Bringing it All to the Table: The State of Food and Eating in Yamhill County

7/29/2019 Bringing it All to the Table: The State of Food and Eating in Yamhill County

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The findings of the Consumer & Farmer Surveys,

collected May 2012January 2013 by

Nourish Yamhill Valley

Compiled by Beth Satterwhite

Food Collaborative Research Coordinator

BRINGING IT ALL TO

THE TABLEThe State of Food & Eating in Yamhill County


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Nourish YamhillValley

Nourish Yamhill Valley is a community collaborative effort seeking to create a

holistic, equitable, and resilient food system in Yamhill County that improves food

security and addresses healthy eating habits for all households.

We believe this will lead to a stronger local economy and community.


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BRINGING IT ALL TO THE TABLE

The State of Food & Eating in Yamhill County

BackgroundYamhill County is in a unique situation: blessed with rich farmland and home to many

productive farms, while also experiencing significant amounts of food insecurity and

hunger. This juxtaposition of facts has brought together a diverse collaborative effort,

Nourish Yamhill Valley, to investigate and take action to improve the local food

system. The first step toward that goal is to understand where things stand today

through a food system assessment process. The Nourish Yamhill Valley assessment

included a Consumer Survey and Farmer Survey, as well as a series of community

meetings in which county residents were brought together to discuss the assets,

gaps, and opportunities in the local food system. This report encapsulates the

findings from the survey portion of the assessment. The notes from the community

meetings series are all available on our website, www.nourishyamhillvalley.org.

MethodologyBoth surveys were conducted between May 18th, 2012 and January 31st, 2013.

Online and paper formats of the Consumer Survey were made available to community

members through a range of outlets including: the Nourish Yamhill Valley website and

Facebook page (online); the McMinnville & Newberg Farmers Markets, local food pan-

tries & soup kitchens who are a part of the Yamhill Community Action Partnership

(YCAP) Regional Food Bank network, the McMinnville Virginia Garcia Memorial Health

Center, the McMinnville Public Library, local Rotary meetings, and various events

including Nourish Yamhill Valley community meetings series & food-related events such

as the Yamhill County Historical Society Harvest Festival.

Word about the Consumer Survey was spread through collaborative member

organizations, word of mouth, local newspapers, various email newsletters, and onlinesharing via social media. 693 surveys were collected in total, including just over 300

collected at local food pantries & soup kitchens, 40 collected at Farmers Markets and

25 Spanish language surveys.

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Nourish Yamhill ValleyFOOD HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE OUR COMMUNITY


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Word was spread about the Farmer Survey through collaborative member

organizations, word of mouth, advertising in local newspapers and various newsletters,

and online sharing via social media.

Note: Survey sample size is insufficient for statistically valid data & findings. Thefindings noted in this report are only anecdotal.

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Consumer Surveys at-a-glance:

693surveys collected298online,395paper copies

310collected at food pantries & soup kitchens

40collected at Farmers Markets

25Spanish language surveys collected

*383= the statistically valid sample size for the survey,

given a Yamhill County population of 100,000

(2011 US Census)

Farmer survey at-a-glance:

36surveys collected7paper copies, 29online

*325= the statistically valid sample size for

the survey, given the number of farms in

Yamhill County, 2115 (2010 USDA Ag Census)


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CONSUMER SURVEY FINDINGSThe Consumer Survey set out to understand Yamhill County food consumers habits

and preferences when purchasing food. Participants were asked about their priorities

when buying food, if they purchased local food, what local meant to them, what

challenges they faced when buying local food, where they buy the majority of their

food, if they grow any of their own, and how often meals are prepared at home.

Additionally, participants were also asked what would you like to see in your

community? A menu of potential projects & initiatives was offered to them, and

they rated each on what they felt would be most useful.

A noteOur survey sample is likely skewed slightly toward the low income population in

Yamhill County, with more than 300 surveys in the sample coming from local food

pantries and soup kitchens.

