Food System Meetings Food System Meetings

Eastport Food System Meeting – Audience Polling Results

Session Name: Eastport Food System Meeting
Date Created: 5/9/13 5:38:21 PM Active Participants: 45 of 45
Average Score: 0.00% Questions: 19

Results by Question

1.) What is your gender? (Demographic Assignment)

 Responses

Percent Count
Male 48.57% 17
Female 51.43% 18
Totals 100% 35
2.) Please tell us your age range (Demographic Assignment)

 Responses

Percent Count
under 25 5.56% 2
25-35 27.78% 10
36-45 11.11% 4
46-55 13.89% 5
56-65 33.33% 12
over 66 8.33% 3
Totals 100% 36
3.) MAY – OCTOBER: What percentage of your weekly food budget do you estimate that you spend on local food? (Multiple Choice)

 Responses

Percent Count
less than 5% 2.63% 1
~6-10% 23.68% 9
11 – 25% 15.79% 6
26-50% 28.95% 11
greater than 50% 28.95% 11
Totals 100% 38
4.) NOVEMBER – APRIL: What percentage of your weekly food budget do you estimate that you spend on local food? (Multiple Choice)

 Responses

Percent Count
less than 5% 23.68% 9
~6-10% 10.53% 4
11 – 25% 34.21% 13
26-50% 15.79% 6
greater than 50% 15.79% 6
Totals 100% 38
5.) What is your primary “hat” in attending this meeting about local food (NOTE – you will get a secondary hat too)? (Demographic Assignment)

 Responses

Percent Count
Farmer (w/ off farm sales) 13.16% 5
Fisherman 2.63% 1
Distributor 7.89% 3
Retailer 0% 0
Consumer – household 34.21% 13
Food transformer (processor) 5.26% 2
Grower – preparing to sell 7.89% 3
Support system 18.42% 7
Homesteader/Grower 7.89% 3
Consumer – institutional 2.63% 1
Totals 100% 38
6.) What is your secondary “hat” in attending this meeting about local food? (Demographic Assignment)

 Responses

Percent Count
Farmer (w/ off farm sales) 0% 0
Fisherman 2.86% 1
Distributor 5.71% 2
Retailer 5.71% 2
Consumer – household 34.29% 12
Food transformer (processor) 0% 0
Grower – preparing to sell 14.29% 5
Support system 11.43% 4
Homesteader/Grower 20% 7
Consumer – institutional 5.71% 2
Totals 100% 35
7.) If one of your “hats” is being part of the local food Support System (NOTE – could be your 3rd “hat”), what is your primary supporting role? (Demographic Assignment)

 Responses

Percent Count
Lending 0% 0
Education/Research 72.22% 13
Marketing/Trade Association 5.56% 1
Policy/Legislation 5.56% 1
Technical Assistance 16.67% 3
Totals 100% 18
8.) In what way do you as a consumer participate in the local food system? (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
Buying club 20.34% 24
Community Supported Agriculture 4.24% 5
Farmers market 31.36% 37
Pre-order 5.08% 6
Direct from producer 16.1% 19
Local products from retailers 22.03% 26
none of the above (yet) 0.85% 1
Totals 100% 118
9.) Management workshops – Please indicate whether you would attend workshops in the following subject areas (more than one answer OK). (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
Pricing/invoicing 7.02% 4
Financing – credit, grants, loans 14.04% 8
Time management 0% 0
Tax issues for farms 5.26% 3
Tools & equipment – sizing, maintenance, choice 8.77% 5
Alternative pest control. 14.04% 8
Markets and marketing 26.32% 15
Distribution networks 24.56% 14
Totals 100% 57
10.) Production workshops – Please indicate whether you would attend workshops in the following subject areas (more than one answer OK). (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
Cranberry and blueberry production 4.69% 3
Poultry production – eggs and meat 1.56% 1
Hoofed animals – dairy and meat 3.13% 2
Vegetable production – field and greenhouse 29.69% 19
Season extension 21.88% 14
Aquaculture 10.94% 7
Fruit tree production 28.13% 18
Enter answer text… 0% 0
Totals 100% 64
11.) Time of year? Please indicate the months when you would participate (more than one answer OK). (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
January 11.59% 8
February 24.64% 17
March 31.88% 22
April 17.39% 12
November 14.49% 10
Enter answer text… 0% 0
Totals 100% 69
12.) Location? Please indicate your preferred location for training (more than one answer OK). (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
Calais 21.82% 12
Machias 21.82% 12
Eastport 50.91% 28
Milbridge 5.45% 3
Totals 100% 55
13.) Time? Please indicate the best time to attend a workshop (more than one answer OK). (Multiple Choice)

 Responses

Percent Count
Weekday morning 7.89% 3
Weekday afternoon 15.79% 6
Weekday evening 47.37% 18
Saturday 21.05% 8
Sunday afternoon 7.89% 3
Totals 100% 38
14.) Distribution – what distribution issues hinder your growth? (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
Available hubs with storage capacity. 14.29% 4
Logistics and dispatch 25% 7
Available truck capacity 17.86% 5
Insufficient/inefficient back haul loads 21.43% 6
Cost of distribution 21.43% 6

0% 0
Totals 100% 28
15.) Access to capital – where does this affect you most? (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
Production 12.12% 4
Distribution 6.06% 2
Processing 27.27% 9
Marketing 15.15% 5
Infrastructure – buidings, boats, equipment 39.39% 13
Totals 100% 33
16.) Critical mass of growers – how do we support/attract new and/or expanded production? (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
Mentoring program for new farmers 26.15% 17
Producer grant/loan program 24.62% 16
Coordinated County-wide support network. 29.23% 19
Market research 20% 13

0% 0
Totals 100% 65
17.) Storage – what are the critical issues that hinder expansion? (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
Freezer capacity 17.65% 6
Central food hub facilities 20.59% 7
Dry storage capacity 23.53% 8
Refrigerated storage 38.24% 13

0% 0
Totals 100% 34
18.) Do you agree that Washington County could benefit from the creation of a County-wide Food Council? (Multiple Choice)

 Responses

Percent Count
Yes 79.07% 34
No 6.98% 3
Need more information 13.95% 6
Totals 100% 43

19.) Feedback – did polling help the discussion? (Multiple Choice – Multiple Response)

 Responses

Percent Count
Useful to see results immediately 27.03% 20
Interested to see full summary from all 5 meetings 40.54% 30
Not useful, got in the way 1.35% 1
Too many questions 6.76% 5
# of questions OK 22.97% 17
Comments? 1.35% 1
Totals 100% 74