UC Sustainable Agriculture and Education Program

Farmer Interview

Model type:Date: March 29, 2007

Code:

Last Update:

Hello. My name is Jeri/Tracy/Gail from the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Program. We are conducting interviews with institutional buyers (colleges, hospitals and correctional facilities), distributors and produce farmers in California so we can better understand how fresh produce gets from the farm to the plate—the institutional plate. Did you receive a copy of our questions? Do you have about 30 minutes to talk with us today about your operation’s practices in buying/selling fresh produce? All information you provide will be kept confidential.

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS/ SCOPE OF BUSINESS

  1. Where do you farm?
  1. How long have you been farming?
  1. What crops do you grow?
  1. How many acres do you farm?
  1. How would you describe your business structure (e.g., sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, Limited Liability Company)?
  1. Are you a member of a growers' consortium, cooperative or collaborative? If so, could you describe your involvement?

CURRENT OVERALL SALES

  1. What was your estimated total gross farm sales in 2006 (please round to the nearest thousand)?

a) $0-50Ke) $101-250Kf) $501K - $1Mh) $2M+

b) $51-100 Kd) $250-500Kg) $1M +

  1. Approximately how much was your overall annual sales for fresh produce in 2006 (in dollars)?
  1. To whom do you sell your produce? Please estimate the proportion of your total sales for each venue.

Wholesalers % of total sales

Retail-grocery stores, restaurants% of total sales

Farmers Markets, CSAs% of total sales

Institutions % of total sales

Regional distributor% of total sales

Broadline distributor% of total sales

Nonprofit allied cooperative% of total sales

SALES TO INSTITUTIONS

  1. What type of institution(s) do you sell to (Please include names)?

Colleges/universities

Hospitals/health care institutions

Correctional facilities

Other (name, please)

  1. Approximately what percentage of your total sales is accounted for by

Colleges/universities______%

Hospitals/health care institutions______%

Correctional facilities______%

Other______%

  1. What are the top five types of produce you sell to these institutions (in volume)?
  1. How much did you typically sell ($ per week or month) to these institutions in 2006 at your peak season and your lowest sales season?

Colleges/universities$ ______

Hospitals/health care institutions$ ______

Correctional facilities$ ______

Other$ ______

  1. Describe the process by which your produce gets to the institutional food service buyer:

LOCAL/ SUSTAINABLE DEFINITIONS & SALES

We would like to know more about the types of produce you sell. We are particularly interested in certain categories of sales such as "organic," "sustainably farmed," and "local."

  1. Did you sell any organic produce in 2006? If so, approximately what percentage of your total produce sales in 2006 was organic?
  1. There has recently been publicity about sustainable agriculture. How do you define “sustainably farmed”? [Prompt: IPM; certification labels, e.g., Food Alliance; reduced spray]
  1. Approximately what percentage of your total produce sales in 2006 was “sustainably farmed”?
  1. There has also been some publicity about locally grown produce. We’d like to know how you define “selling locally”?

Sold to a distributor or institution (prompts)

within the same city/county

within a 50 mile radius

within a 200 mile radius

within a day’s drive

within a region of the state

within California

within the Western states

Other ______

  1. In 2006, did you sell any produce locally (as you define "selling locally")? If yes, approximately what percentage of your total produce sales in 2006 were sold locally (and where)?
  1. Was the final destination of your sales within your "local" area, or did you sell to a distributor within the "local" area who then sold to an institution.
  1. Of your "local" sales, how much were

Organic %

Sustainably farmed%

Other %

22.Have your buyers expressed a preference for the following types of produce, and if so, please rate how important each type is to your buyers from 1 (not important) to 7 (very important):

NotVery important important

Organic1 2 3 4 567

Sustainably farmed produce1 2 3 4 567

Locally grown 1 2 3 4 567

Other1234567

COST FACTORS

  1. How do the prices you charge for produce to local institutions compare to those charged for (i.e., more than, less than, about the same—by about how much %)?
  • Farmers Markets
  • CSA sales
  • Sales to restaurants
  • Sales to retail
  • Wholesale
  • Other (please specify market)
  1. In your opinion, is selling to institutions such as colleges, universities and hospitals ("Farm to Institution") financially viable over the long run? Why or why not?
  1. What factors does it take to make this kind of sales arrangement financially viable?

LOGISTICAL FACTORS

  1. Do you face any bidding requirements that make it difficult for institutional buyers to purchase from you? If so, how do you deal with that?
  1. Does selling your produce to institutions impact your liability insurance requirements? If so, how do you manage this?
  1. Are there any different processing requirements when you sell your produce to institutions? If so, what are they?
  1. Are there any different payment arrangements in selling your produce to institutions? If so, what are they?

OVERALL PERCEPTIONS OF FARM-TO-INSTITUTION PROGRAMS

  1. What are the advantages to selling Farm to Institution? What in particular makes it work?
  1. What are the challenges?(prompts: costs, delivery, invoicing)
  1. What could be done to overcome the challenges?
  1. Do you have any other comments?

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