Why was this organization founded?
The idea for the Chesapeake Fields Farmers, LLC developed through the efforts of the Chesapeake Fields Institute, a non-profit corporation organized in 1999, to research and promote new market concepts for family farmers throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The goal is to identify products that would allow the family farmer to remain as a small business enterprise by offering higher quality products at a premium price.
Why has Chesapeake Fields chosen to develop consumer products?
With its goal to help family farmers continue as profitable small businesses, Chesapeake Fields Institute research revealed that if the Co-Op farmers grew and produced consumer food products they would garner higher levels of profit than crops grown for livestock consumption. Increased profits for farmers along with the application and management of sound sustainable agricultural practices, promotes agricultural land preservation. Hence, the organization’s mission statement of “Preservation through Profitability.”
How are the profits used?
Chesapeake Fields Farmers was organized as an LLC in order to facilitate the flow of profits back to the participating farmer cooperative members as well as its investors and Chesapeake Fields Institute. The profits, after basic operating expenses, are shared as follows: 5% returns to the CFI to fund further research and regional education; the remaining 95% is split between CFF investors and the Farmers Cooperative. Maintaining the region’s agricultural farmland is a high priority for Chesapeake Fields. In the last 15 years more than 90,000 acres of farmland have disappeared from the region. Urban encroachment, global competition, and low prices for various small grain and oilseed crops are all reasons for the decline in profitable farming according to various sources.
What is Identity Preserved or ‘IP’?
Every Chesapeake Fields product carries our IP seal indicating its sourcing from Identity Preservation farming methods. Our IP seal is our way of assuring a pure, non-genetically modified food product for you and your family. By tracking our seeds and grains through each food processing stage, we have the ability to guarantee the source of our foods and the means to prevent co-mingling with genetically altered crops. This constant tracking combined with local processing, gives us one of our best defenses against the introduction of unwanted materials in our food sources.
How will Chesapeake Fields distribute their finished products?
Currently, Chesapeake Fields Farmers products are for sale in more than 100+ grocery and retail stores on the Eastern Shore and Annapolis. It is aggressively expanding sales throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Meetings with major grocery and convenience store's are underway.
Where are raw materials sent for production and packaging?
CFF raw materials are processed into finished products in the closest, qualified manufacturing facility possible. Each co-packer is carefully evaluated prior to any agreement for the facility to produce for CFF. Popcorn is cleaned and stored from the field at a 2nd generation owner-operated company in Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania. From that location it is moved to the processing company just outside Lancaster, PA where the kernels are transformed into finished popcorn and seasoned. The Soy Gems are cleaned and stored in Greensboro, MD. When an order is placed for finished product, the soybeans are shipped to Fargo, ND where they are roasted and seasoned into a finished packaged product. Fargo may appear to be a distant choice. However, the company completing the co-packing for CFF has no other nutmeats in the production facility (no peanut worries), and roasts the beans in high quality sunflower oil. Closer manufacturing plants use a dry roasting process, which does not yield the same good nut flavor or eating characteristics.
How many acres are under cultivation for CFF products?
In the spring of 2005, Chesapeake Fields growers planted 1,663 acres of natto-type soybeans and 148 acres of an experimental soybean. Other types of soybeans were planted on 1,471 acres, making a total of 3,282 acres of various soybean cultivars under cultivation. Popcorn acreage increased dramatically in 2005, with a total of more than 280 acres being grown on both sides of the Chesapeake Bay; only 10 acres were grown in 2004. And, there are more than 1,200 acres of Chesapeake Fields specialty wheat being grown for artisan breads and other product lines.
What other products are being planned?
A line of soy and rice based snacks called “Soy Saucers”, a nutritious baked alternative to fried potato chips, is planned for introduction in early October 2005. The artisan bread line will continue to expand from its present 31 variety offerings to include more specialty products in spring, 2006.
What are Artisan breads?
Artisan breads are baked by craftsmen who are skilled in the art and tradition of bread making. These breads benefit from handcrafting; they are not manufactured solely by machines. Chesapeake Fields grows all the wheat, which is locally milled at an organic mill into finished flour. Two wheat varieties have been carefully selected after years of university-based research. These varieties grow well in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and were chosen for their nutritional attributes and taste, as well as their baking success for Artisan breads.
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