1. Food Banks and Farmers Foodlink Mitch Gruber, Food Access Programs Manager mgruber@foodlinkny.org

2. Mission: To provide hunger relief, eliminate the root causes of hunger, improve health, and promote economic development. 450 member agencies in 10 counties in the Genesee Valley Finger Lakes area. Foodlink

3. Service Area and Agriculture Apples (Wayne Co) Cabbage,Potato, Onion (Muck soil) Grapes (Finger Lakes wine) Dairy (yogurt empire) Genesee Valley leads NYS in agricultural production $4.7 Billion piece of the economy Approx. 7 million acres of farmland Source: NY State Agriculture and Markets, 2010

4. Leveraging existing assets and resources Consumer driven Package of programs and services Led by cooperative purchasing, with a focus on produce. Food Bank to Food Hub

6. Fulfillment center and excess capacity Relationship building: Farmers Market Festival of Food NY Farm Bureau CCE Foodlink and Farmers Background

7. Farmers like working with Foodlink: Trucks pick up Buy large volume Purchase seconds regardless of shape and size Pay on time Mission driven (this does matter!) Foodlink and Farmers Operations

8. We build good relationships by being good customers. Symbiotic relationship ensues: Seconds and field runs Donations and gleaning (maybe) Value Added Processing Foodlink and Farmers Relationships

9. Available to all agencies Farm Stands Curbside Market Healthy Corner Store Initiative Continuation of Fulfillment Center Local Produce Initiatives

10. Quality control Finding the right producers and products (saying no) Keeping inventory Training staff and agencies to work with produce Challenges

11. Positive Outcomes Public Health Economic Multiplier Community Building Food Bank Food Hub Food Resource Center