For Farmers
Want to be part of our local food system network?
GROW WITH US!
We know that being a farmer is extremely hard work, and we exist not only to make it easier, but to try to fill the gaps and make farming a more financially viable, predictable, and sustainable career choice. Whether you are just getting started farming or have been growing in Oklahoma for many years, we look forward to collaborating with you!
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
While we want to see all local producers in the central Oklahoma region and beyond succeed, our most ideal producers to work with have the following characteristics:
Photo courtesy of A+H Farms in Tuttle, OK
Farmers interested in collaboration.
Both with us, purchasers and other farmers to build a better food system. We want to work smarter (together!) not harder to reduce duplication, share opportunities and support each other in the important work of growing food.
Farmers interested in scaling up for wholesale markets.
In order for local food to be accessible to locations beyond the farmers market (i.e. schools, restaurants, institutions etc.), as well as to achieve a fair payment to farmers with viable farm businesses, farms with a goal of at least 5 acres seem to make the most sense. It’s ok if you aren’t here now, as part of our mission is helping incubate and provide resources for farmers on this path. If you have at least some experience growing, access to at least a quarter acre and are interested in scaling up to achieve financial viability and local wholesale pricing on at least some products, we can make it work!
Farmers interested in the long game.
Here at the OKC Food Hub, we are working to build a better food system by:
Advancing Equity through centering the needs and challenges faced by a diverse group of small-midsize farmers.
Increasing Access to local foods.
Providing Advocacy & Education around systems based solutions to local food procurement.
Creating a collaborative, relationship-driven space for all local food system stakeholders to grow, innovate, and thrive.
We know this type of system change takes time, but we are most interested in working with producers who want to grow with us (literally and figuratively) in this type of work through a supportive community where producers' needs are at the center of change.
Farmers open to using spreadsheets & computers.
We know this sometimes does not go hand and hand with farming, and we are here to help! However, in order to ensure we have buyers for what you are ready to produce and to coordinate product getting from point A to B, we need farmers willing to utilize our Local Food Marketplace platform to upload weekly available quantities, and to work with us before the season starts to estimate quantities and prices of products. We believe technology and data play a critical role in agriculture to ensure efficiencies, tracking, advocacy and planning.
Farmers interested in utilizing earth-friendly practices, fair-wage labor, and product traceability.
At the moment, we are not requiring any particular practices in terms of how food is grown, however, we are and will always require transparency to our customers in what types of practices you are utilizing which will be identified on each product in our online platform. We want our customers to know exactly which farms their products come from, how they are grown, and have access to contact information about the farmers they buy from easily accessible on our website. We believe customers should know exactly what they are buying, from whom, with total transparency and education to make the choices they want to make for their businesses.
If you are black, indigenous, producer of color, LGBTQ+, female, veteran, disabled, beginning farmer or otherwise underserved, we encourage you to reach out, even if you feel you don’t meet our criteria.
Farmer Benefits
We truly believe that working together is the secret ingredient to food system change. If we are going to compete with the conventional food system, we will need to leverage our collective voice, purchasing power, and ingenuity to offer a competitive and viable product which takes better care of the people and planet utilized to grow it. Here are some of the short term and potential long term benefits we can achieve working together through this network of collaboration as an OKC Food Hub Producer:
Crop planning, contracting & wholesale purchasing.
Farmers markets are fun and a great way to move product, however, we want to open up other more consistent and year round channels for local food purchasing such as hospitals, schools, restaurants and other institutions. We orchestrate purchasing conversations between producers and buyers at the beginning of the season in attempts to purchase EVERYTHING you have to sell via contracts or letters of commitment. This can equate to a significant time savings for farmers as it reduces the number of hours off farm or coordinating weekly purchasers.
On farm work support + Community of Support.
We are currently offering help in the fields to all producers within a 20 mile radius of the metro area. This is one way we can support building community and working together. We also support frequent producer meetings and check ins, and our board of directors will always be comprised of majority producers to make sure all needs are being met.
Bulk packaging discounts.
As we are currently only selling to wholesale clients (i.e. schools, restaurants, food banks, box programs etc) all products will be sold by the box. We are currently providing boxes to producers at no cost, however, even when that funding runs out, we will be coordinating bulk orders to reduce packaging costs which can eat a lot of profit at farmers markets or other outlets where packaging for individual resale is required.
