 The Farm to Food Opportunity online series was funded by a grant from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. This module is about food hub infrastructure and roles. Please share your feedback using the link found in the video description below. In the previous module, we discussed the various tax structures and business structures available to a food hub. In this module, we will focus on the day-to-day infrastructure and personnel that should be in place for successful operations. The information found within this module draws heavily on the information in the USDA rule development publication called Running a Food Hub, a Business Operations Guide. We appreciate the work of James Mattson, Jeremiah Thaler, and Jessica Shaw in preparation of the Business Operations Guide, which is found in the resources section. In this module, we will cover infrastructure requirements for a food hub, equipment you might need to run a food hub, human resources needed to run a food hub, food safety and regulations, and training that is beneficial for food hub workers and leadership. Our first topic is location and infrastructure. Because food hubs can take on many different roles in the food system, it is important to strategically think about which roles your food hub will feel while still in the planning stages. In doing this, you will be better able to financially plan for infrastructure such as trucks, coolers, and building space in addition to specialized personnel such as a volunteer coordinator. Some of the roles in the food system that you may want to think about including are food aggregation activities versus linking producers directly with buyers, transportation from the farm and to the buyer, adding value to raw agricultural commodities, training producers in food safety, marketing and accounting, product storage, marketing campaigns and community outreach. The needs of each individual operation will vary, but it is our goal in this module to cover the typical infrastructure and roles needed. Once you've considered the business operation model of a food hub, the next step is to choose a suitable location. If your food hub will serve consumers directly through a CSA or retail store, then customer access to the hub becomes extremely important. Locating the hub on a main road or near public transportation can mean much greater access in an urban setting. You also want to consider access to highways and the visibility of the hub to the surrounding community. Keep in mind that signage on a food hub can be a low-cost and valuable marketing tool. Finally, you want to think about the desire of the community to house a food hub and any zoning restrictions that are in place. Zoning is typically conducted through the enactment of county ordinances. Zoning can be residential, commercial, industrial or any number of other options in a given community. When you think about whether or not the community and zone is right for a food hub, be sure to consider future expansion of the hub. Zoning ordinances cover land use, lot size, building heights, density, setbacks and other aspects of property use that might change during an expansion project. Some communities may not want the hustle and bustle of a business operating where residents live and recreate, while others may welcome a new business with the potential to improve food access and job opportunities. Along with establishing the location, you can start to think about the physical infrastructure that is necessary to carry out operations. Keep in mind that the space can be owned, rented or leased and should allow space for expansion. Be sure to consider the following, parking that is easy to enter and exit for employees, trucks and customers, outside space for equipment storage, office space, retail space and retail cooler space, warehouse space including dry storage, coolers, freezers and chemical storage, food processing space for value added, processing activities, bathrooms for employees and customers, break rooms and at least one loading dock. In addition to the space requirements, be sure to consider the materials used to create the spaces. In addition to the space requirements, think about the materials used to create the spaces. It is important that they are able to be cleaned and sanitized as they are spaces that will hold, process and retail food. Creating spaces that are easy to clean and sanitize will save time and money over the long run and make it easier for the facility to meet food safety standards. Next we will talk about typical equipment that a food hub may need. Food hubs are likely to need an array of warehouse tools and equipment such as forklifts, hoses, spray nozzles and ladders. Safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, exit signs and first aid kits. You may also need processing equipment for adding value to products such as inline freezers and special packaging machines. Also consider office equipment such as desks, computers, printers and filing cabinets. Break room equipment such as coffee makers and refrigerators. Retail equipment may also be needed such as point of sale equipment, refrigeration and display shelves. Software such as point of sale software, bookkeeping software and marketing software. The running of a food hub, a business operations guide has a detailed list of tools and equipment that a food hub might need. Making decisions around trucking requires taking a look at leasing and purchasing options and running the numbers to decide which is the best financial interest of the hub. The decision may be partly based on the hub's proximity to a leasing company and the terms offered. Leasing will likely cost more over the long term but has a lower upfront cost and no maintenance cost while buying helps build equity for the organization and will cost less over the long term. Next we will talk about the typical personnel that a food hub may need. Talking about how much labor is needed and what type is an important