Buy Fresh, Buy Local Comes to Oklahoma
– Doug Walton
 Oklahoma
has joined the ranks of twenty-four other states with groups working
collectively to make it easier for consumers to find locally produced
foods.
This past December, the Kerr Center received approval to serve
as a regional chapter affiliate for the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign.
As the Oklahoma affiliate, the Kerr Center will help coordinate
the campaign's future growth across the state, one community at
a time.
The national Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign is spearheaded and
coordinated by FoodRoutes Network (FRN), a nonprofit whose mission
is "reintroducing Americans to their food – the seeds
it grows from, the farmers who produce it, and the routes that
carry it from the fields to their tables."
The campaign's rallying cry and title track is simple and concise,
encouraging food shoppers and establishments to "Buy Fresh,
Buy Local." The goal is also straightforward: to increase
individual and community support of local farms and food systems.
But to truly achieve that goal requires a grassroots food and
farm activism unlike any seen before.
Yet as Oklahoma's first campaign begins to take shape, this new
level of local food activism is already blossoming, opening the
way for others to follow. Sustainable Green Country (SGC), a chapter
of the Oklahoma Sustainability Network (OSN), is implementing a
Buy Fresh, Buy Local pilot project within the greater Tulsa area.
With six current chapters, including those in Norman, Stillwater
and OKC, and several more in the works, the Oklahoma Sustainability
Network is a natural partner in the Buy Fresh, Buy Local effort.
According to OSN President Seneca Scott, "OSN will use the
strengths of the network to expand the campaign from the Tulsa
area across the state of Oklahoma in the coming years."
Plans Taking Shape
Since last winter, Kerr staffer Doug Walton has worked closely
with SGC President Rita Scott and other dedicated volunteers
to design and plan campaign activities and guidelines for the
2007 season.
Kamyar Enshayan, coordinator of the University of Northern Iowa's
Local Food Project since 1997, has also shared his expertise with
the Kerr Center and SGC on this new venture.
In late February, Enshayan came to Tulsa for a full day of consulting
with the campaign steering committee, as well as conducting two
public forums and a 30 minute interview on the University of Tulsa
public radio station. Out of these and other ongoing efforts, plans
are taking shape for this year's campaign.
The primary Buy Fresh Buy Local activity for the 2007 season
will be the creation and distribution of a Tulsa area Local Food
Guide, a colorful and concise listing of farmers' markets and farmers
who offer fresh, great tasting, locally grown products directly
to consumers within the greater Tulsa area.
The Food Guide will also include helpful information about the
seasonal availability of the many diverse foods grown in Oklahoma.
Key to the campaign's success is the initiation of a multi-year
social marketing effort to raise public awareness about the availability
and benefits of locally produced foods and the importance of supporting
family farmers.
Farmers' market signage, paid advertising and various media and
educational events will foster the dialogue necessary for empowering
individuals to take action in their households and within their
communities. The campaign is expected to launch in mid-June, 2007.
Of course, these activities will not be possible without the
funding and people power to make them happen. While budget estimates
are not yet solidified, Sustainable Green Country expects that
a one year campaign such as this will require at least $40,000
for staff time and materials.
As Tim Schlitzer, executive director of FoodRoutes, puts it, "We
are working to build a new culture that helps the public understand
that a local food system is something that needs their financial
support well beyond their purchases."
Efforts are currently underway in the Tulsa area seeking local
in-kind printing services and funding assistance from prospective
campaign sponsors and local foundations. Initial interest in the
campaign looks promising.
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