of sustaining grocery stores and improving access to nutritional foods?”

Results of these discussions included:

  • Change/create policy to allow store owners to reduce waste by utilizing products whose packaging or original state has been damaged.
  • Provide state financing through local banks for rural grocery start-ups or improvements
  • Encourage local involvement of business owners in policy formation
  • Encourage local level policies that allow cities/regions to leverage their unique local advantage to provide positive outcomes (flexibility)
  • Policy that provides incentives to encourage grocery stores to purchase local/regional food products- cooperative state agreement
  • Policy that provides incentives for rural grocery stores to provide fresh food and education through local agencies
  • Simple Equitable policies that emphasize education over regulation
  • Consistent regulations and incentives for all sizes and styles of stores
  • Retail, sales tax, retailers paid a fee to collect
  • Create a comprehensive rural development policy for state to promote growth/sustainability of rural communities incentives, taxes, regulations
  • Change state liquor laws to allow even playing field between grocery store and liquor store

The group was next asked: “Given the characteristics of good food policy, and the ideas for change we have identified, what actions are the most importantactions that will help Kansas sustain grocery stores and provide nutritional food access.”

The three top priorities were:

1.) Create a comprehensive rural development policy for state to promote growth/sustainability of rural communities incentives; tax, regulations

2.) Consistent regulations/incentives for all sizes/styles of stores

3.) Incentives to encourage purchase local/regional food products- cooperative state agreement and educate public through local agencies

The Group was then asked to identify possible next-step actions needed to bring about the kind of policy that would help Kansas sustain grocery stores and improve nutritional food access. A report out of those conversations follows.

1.)Create a comprehensive rural development policy for state to promote growth/sustainability of rural communities incentives; tax, regulations

WHO

  • Local community members
  • Legislators
  • Local policy councils
  • Farm Bureau
  • AFP- Americans for Prosperity
  • Ag Agencies
  • Commodity groups
  • Tele. Companies

(Nebraska Rural Initiative)

  • NGO’s
  • Leadership from gov. off
  • KS Rural Wrkg. Group
  • LandGrantUniversity (broad agreement about leadership role)
  • State Agencies- Health, Commerce, Agriculture
  • Co./Local Economic Development
  • Congressional Delegation-Federal Level

WHAT

  • Will and intent-create a desire
  • Work with pro-rural and popular legislator to start process
  • Find commonalities between urban/rural
  • Hub zones
  • Find out what other states have done and how Kansas can benefit
  • Policy Research Divisions
  • NCSL-Melvin Neufeld, State Legislator is incoming President
  • Community Food Security Coalition
  • Contact Doug Cunningham, Affiliated, Norfolk, NE for more information

NEXT STEP

  • Form small community to map out and identify immediate needs and how to move forward – (should be facilitated by Land Grant University)
  • Contact legislator(s)

2.)Consistent regulations/incentives for all sizes/styles of stores

WHO

  • Bill 550(s)
  • Bill 2677 H
  • AWG
  • Affiliated store owners and other store owners
  • Local Chambers
  • Grocery store customers
  • Ret. Groc. Association
  • KFDA
  • KS Wine Growers Association
  • KS Wine/Spirits-Wholesalers
  • Stand and Glazers- Opponents

WHAT

  • Visit with owners and ask impact of regulations and the consequences
  • Better communication and education- public and legis.
  • Need money and resources to coordinate effort

NEXT STEP

  • Bills 550 (s) and 2697 H will be reintroduced next session
  • FAM? Tour for legislators to create awareness of local retail issues

3.)Incentives to encourage purchase local/regional food products- cooperative state agreement and educate public through local agencies

WHO

  • Co. Ext. Agents
  • Department of Health/Environment
  • Farmers Union
  • KS Rural Center
  • SRS
  • WIC Rep
  • Nutritionist

WHAT

  • Create more awareness of health issues-obesity, diabetes, etc.- how it affects economic issues
  • Buying local/consuming fresh food also helps economy
  • Community garden, farmers markets
  • Buying local/buying Affiliated affects minimum purchasing requirement
  • Holistic approach to create healthier KS communities

NEXT STEP

  • Retail Education
  • Community Table to create better understanding of issues
  • Educate legislators
  • Educate farmers