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The mission of the Southern Appalachian Family Farms (SAFF) is to preserve the agricultural heritage of rural Western North Carolina by developing both local and alternative sustainable markets to provide opportunities for our area farmers to utilize their land in more profitable ventures through access to resources, education and networking efforts.
2009
- Farmers from Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties first meet in September 2009 out of a concern for the lack of markets to sell their products
and a determination to preserve the area farmland and way of life.
2010
- A Board of Directors is appointed.
- SAFF has the support of several resource personnel from Cherokee and Clay County North Carolina Cooperative Extension, North Carolina
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Tri-County Community College Small Business Center, the Natural Resource and Conservation
Service.
- SAFF business plan is completed in October 2010.
2011
- SAFF receives an $17,000 WNC AgOptions Grant in January, 2011.
- SAFF receives a $5,000 cost share grant from Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.
- Family Farms Direct.com website launches May 2011.
- Southern Appalachian Family Farms LLC - Articles of Organization filed September 16, 2011
- AgOptions Grant obligations are fulfilled by year end. Phase I – Start up, Phase II – Marketing Plan & Phase III – Public Awareness
of SAFF’s business plan
- SAFF holds monthly meetings on the 4th Monday of each month. Meetings are open to the public and feature guest speakers, SAFF updates, and a
refreshment time to meet and network with area farmers and growers.
- The Board of Directors meets monthly on the 2nd Monday of every month.
- Click here for a SAFF Calendar of Meetings and Events.
2012
Executive Summary
Organization
The creation of Southern Appalachian Family Farms (SAFF) grew out of the need that the farmers recognized – they needed new and more profitable markets for their products. Over the past year the group has been developing its organizational structure and reaching out to the regional farmers to let them know that there is another option for selling their Ag products – SAFF.
Objective
Southern Appalachian Family Farms (SAFF) is a farmer-led and managed organization. SAFF’s objective is to enable farmers to create a self-sufficient enterprise. Our goal is for this cooperative organization to be built upon the strengths of numerous farms and growers so that they can be profitable through their combined efforts and the production of high quality agricultural products. The primary focus is to create a diverse marketing program to sell fresh, locally grown vegetables, fruit, meats and other agricultural products, including value-added products. Sales will be directly to the end-user by using the internet, tailgate markets, restaurant merchants, local venues and individual consumers. The goal of SAFF is to be fiscally self-sufficient in three to five years, supported by a percentage of participating member sales.
Principals and Legal Structure
Currently SAFF is comprised of farmers and organizations from Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon Counties consisting of approximately 40 members and has a governing body of 7 elected officials.
Governing Rules - Southern Appalachian Family Farms
- Southern Appalachian Family Farms (SAFF) is a Limited Liability Company (LLC) that is registered as for-profit business with the Federal Government and the state of North Carolina.
- Family Farms Direct, a marketing entity, is a project of SAFF and is administered by Southern Appalachian Family Farms (SAFF).
- Southern Appalachian Family Farms is governed by a Board of Directors. These Directors are referred to as Members under the LLC structure.
- SAFF is a manager managed organization. The person(s) may be a (Board) Member.
- The Members fulfill the LLC requirement in the Operating Agreement in that each Member holds equal shares in the Company. Each Member retains the assets or liabilities of those shares per the Operating Agreement of SAFF.
- Upon serving as a Member, the Member agrees to waive his/her LLC shares and their value to the organization for operational costs and project development. Thus creating no monetary gain for any Member.
- The Company allows (Board) Members to benefit only through the sales of their products.
- The Members of the Board consist of seven (7) Members for a term of three (3) years at which time a Member may choose to remain on the Board or resign. The General Membership will make recommendations for nominations. The Board will select the new Member(s).
- When the Member no longer serves on the governing Board that Member’s Company share is relinquished to the new Member.
- At the Annual Meeting the following reports will be presented to the General Membership: The Co-Chair’s report, the Secretary’s report, the Treasurer’s report, and the Marketing report.
- The General Membership of Southern Appalachian Family Farms (SAFF) can request any documentation that reflects the activities of the organization. Additionally, the General Membership is able to provide input, suggestions, or ask questions regarding all activities of the Company governed by the Members. This will provide the transparency needed for the General Membership to understand the function of the Company and the actions of its governing Members.
- These Governing Rules are a “living document” and can be amended by the Members by a majority vote.
