Community
Food Initiatives – Ultimately one of the most compelling
measures of success for ALBA farmers is their ability to develop
sales in our local communities. ALBA works to develop the
farmers’ own sales skills while also providing distribution
services that consolidate multiple farmers’ produce
for larger markets.
The agricultural economy in our region has attracted thousands
of farm workers over the years, many of whom have not been
or are no longer migrant workers. Many farm workers have chosen
to settle with their families in the Salinas Valley. This
has resulted in a vibrant and diverse local culture along
with poverty-stricken communities with limited access to social
services and few opportunities for economic advancement.
ALBA has generated a long-term vision for a just and sustainable
food system in local farm worker communities. We are working
to:
1) overcome the food system paradox whereby many farm workers
are food insecure, with little community access to fresh,
locally grown produce, and test the assumption that organic
produce is unattainable for this population,
2) coordinate production and develop marketing skills among
ALBA farmers in order to fulfill community needs, build and
sustain local business opportunities, and increase the overall
sales volume to build stronger earned income for ALBA, and,
3) promote local foods and engage people with ideas and options
to foster greater social and economic justice in the local
food system through alliances with public health agencies
and community health advocates.
Buy Fresh Buy Local
Click on logos above to visit CAFF’s Buy Fresh Buy Local
website.
ALBA has joined the Community Alliance with Family Farmers
(CAFF) in the effort to promote a healthier economy on the
Central Coast. By promoting Buy Fresh, Buy Local
labeling and educational material, this growing campaign enables
customers to identify locally produced food items while learning
the value of sustaining area farmers. Buying locally strengthens
regional economies, supports family farms, preserves the local
landscape, fosters a sense of community, and provides delicious,
fresh foods for consumers.
Partnering food businesses, such as farmers, retailers and
restaurants, receive an array of bilingual Buy Fresh Buy
Local – Compre lo Fresco de Nuestro Región marketing
materials and technical support to effectively convey their
efforts in supporting a healthy local food economy. The Buy
Fresh Buy Local campaign is working to ensure that Salinas
Valley communities have affordable access to fresh,
locally-grown produce by creating networks among area business
members and providing marketing support with bilingual
promotional materials. Interested in becoming a Buy Fresh Buy
Local partner? Contact CAFF at (831) 761-8507 or ALBA at
(831) 758-1469.
A distinct but related project complements the Buy Fresh, Buy
Local - Compre lo Fresco de Nuestro Región effort on the
Central Coast. ALBA and CAFF have partnered with Steps to a
Healthier Salinas, a three year initiative aiming to curb
community health problems related to poor nutrition, tobacco use
and physical inactivity. Our Healthy Corner Store &
Restaurant Project
seeks to support local businesses in sourcing and promoting
locally-grown produce while assisting farmers with sales to
these markets. The outcome will be a healthier,
fresh-foods-friendly environment and stronger localized economy.
The Face of Food on the Central Coast - Community Food Assessment
Community Food Assessments (CFAs) are being used across the country by a wide variety of communities and regions to help understand the issues that affect a local food system. ALBA completed a community food assessment in 2006, called The Face of Food on the Central Coast. What began as an attempt to determine the potential viability of low-income farmers selling produce in their own communities, quickly became an in-depth study of dynamic relationships among different food system components. The assessment was designed to explore the production, distribution as well as consumption patterns of local produce and it became clear that in our community there is much overlap between these sectors.
Monterey County may produce much of the nation’s fresh vegetable supply but farm workers do not have access to the healthy food they work hard to produce. Farm workers are often overlooked as a consumer group and we determined that in our research, in order to understand the food system in our area we must explore the consumption patterns of these workers. Distribution patterns are also of particular relevance to a food system. Most often the poorest neighborhoods have the fewest options for food purchase. In our region this takes on even more significance as the structure of the agricultural industry leads to limited consumption choices for farm workers.
The primary objective of the Community Food Assessment was to determine if there are potential markets for local, organic produce in the low-income (and primarily farm worker) communities of the Salinas Valley. Based on the results of this market-driven community food assessment, there are strong indications that consumers understand the importance of supporting local and organic purchasing, and there is demand for greater access to local and organic produce.
Read The Face of Food on the Central Coast report
here.
ALBA collaborates with schools, parishes and faith based organizations to support and improve access to healthy food and awareness of local family farms in our communities.
You can find ALBA farmers selling fresh produce at the
following locations from April to November.
Longwood Elementary School – Tuesday
afternoon
850 Longwood Ave.
Hayward, CA 94541
Park Elementary School – Tuesday afternoon
411 Larchmont St.
Hayward, CA 94540
Carmel Mission Basilica - Sunday
3080 Rio Road
Carmel, CA 93923
St. Angela’s Parish – Sunday
136 8th St
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
All Saints Episcopal Church – Sunday
Dolores Street
Carmel, CA 93923
ALBA Organics and Marketing Education – ALBA Organics
is a licensed produce distributor operated by the Agriculture
and Land-Based Training Association. Its facilities are located
at the Rural Development Center farm near Salinas. Produce
sales and distribution services are major assets for the farmers
at ALBA, especially beginners. In addition, ALBA Organics
offers crucial marketing education on a variety of sales strategies
including wholesale, direct-to-retail, community supported
agriculture, farmers’ markets and others.
You can read more about ALBA Organics, and become a customer
by clicking here
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