Markets & Buyers Work Group

Goals & Objectives

The purpose of the MB Work Group is to identify and better understand market barriers and opportunities for local, regional and equitably produced food producers and take action to address selected barriers and opportunities.

The Group has main objectives:

1. Increase local and regional food purchasing at higher educational institutions and other institutions in the region
2. Identify local, regional and state level policies that currently hinder stronger regional and equitable food market channels, or if established would enhance them, and plan to selectively address them in partnership with regional and state level organizations.

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Tasks & Initiatives

• Establish relationships with higher education and other institutions and secure commitment to learning process to more local procurement.
• Lift up best practices for how to start sourcing local food and be successful
• Host a 2022 event with institutions to continue developing relationships, share best practices, and explore next steps
• Engage BPS in action planning to assist them in increasing purchases from BIPOC farm and food businesses
• Facilitate Rochester Public Schools (K-12) to be actively buying local food.
• Estimate the economic impact of local procurement by institutions in the region and the financial opportunity for farmers and suppliers
• Identify and scope existing local, state, and federal policy efforts, opportunities and points of influence.
• Support advocacy efforts to amend NYS Municipal law 103 beyond “lowest responsible bidder” in public food procurement to promote the Good Food Purchasing Program values.
• Establish a legislative outreach arm as a part of WNY Food Futures Initiative that informs legislators on policy positions of importance to the Initiative.
• Identify cities that can serve as an example for municipal support of healthy food systems

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Challenge/Opportunity

Impacting institutional procurement and procurement policy will require consistent and coordinated efforts with additional partners. The work group would benefit from research, coordination and outreach support as well as interactions/collaboration with other WGs.

Work Group Members

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ABBY BENNETT
​Coordinator, Project Work Groups

CHERYL BILINSKI
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County

MARLA GAURINO
Buffalo Niagara Medical Center

MITCH GRUBER
Foodlink

BRE HALEY
​Work Group Convenor

CHRIS HARTMAN
Headwater Food Hub

DEREK NICHOLS
University of Buffalo

STEFAN SCHWARTZ
Headwater Food Hub

DAVE WALCZAK
Eden Valley Growers

REBEKAH WILLIAMS
Buffalo Food Equity Network