Are Yamhill County Residents BuyingLocal Food?The short answer is yes!

69% of respondents indicated that they

do purchase local food. Of the

remaining 31%, it was a fairly even split

among respondents between

No (15%) and Im not sure (16%).

In addition, some individuals who re-

sponded No went on to indicate that

theydobuy local food, but very rarely

due to the challenges of cost & access.


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PRIORITY 1:

Cost28.4%

Specific items15.4%

Freshness8.8%

Quality7.6%

Local7.7%

Healthy7.1%

PRIORITY 2:

Cost27.9%

Specific items17.6%

Quality9.4%

Local7.5%

Healthy7.2%

Freshness6.0%

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What are Yamhill County Residents Priorities when Purchasing Food?The Nourish Yamhill Valley Consumer Survey found that while cost is a high priority

among the majority of respondents, other factors are influencing food choices,

including: health, freshness, quality, and if the food is local.

The Value & Cost of Buying Local FoodThe survey indicates that there is a strong understanding of why buying local isimportant and valuable among Yamhill County residents, but the cost (or perceived

cost) of locally grown food remains a challenge. A majority of respondents indicated

that they buy local food when they are able. Some respondents indicated that they

purchase local food purely on its own merit, with 15.6% of respondents stating that

they buy them regardless of the cost.

The impact of cost on individuals ability to purchase local food is significant, and was

indicated repeatedly by survey respondents answers to the questions What does

local food mean to you? and Why do you buy local food? including: [Local means] fresh food I cant afford.

I support it as much as is feasible for me.

Depends on the price.


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However, there is also a strong understanding of the value of buying local food, as

indicated by these responses to the same two questions:

Local food is important to me because it helps farmers/local businesses and

is better quality than produce from outside the Willamette Valley or NW.

Unfortunately, local foods are generally more expensive.

Its very important for us to have local food.

I would pay an extra dollar for something made here.

I pay the premium now with the hope that local food will become more

feasible in the future.

Also indicated in the responses above, among others, is a willingness among some

respondents to pay the higher prices now, with the belief that down the line, those

prices will moderate and local food will become more accessible and affordable to all.

What Local Food Means & Why People Buy ItRespondents widely agreed that local

food is defined asfood that is grownwithin a geographic area centered on theirhome. Sometimes the boundaries of thatarea are determined by miles/distance, and

other times by county/state lines.

Commonly used geographic markers

included Yamhill and surrounding coun-

ties, Oregon and Washington, and the

Pacific Northwest. It is worth noting

too that these definitions started from a

center (ex: Yamhill County or my home)and radiated outward (ex: the Willamette

Valley, then the state, then the region).

What doeslocal

food

mean to you?47% grown locally

18% close to home

(& other responses indicating a sense of place)

16% distance/miles

(ex: 50 miles, 100 miles, driving distance)

13% from Yamhill County13% from Oregon


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A strong link was made between local food

and community in the survey responses,

indicating a sense of connectedness is a

defining feature of local food as compared

to food more generally. Some examples of

this connection include:

Local is finding/sourcing your food from

(your) community.

Local means that people around me are

growing it, a strong community base, a

healthy and happy city.

[Local means] to feel connected to the

food. To know its story and to feel

some connection to that story.

Barriers to Buying Local FoodWhile many of our respondents replied Yes

to the do you buy local food question, 31%responded either No or Im not sure.

These respondents were then asked to identify

what their barriers are to buying local food. It

is interesting to note that respondents were

asked to check all of the responses that

appliedthe average number of responses per

individual was 1.6, indicating that food access is

a complex issue for most individuals. The chartto the right gives you an idea of the various

challenges faced by individuals when trying to

find and purchase local foods.

Why do you buylocal food?

