Facilitating a market-based approach for entrepreneurial agriculture

The Wallace Center applies a market-based approach to improving the sustainability of agriculture and the food sector.  By working with farmers and ranchers and food purchasers, we are able to improve the marketing opportunities and capabilities of mid-sized and small agricultural operations and the small businesses that interact with them.  Often, these opportunities reward producers for their commitments to sustainable land management and fair labor practices, and can improve food affordability through innovative, low-cost distribution systems. 

Through our national producer-buyer network, we have established on-the ground, collaborative partnerships in all regions of the country, working with all sizes and types of agricultural producers.  A common need across the regions is to fill in program gaps and improve existing program delivery to support this growing, entrepreneurial sector.  Key resource needs include support for business planning and market demand assessments, access to financing, provision of technical assistance, and improvements in program delivery at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  Our policy focus and recommendations are grounded in the principles of engaging multiple stakeholders to facilitate market-based change, including farmers and ranchers, food retailers and distributors, and local community leaders. 

policy priorities for 2009:

Promoting Local and Regional Food Systems
Reducing the policy barriers and increasing investments in local and regional food systems can improve producer market access, increase producer income, and generate and maintain place-based employment.  Increasingly, young, new, and beginner farmers are ranchers are seeking out these markets.

Improving Healthy Food Access
The Child Nutrition reauthorization of 2009 provides an opportunity to increase the availability and affordability of healthy and locally and regionally produced foods to our nation’s children, especially in low-income communities.  We are working in partnership with a national collaborative of school, farmer, and nutrition groups to establish and fund a national Farm to School and garden program.
Read Wallace's reaction to the 2009 USDA Food Desert Report

Harmonizing Food Safety with Agricultural Sustainability
Buyers of locally and regionally produced foods – including food serve companies, wholesalers, and institutional purchasers – are increasingly requiring producers to provide a food safety certification.  We are actively consulting with producers and buyers to develop food safety recommendations that are supportive of and do not inhibit agricultural sustainability.


For more information on policy at the Wallace Center, contact:
Alan Hunt
Senior Program Associate
1621 N. Kent St Suite 1200  
Arlington VA 22209
Phone: 703.525.9430 x681
Fax: 703.525.1744
ahunt@winrock.org