Vancouver and the Northwest are poised to take advantage of a new green economy, which will bring green jobs and new opportunities.
“You see an attempt to engage businesses and have them locate here when they’re interested in (green) practices, said Michael Piper, the city of Vancouver’s sustainability coordinator. “Consumers are voting with their dollars on this, so we stand to benefit from it financially.”
The annual Southwest Washington Sustainability Conference and Trade Show will have kicked off July 10 and continues through July 12, offering local businesses insight on taking advantage of this new green economy. The event at the Hilton Vancouver is a combined effort of the city of Vancouver and Clark County, and was to have been launched by a keynote address by a keynote address by environmental activist and attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Vance Corum is principal of Vancouver-based Farmers’ Markets America and a member of the city’s Green Ribbon Panel. The panel advises development of the city’s sustainability policy and plan, which will be available for review at the conference and trade show.
“The conference will help create a favorable climate for implementing the sustainability plan,” Piper said.
Nearly half of the 30-member panel is made up of local members of the business community.
This summer marks Corum’s 30th year developing farmers markets – a fundamentally sustainable business model. He also consults with government agencies and nonprofits on incorporating business practices in fundamental ways.
Regionally, Corum was instrumental in getting farmers markets off the ground in Portland, Kelso, Hillsboro, Astoria, Tacoma and Yakima. His work began in the Los Angeles area.
“In Southwest Washington we have barely scratched the tip the iceberg in terms of the potential market,” Corum said. “There is substantial agriculture and agricultural land in (Clark) County.”
There are at least eight farmers markets in Southwest Washington, supplied by about 1,500 farmers, Corum said, citing a 2007 study by Vancouver economics research firm Globalwise Inc.
Farmers markets strengthen local economies while connecting buyers and sellers, Corum said.
“When you take local money and put it into advertising local farmers and selling to local people, it’s grounded geographically so there’s no potential for someone to come from outside and steal that market,” he said.
As an example, a market he worked with in Yakima started 10 years ago with $30,000 from the local business community.
“We have probably seen that (investment) turn over 100 times,” Corum said. “That’s superb economic development.”
The key to making a farmers market thrive is solid planning, funding and cooperation, Corum said.
“If you can put $50,000 into a market today, you should be able to develop one that won’t need to ask for another donation,” he said.
The process usually takes several months for planning and developing contacts, a publicity campaign and government support.
“The key is to get it off the ground strongly so the public is enthralled,” Corum said. “It requires a critical mass of vendors and consumers. If you start with 20 vendors and 500 consumers, it’s tough to grow – it’s just too small.”
The 2007 closure of the indoor Vancouver Farmers Market made a statement about the economics of a daily farmers market, Corum said. It’s easier for consumers to see a weekly market as an event to attend while a daily market can be taken for granted.
“It’s easy to make assumptions when we have a weekend market that people will use it all week long,” he said. “When you have a much smaller market indoors, it’s going to attract fewer people.”
The increasing popularity of farmers markets ups the ante for each start-up.
“Nowadays, 95 percent of customers have been to a market and they expect wide variety, a wonderful environment, high quality, good prices, personal contact with the grower, unusual items and organic and local producers,” he said. “It’s essentially like opening a new store.
Some business-related highlights of the conference include “A practical guide to building a sustainable economy today and every day,” with author Ellis Jones and “Economics, comedy and climate change,” with “stand-up economist” Yorum Bauman on July 11. Ellis will speak again on July 12. More information is available at www.cityofvancouver.us/conference.
Charity Thompson can be reached at cthompson@vbjusa.com.