42% because its fresh

23% supports local farmers

13% the community

(ex: supports the community, sense of pride,because Im a part of it, self sufficiency)

13% supports local economy

13% tastes better


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Growing Food & Cooking at HomeThis survey indicates that it is quite common for Yamhill County residents to grow

some of their own food (57%), and even more common for a large proportion of

their meals to be prepared at home (more than half41%, and all45%).

Responses to the question do you

grow/harvest any of your own food?

showed a divide between those who

dont but want to learn how, and those

who are not interested in growingtheir own food. It is worth noting that

among the 26% who said they arent

interested in learning how, many lived in

apartments or other locations where

they couldnt grow food, and others

mentioned physical disabilities or other challenges that prevented them from doing so.

In response to how many meals

are prepared at home, it is

interesting to notice that it is

common for the majority of meals

to be prepared at home. We also

asked respondents to list any

challenges they faced cooking at

home. Responses included: lack of

time (23%), lack of or running out

of food (8%), and lack of variety

and inspiration when cooking (7%).


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What Do You Want To See in YourCommunity?The responses to this section offer

wonderful insight for the whats

next question for our local food

system. Respondents were asked to

rate the options listed at the right,

from Not Important to Very

Important. Here you can see the

Very Important votes for each

concept. Throughout the survey,

and re-iterated in this final

question, is a concern with health,

education, and food. This is neatly

wrapped up in the idea of more

local fresh food in schools, the top

ranking idea/potential project.

The Take AwayYamhill County is a community rich

in agricultural resources that values

community, connection, and local food. There is a relatively widespread understanding

that local food is socially, economically, and culturally valuable. Many residents are

choosing to buy local food because it is fresh, they feel a connection to it, and it

supports their local farmers & community. For many other residents, however, local

food remains expensive and relatively inaccessible. Moving forward, there is stronginterest among respondents in making local food more accessible through stores and

schools, as well as support for SNAP at Farmers Markets. Other projects of interest

include community gardens, various classes, a co-op, and a local food guide.

Very Important

More local fresh food in schools70%

Fresh local foods in stores63%

SNAP/WIC accepted at Farmers Markets50%

Garden plots/community gardens47%

Gardening classes31%

A co-op or buying club30%

Meal planning or food budgeting classes28%

Cooking or food preservation classes27%

A local food guide27%

A farmer training program24%

A food business training program

21%

Specialty grocers21%


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NOTES FROM THE FARMER SURVEYWe had some difficulty collecting responses for this survey, leaving our sample size

too small for statistically relevant findings. The notes below are only anecdotal, but

still offer some insight into the challenges and opportunities some local farmers face.

Interesting Anecdotes For the most part, farms marketing product locally are struggling with financial

viability. This is hampering their efforts to market effectively, expand/scale up,

and/or diversify production. Many respondents stated that they were unable to

move their business forward as they would like because the financial risk was toogreat, and there was no guarantee on return.

First generation & start up farms face particularly big financial challenges.

Longer-established farms are generally doing better, but many still arent

branching out much due to financial risk.

There is a strong desire among local, direct-market farms to learn more, try new

things, and to create a strong local farmer network.

Several comments indicated that farmers lack assurance that the market for

their products does in fact exist. If they knew it did, they might take theleap into a new product, diversification, value-added goods, etc., based on

consumer interest and demand.

Nearly all respondents indicated they would like there to be more

networking and cooperation among small local farms.

Nearly all respondents indicated that a more informed and larger customer

base would help their businesses be more viable.

The Take AwayThere are farmers who are growing and marketing their products locally in YamhillCounty. However, they are struggling to remain viable and need a stronger customer

base, along with financial assistance & improved networking, to strengthen their

businesses and ensure that they can continue to provide food to the community.


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Stay in touch!TOGETHER WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS.

www.nourishyamhillvalley.org

Find us on Facebook***

BRINGING IT ALL TO

THE TABLEThe State of Food & Eating in Yamhill County

Documents

Bringing it All to the Table: The State of Food and Eating in Yamhill County