Net 15 payment terms.
We strive to pay farmers weekly NET 7 but in a worst case scenario we will pay for all product after no more than 15 days. Even when we are waiting on longer term payments from buyers such as schools or larger institutions, we will ensure you are getting paid regularly and quickly via direct deposit.
The Sky is the Limit, more to come!
We know that farmers are some of the most resourceful, hardworking, well-connected people around, and we have no doubt that as we continue to work together, there is no limit to what we can offer as support to producers. Some items that have been discussed include: Product pickup directly from farms, crop/weather/significant event insurance, shared labor pool, benefits, tool share, etc. The extent to which we brainstorm and think smarter not harder is the extent to which we can make things easier for farmers. Add your ideas, get involved, and let’s make them a reality!
We want to invest in you.
As a nonprofit organization, we can confidently say we stand for more than the bottom line. We recognize that in order for producers to be successful they require an investment of capital, training, market access, and ongoing support. We will do everything we can to leverage our connections in the Oklahoma Local Food System network and beyond to find grant funding, easy access loans, education/training opportunities, advocacy and more to make sure our farmers are being taken care of and needs are being met.
Marketing & Traceability.
Through our online presence, customers and coordination, we want to tell the story of you and your farm and make sure you have information about everyone we are selling to and they all have information about you! We maintain product traceability all the way to the final customer making sure your product is identified, and will promote your specific farm story every opportunity we get.
Requirements for Participation
Before we can formally engage you in our planning process, we will need you to fill out a few applications and make sure you have your Certification of Completion from the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course offered both online & in person through OSU FAPC. Below are the links to the required applications and safety certification course for selling through the OKC Food Hub:
Produce Safety Course Details
To receive a copy of your produce safety course:
Emailing Ravi Jadeja at ravi.jadeja@okstate.edu and requesting a copy or
Requesting a copy online by Following This Link
If no produce safety courses are available on the calendar, you can try searching for out of state remote courses HERE. For in-state only, there is money available to cover the cost of the course (email us if you are interested). To request additional dates be added, email us at admin@okcfoodhub.org as well as Karen Smith, the course administrator at karenl.smith@okstate.edu
Grower Resources
As we get to know each farmer on a personal basis, we will do all that we can to highlight opportunities that may be a good fit for your farm or business. In general, here are some good resources we always recommend to our farmers:
ODAFF Agriculture Enhancement & Diversification Program Grants There are several funding opportunities available through ODAFF, such as Ag Enhancement & Diversification Grants available quarterly (Jan 1, April 1, July 1, Oct 1) for up to $10,000 grants and unlimited in 0% interest loans. We partner with OSU Extension to help you understand and write these grants every cycle (email us if you’d like more info about these sessions).
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). EQIP is NRCS’ flagship conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands. NRCS works one-on-one with producers to develop a conservation plan that outlines conservation practices to help solve on-farm resources issues. Money is available through this program for hoop houses and other on farm infrastructure.
Connect with your local USDA Service Providers. USDA Service Centers are designed to be a single location where customers can access the services provided by the Farm Service Agency (loans), Natural Resources Conservation Service (which offers the program/funding above), and Rural Development agencies. You can also text your county name to 372-669 to sign up for USDA Farmers text alerts.
File for your Agricultural Tax Exemption. After getting your FSA number at the office above, you are eligible for a tax exemption both for selling of products as well as for any purchases you make to run your farm business. If you make at least $1,000/year on your farm business you will qualify for this exemption (must file a Schedule F).
Find an Insurance Provider. Many Crop Insurance options do not work for small/midsize diversified farms, but Whole Farm Revenue Protection & Micro Farm Protection plans may be worth considering. Here is a list of insurance providers in our state to choose from. We have had good luck with Tait Berlier at Ag Risk Advisors Phone: (303) 859-0777 Email: tait.berlier@cropins.net
Join the Oklahoma Local Agriculture Collaborative (OLAC) & Follow them on Facebook. OLAC is an Oklahoma-wide membership network that offers networking opportunities, trainings, conferences, and resources to Oklahoma growers. Sign up today for discounts on courses and upcoming opportunities.
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