Vision
Grow agriculture to balance food and energy needs, protect farmland and water, preserve product diversity and promote profitability and quality of life.
Process and Structure
;)
Regionally-grown asparagus at Pierce's Market
Grounded in a broad vision for the sector, these action plans are made up of long-term initiatives and short-term, scalable projects within those initiatives.
Highlight: Growers to Grocers Project
;)
Delivery from Fennimore Produce Auction
Thrive is partnering on a scalable project with UW business graduate / entrepreneur Heather Hilleren, who has developed a web-based tool to directly connect farms and consumers. The website is www.greenleafmarket.com. The technology allows direct purchases as well as bidding.
This online marketplace facilitates the sale of local foods--produce, meats, honey and more--by connecting farmers to grocers, restaurants, schools, hospitals and other food buyers on the Web, and allowing for online sales and inventory management. The website also will permit buyers to post their need, and let farmers bid on it.
Thrive is adding value by connecting with farmers and buyers, presenting at least 13 training sessions throughout the region. Thrive is also meeting with locally owned grocers, restaurants and institutions that want homegrown products.
Thrive is measuring its success in this scalable project through an increase in sales of regionally-produced foods to groceries and in an increase in number of products available.
New! Pierce's Market (five locations across four counties) and Metcalfe's Sentry (Madison), have both formally launched the use of GreenLeaf Market by making their first purchase of produce from Fennimore Produce Auction, a wholesale market supplied by Amish producers in Fennimore, WI.
For more information on this and other Thrive agriculture projects, please contact Greg Lawless at glawless@thrivehere.org.
New!
View the training for farmers and food processors who want to sell product via Greenleaf Market.
View the training for grocers, restaurants and other wholesale buyers on GreenLeaf Market.
View the training for farmers and food processors who want to sell product via Greenleaf Market.
View the training for grocers, restaurants and other wholesale buyers on GreenLeaf Market.
Additional Initiatives and Projects
Food Miles
Thrive's Regional Foods Initiative is aimed at increasing regional sales and consumption of regionally produced food through enhanced distribution and marketing. Reducing the number of miles food travels from farm to grocery means lower distribution costs, lower fuel usage, and importantly for you - more accessible fresh options for your table.
Watch the video below to see why so many people are talking about buying local.
Watch the video below to see why so many people are talking about buying local.
;)
Testimonial
"At Pierce's Markets, we see local food as a major new trend, and we want our five stores to be out in front meeting that demand. Thrive is a great catalyst for pulling together farms and organizations and companies like ours that will make the most of this opportunity."
--Jeff Maurer, Owner, Pierce's Market
"Greg Lawless and Thrive were directly responsible for the initiation of the Market Meals project (launched by myself and Peter Robertson, RP's Pasta) and how well it was received by all - local producers, all three local purveyors, and the grocers they encountered at a regional food show in September/October. My salesman had never seen such demand for a local, unadvertised product."
--Mark Olson, Owner, Renaissance Farm
--Jeff Maurer, Owner, Pierce's Market
"Greg Lawless and Thrive were directly responsible for the initiation of the Market Meals project (launched by myself and Peter Robertson, RP's Pasta) and how well it was received by all - local producers, all three local purveyors, and the grocers they encountered at a regional food show in September/October. My salesman had never seen such demand for a local, unadvertised product."
--Mark Olson, Owner, Renaissance Farm
Wisconsin Specialty Cheese Production Sets New Record
Governor Jim Doyle recently announced "that Wisconsin cheesemakers continue to lead the nation in crafting innovative cheeses. Specialty cheese production in 2007 rose 3 percent above the previous year, setting a new record. Specialty cheese totaled 399 million pounds and accounted for 16 percent of the state's total cheese production."