Can Smoosiers produce a Viral Food Campaign for local producers?

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Comment by Pat Coyle on March 7, 2009 at 3:59pm

Thank you Sage and Jeb. You guys are answering the question asked: can Smoosiers work together to create a viral program that increases awareness, demand and sales for local famers - especially those who are raising natural and healthy foods. Thanks to you we have animation, and we've got whatever Jeb's group brings to the party...and yes, Chris, I think that "Buy Fresh, Buy Local" campaign is worth investigating. If anyone else out there is willing to create applications, take photos, write code, write text, shoot / edit video...we may be able to use your skills in this.

We also need to pick a cause and devise a campaign.

What do these campaigns look like?

From what I've seen with Campbell's (Click for Cans), Quaker and Tyson, these campaigns seem to have some elements in common.

1. They all encourage people to visit a particular Website and interact in some way.
2. They all create competition between various people (or groups of people) to see who can generate the most activity.
3. And they all offer rewards - not directly to the participants, but to a local charity. In all three cases mentioned above, the charities had to do with feeding hungry people.

I'd like to see us use this model as a jumping off point for a campaign that someone leads to hungry people in Indiana getting rewarded with the healthiest food possible...and I'd like to see that food to come from local producers.

Here's an idea...what if we set a goal to feed 2,009 hungry Hoosiers a "home" raised / home cooked meal? We could do this at one big event, or perhaps we could partner with Wheeler Mission or other similar entity to deliver these meals over time. We could raise money (through micro donations) to buy all the fixins from local producers...and perhaps we could get a local corporation to match the funds raised. Perhaps that's the viral part. And perhaps Smaller Indians is that company. YES!!! Here's what I'm willing to do...

For every person who donates at least one dollar to this fund, Smaller Indiana will match that dollar up to $1,000. So if 1,000 Smoosiers give on average $5 each, we'd have a grand total of $6,000 to buy our stuff. We might need people to help collect the food, and we might need help to prepare it as well...we would certainly need people to forward our campaign message around in order to get that many people to donate.

If Smoosiers are willing to lend a hand, we could create a microsite that documents the campaign, introduces the world to the food producers, explains the menu, and the process by which everything was produced and brought to the table...we could offer links to other sites that explain the benefits of locally produced, natural foods; and we could also document the meal itself with photos and videos.

In the end we might only serve 2,009 meals, but we also will have raised lots of awareness, provided education, strenghtened our community and - perhaps - inspired others to follow OUR example.

What do you guys think? Can we run with this idea?

Comment by Faith Wesstrom on March 7, 2009 at 3:06pm

When I was working at Alberts Organics who had a very short stint here in Greenwood, we were shown videos of the like by organic suppliers who'd like to partner with us. After watching the videos, I have to say I did contemplate becoming vegan! Anyway, we had perishables like veggies shipped from CA, but because of timing, some food has had gotten bad/worse for wear when they got to the warehouse. We had increasingly been partnering with local farmers here and in the neighboring states to get fresher produce. I've also worked with buying clubs in the midwest and from what they tell me, they buy from their local markets/farmers or even grow their own food in summer.

As for organic vs non-orgainc, education is still key and I think Walmart and Mejiers coming into this market, has helped somewhat with the education aspect. IMO, Organic is a lifestyle..one just can't eat an organic banana or tomato as and when and claims that it does (or does not) help..it's a commitment to eating organic AND also committing to having healthy lifestyles. Would it matter if one eat organic food and then have other counter productive habits - like not exercising at all and/or excessive smoking?

Comment by Bernard Munos on March 7, 2009 at 2:24pm

I would urge caution before reacting to the video clip. I happen to have some knowledge of that field. As an animal scientist, I have visited quite a few chicken slaughterhouses around the world, and I can see, better than some who might lack that background, the blatant manipulation. First, the clip is long on conveyors carrying chickens around. Viewers should know that, by the time the birds are hung onto these things, they are long dead. What the clip shows (but does not acknowledge) is basically dead birds being processed: the removal of the feathers, the draining of the blood, the evisceration, the cutting of legs, and, yes, of the head since it's not on the broiler you buy at the store. These things have to be done, whether the chickens are organic or not. I am also troubled by the fact that much of the audio tape is inaudible, except for the voice over, and, even when one can hear it, it does not say much. Activists in that field are not above putting words in people's mouths, so caution is in order. In addition, by law, all slaughterhouses in the US must have USDA inspectors on the premises at all times. Their job is precisely to ensure that sanitary conditions are kept in accordance with government-approved standards. Lastly, with the spread of quality certification standards (ISO) around the world, a growing number (majority) of poultry processing plants have embraced and achieved very high sanitary conditions, backed up by documented Standard Operating Procedures, and traceability. This is not to say that everything is perfect. But to selectively pick a plant that may have compliance problems, and claim it is emblematic of the industry is shameful manipulation. It is also taking us for idiots, something we should all find objectionable.

To come back to Pat's question, I don't think it's right to oppose organic vs. non-organic food, and claim, as some do, that all organic is good, while the rest is dangerous. To me there is good and bad food, and, frankly, I have tasted organic food that was pretty appalling and regular food that was fabulous, and vice versa. Organic or not does not matter in my view. What does is that the producer behind it has made an all-encompassing commitment to quality. Many local food are pretty good, because our farmers have made such commitment. And they should be supported. The rest is ideology, something I am happy NOT to enter on such a gorgeous day.

Comment by Kristen Horton on March 7, 2009 at 2:17pm

Farm Fresh Delivery (www.farmfreshdelivery.com) is excellent for organic produce, fruits, & locally produced food. Here's a link to a photo of my first delivery.

Comment by Sage McGreen on March 7, 2009 at 1:54pm

I have photo animation software that will make Mark Apple's pretty cows talk - I'll be happy to provide a mini movie if someone else does the voice over, I get called a hefer enough. I'll make the time to promote local food co-ops, because it's important. I constantly twitter to curious pre-vegans, don't delete meat find a better source - LOCAL. I will network with my top ten list of GREEN MULE TRAIN websites to help go viral.
Game ON!

Comment by Jeb Banner on March 7, 2009 at 1:00pm

I would love to see this and could get the Musicalfamilytree.net community behind it since many there share this vision.

Comment by Jan Dye on March 7, 2009 at 12:33pm

I agree, we would love to use those products. We are all about keeping it local as any small restaurant should.

Comment by Jennifer Litz on March 7, 2009 at 12:31pm

Before we hurl ourselves toward the cause of organic vs. mass produced like it were clearly black and white, I think people need to understand exactly what organic farming constitutes. Thankfully, authors like Michael Pollan have called attention to its shortfalls: You know when Wal-Mart starts offering organic food, something ain't right. These days, you can be "certified organic" by the FDA and still have cows, chickens and pigs in cramped, unnatural conditions, even if they are chomping on "organic" grain (when at least some should be munching grass).

I've shared some thoughtsin this article about sustainable foods. Educating ourselves is the first step.

Comment by Chris Hardie on March 7, 2009 at 12:31pm

I would definitely recommend checking out the Foodroutes.org "Buy Fresh, Buy Local" branding campaign, which facilitates the promotion and support of local food production that provides citizens with healthy, safe food. It's already in use in cities around the country, including some in Indiana, and we're working on starting one up here in Richmond, IN.

Chris

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