University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Partners in Produce - Arthur Produce Auction

University of Illinois. Prairie Research Institute. Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. Technical Assistance Program; Feeding Illinois

Content Files
Farm to Food Bank Case Study 2022 - Partners in Produce - Arthur Produce Auction.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117234

Description

Title
Partners in Produce - Arthur Produce Auction
Author(s)
  • University of Illinois. Prairie Research Institute. Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. Technical Assistance Program
  • Feeding Illinois
Issue Date
2023-02
Keyword(s)
  • Food waste -- Source reduction (waste management) -- Illinois -- Case studies
  • Food insecurity -- Illinois
  • Agricultural markets -- Illinois
  • Food banks -- Illinois -- Case studies
  • Circular economy -- Illinois
  • Agricultural markets -- Supply chain -- Illinois -- Case studies
Geographic Coverage
  • East Central Illinois
  • Central Illinois
Abstract
Beginning in 2019, University of Illinois Extension partnered with Arthur Produce Auction on an initiative called Partners in Produce. After the Farm to Food Bank team learned that other Farm to Food Bank programs partner with produce auctions, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and Feeding Illinois wanted to learn more about the Partners in Produce initiative and see if there was opportunity for collaboration. After several discussions it was made evident that Partners in Produce team needed funding to scale their program and capture additional product. On Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the growing season, the U of I Extension team attended the Arthur Produce Auction. The Partners in Produce team acts as any other bidder, but only “wins” produce once it has not sold in the standard price range, at which point it is awarded at a heavily discount rate. Prior to this initiative, product not sold in the standard price range would go back with the farmer, often going to waste. Once the auction closes, the Partners in Produce team gathers up all the produce they acquired for the day, weighs and records it, and then delivers to forty-two food pantries in Coles, Cumberland, Macon, Douglas, Shelby, and Moultrie counties. Twenty-nine of the food pantries are in the Feeding Illinois network and fall in the service areas of Eastern Illinois Foodbank and Central Illinois Foodbank. A wide variety of produce is acquired at the auction including broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, cucumber, green beans, onions, peppers, potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini. By the end of the 2022 auction season, Feeding Illinois funded the Partners in Produce initiative in the amount of $12,000 to cover the Picking and Pack-Out (PPO) costs and aid in the donation of 54,990 pounds of fruits and vegetables. This supported 13 farmers throughout the season. 75% of this product was delivered to food pantries in the Feeding Illinois network.
Publisher
Champaign, IL : Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
Series/Report Name or Number
  • Farm to Food Bank
  • 2022 Farm to Food Bank Case Studies
Type of Resource
text
Genre of Resource
other
Language
en

Owning Collections

Farm to Food Bank Publications
Publications from ISTC TAP's Farm to Food Bank project. The project aims to connect food banks with farms to purchase products like fruits, vegetables, cheese, milk, meat, and eggs directly from farmers. The overall goal of the project is to identify and build a long-term market and infrastructure for Illinois farmers and Illinois food banks.
Farm to Food Bank Case Studies PRIMARY
TN Series and other Factsheets - Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
ISTC TN Series