Organizational Plan – Implementation of Phases I – V
Initially SAFF will focus on sourcing funding to facilitate Phase I, II, and III. Completion of these Phases will create SAFF’s identity, database and the marketing plan thus enabling the farmer to commence sales in the 2011 growing season. Phase I will source start-up funding and Phase II and III will concentrate on marketing efforts, the first action will begin with a “Buy Locally Grown” Campaign. In Phases I – III SAFF’s identity is established, public awareness can be accomplished through the media and local venues. In addition, SAFF will plan an annual Local Food Festival. Lastly, a Co-operative CSA will be explored. SAFF projects Phase IV, the need to hire a full-time Coordinator to manage the day-to-day operations, will commence by mid 2011 and Phase IV will fully realize that potential in the harvests of 2012. This will take a united effort seeking multi-sources of funding, and a huge commitment of time and effort for the Board of Directors, the members, and the resource people empowering SAFF.
Organizational funding
For the first three to five years SAFF will need to seek funding to build the infrastructure of the organization. The SAFF Board will explore additional funding to enhance the marketing plan and community outreach for the organization to reach its objective and mission. Potential sources of funding may be as follows:
- NCDA&CS Agriculture Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund
- Appalachian Sustainable Agricultural Project
- Ferebee Foundation
- The Center for Environmental Farming Systems
- The Rural Advancement Foundation International
- The Leadership Grants Organization
- The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina
- Appalachian Regional Council
Each year SAFF will move towards its goal - to be fiscally self-sufficient in three to five years through being supported by a percentage of participating member sales.
Risks of the business venture are always present however, SAFF has several advantages. First, the organization is fostering “local foods and healthy foods”; this is a national movement and also a strong coalition in North Carolina. Second, SAFF is farmer lead and managed; the farmers wanted this association because they realized it was a method to fill an immediate need – to sell their Ag products for higher prices and there are multiple examples of successful methods to market those products. Third, the timing of creating a farmer organization in the far western counties of NC is perfect – it addresses a “need” stated by the farmers in hard economic times.
SAFF and the future of farming in WNC
SAFF wants to change the face of WNC agriculture by farming smarter, working together, and using the power of a combined group effort. Area farmers will learn new production methods and marketing techniques that can help each member to be more competitive and sustainable.
Conclusion
Agriculture is the top income producer in all of NC and especially in WNC. SAFF is using agriculture as an economic development tool and will generate jobs for our area farmers and community members. Complementary enterprises can be an outcome of SAFF, a distribution enterprise is one example, and there are many opportunities for job creation on and off of the farm. Farming has been an important economic engine to the NC mountains for decades and SAFF wants to bolster that economy by creating a marketing vehicle to sell wholesome food and food products which will benefit the farmers and community alike.
The Southern Appalachian Family Farms (SAFF) is committed to the farmers and consumers. Through the cooperative effort, SAFF will become a vital economic engine for agriculture in Western North Carolina by creating a dynamic business enterprise that provides locally produced, safe and wholesome food and food products.
Marketing Plan & Identifying Markets Summary
Phase II marketing efforts will begin with a "Buy Locally Grown" Campaign. Once SAFF's identity is established, public awareness can be accomplished through the media and local venues. In addition, SAFF will plan an annual Local Food Festival. Lastly, a Co-operative CSA will be explored.
Phase II Markets to be explored are as follows:
- Local and regional markets
- Tailgate markets that will be operational in the 2012 season
- Local produce stands
- Individuals who want locally grown products
- SAFF CSA, Community Supported Agriculture Co-operative
Phase IV Markets to be explored are as follows:
- White table cloth restaurants and country clubs
- Identify market outlets in the metro Atlanta area who want to purchase high quality and fresh food items from the "farm to the table" to highlight for their customers
- Value-added products to be explored in the future
- Research the viability of a Farmers Markets serving the local area
- Retail outlets
Implementing Phase IV, the Coordinator will determine the type of crop production systems to meet consumer demand and consistently work to tailor the production outputs to meet those demands. The Coordinator will also develop a pick-up and distribution system; this may entail creating a distinct enterprise for getting the Agricultural products from the farms to the buyer.
The Marketing Plan will evolve as SAFF begins the first four Phases of its operational goals. The Coordinator will be instrumental in working with the Board of Directors and the farmers to develop a more defined Plan.
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