financial planning component. Some food hubs will need personnel with specialized skills such as a food safety specialist or marketing specialist while others will be more focused on the logistical movement of food through the operation. The special skills needed will help determine if roles should be full time, part time or volunteer. Keep in mind that volunteer labor can save some money but volunteers need to be managed and trained by someone with good management skills. Additionally, volunteer labor can be unreliable. The specific positions needed for a food hub and the time that should be allocated for each will likely change over time. During the start-up phase, more human resources will be needed to carry out the logistics of moving food throughout the hub, but once equipment is running properly and everyone is well trained, fewer people should be needed to get the job done. Additionally, you may want to hold off on the volunteer labor until the employees are trained. The Running of a Food Hub, a Business Operations Guide, contains brief job descriptions for these positions that can be very helpful in thinking through roles and initiating the hiring process. The resources that a food hub puts toward marketing will depend heavily on what markets the food hub will serve. Wholesale food hubs will have very different strategies compared to those selling direct to consumer. However, either way, the hub must communicate why its products are different from others in the marketplace. Food hubs have multiple advantages to position themselves in the marketplace. They build community by directly linking the food producers to consumers. They provide greater access to fresh local and nutritious foods, and they also provide jobs for those working at the hub, those working on the farm, and those in the supporting industries. Thoughtfully developing the food hub brand and building consumer or customer trusts will help differentiate the product at the marketplace and insulate against price sensitivity. Next, we will talk about some of the rules and regulations that a food hub may need to follow. In order to protect the business itself as well as the farms it serves in the local and regional food system, it is necessary to make sure everyone along the supply chain is trained in food safety. For Produce Growers, we recommend the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings course that covers basic food safety practices along with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act, Produce Safety Rule. The course covers recommendations and requirements for worker training, soil amendment practices, water quality, and post-harvest handling. Although there are no regulations requiring farms to have a food safety plan in place, many food hubs choose to work with farmers to implement food safety plans to reduce risk. The PSA Grower Training course covers the basics of writing a farm food safety plan and provides resources as well. We have included a link to the Produce Safety Alliance course listing in the resource section. All workers and management of a food hub should have a basic understanding of food safety risk and management should promote a food safety culture by placing food safety and the well-being of consumers at the forefront of operations. Depending on the activities that a food hub carries out, it will likely need to register with the FDA as a food facility and be permitted by the State Department of Public Health. A food hub could be classified as a food processing facility and need to be in compliance with the FISMA Prevention Controls for Human Foods Rule. This FISMA rule includes requirements for basic food safety practices, commonly called GMPs, as well as a food safety plan for larger food hubs. Much like the Produce Safety Rule, there is required training for larger operations. The Food Safety Preventative Controls Alliance has developed this training and we have included a link to their website in the resources section. In Alabama, the Alabama Extension Food Safety and Quality Team can assist with required training for both farmers and food hubs, conducting a hazard analysis and developing the required food safety plan, commonly called a hazard analysis and risk-based preventative controls or HRPC plan. If a food hub is handling or processing meat, eggs, or seafood, there could be additional regulations to follow. Next, we will talk about some of the typical leadership roles and training that a food hub may need. Food safety training is not the only training that employees will need. A well-trained workforce will help the company function more smoothly. Simply, cross-training employees on multiple jobs will help ensure that operations continue even when an employee is missing for the day. Integrating OSHA-required safety training into day-to-day operations reinforces the importance of employee well-being and boost morale. Additionally, sharing business goals with all employees and sharing business successes fosters community within the organization, gives employees the sense that they are valued, and motivates hard work towards the goals of the organization. For food hub leadership, these soft skills are equally as important as technical skills. Training and professional development is an area where it is hard to see immediate results of an investment, but consistent investment in all employees over time will pay dividends in reduced employee turnover and operational productivity. You have completed the Infrastructure and Roles module you've learned about strategically planning for a food hub's location, infrastructure, equipment, and job roles. Strategically planning the food hub's location, infrastructure, equipment, and job roles is necessary to develop a well-thought-out business plan. Any plans may change over time. This module and the resources provided should provide you with a starting point to begin this strategic planning process that will lead to a successful operation.