Mike Hamm - Does size matter?

Wallace Center | Winrock International@NGFN

FOOD HUBS & SCALE FOR FOOD

Michael W. HammC.S. Mott Professor of Sustainable AgricultureSenior Fellow, CRFSMichigan State University


FOOD HUB BASICS‘A financially viable business that demonstrates a

significant commitment to place through aggegration and marketing of regional food.’1

2Their numbers are growing:2013 – 107 total responses; 2015 - 151 total responses

Food hub suppliers and customers are almost entirely regional.

Food hubs are good for small and medium agricultural operations.

Food hubs strive to increase community food access and improve health outcomes.

1Fischer, Micaela, R. Pirog, M. Hamm (2015). Food Hubs: Definitions, Expectations, and Realities. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition 10(1) 92-99.2Hardy, J., Hamm, M., Pirog, R., Fisk, J., Farbman, J., & Fischer, M. (2016). Findings of the 2015 National Food Hub Survey. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems & The Wallace Center at Winrock International. Retrieved from http://foodsystems.msu.edu/activities/food-hub-survey


OPERATING EXPENSE RATIO

n Avg. Median RangeAll hubs 2013 77 1.09 1.00 0.04-6.79

All hubs 2015 86 0.88 0.94 0.01-3.10

Hubs with OER for both years

n Avg. Median Range

2013 28 .96 1.00 0.11-1.852015 .84 .99 0.04-1.50

Hardy, J., Hamm, M., Pirog, R., Fisk, J., Farbman, J., & Fischer, M. (2016). Findings of the 2015 National Food Hub Survey. East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems & The Wallace Center at Winrock International. Retrieved from http://foodsystems.msu.edu/activities/food-hub-survey


SCALE OF PRODUCE PRODUCTION AND SOME THOUGHTS

Back of the Envelope Calculations – M.W. Hamm (2015); Current from 2012 USDA Census of Agriculture

Mike Hamm - Does size matter?

Food

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