The Common Market Feasibility Study - Agricultural Marketing Service

THE COMMON MARKET FEASIBILTY STUDYIntroduction23awareness about the health, environmental and economic benefits of locally grown agricultural foodproducts and in bringing them to market. Two of the partners helped to create and launch the "BuyFresh, Buy Local" campaign for Southeast Pennsylvania.The project partners, all Pennsylvania entities, are:• 3002 CBMoore LLC, the private owner and developer of the Eastern Loft Building which was theproposed site for the Common Market food distribution center and applicant of record to thePADCED's First Industries Grant Program,• Amsterdam Produce Enterprise, works with farms and farmers to enhance local food systems;private sector wholesale produce broker and sales agent for local farmers; owner has 22 yearsof experience in this field,• East Park Revitalization Alliance (EPRA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing thelow-income community adjacent to East Fairmount Park in the Strawberry Mansion andBrewerytown neighborhoods. EPRA is currently coordinating efforts to open a retail foodcooperative on west Girard Avenue in north Philadelphia and is opening a food cupboard aswell,• White Dog Community Enterprises, a nonprofit organization and its Fair Food program isdedicated to bringing locally grown food into the Philadelphia marketplace and promoting ahumane, sustainable agriculture for the Greater Philadelphia region,• Farm to City, a business started in 2000 connects farmers and urban customers year-roundthrough farmers' markets, CSAs, and a local farm products buying club called Winter Harvest,• Mariposa Co-op, a food cooperative active for 34 years in West Philadelphia, has 400 members,• Swarthmore Co-op, a food cooperative with 800 members has served the Swarthmore areasince 1937. The Co-op recently doubled its retail space and is a key component of theSwarthmore business district's revitalization project,• Urban Nutrition Initiative, part of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for CommunityPartnerships, has taught nutrition and urban farming in Philadelphia public schools since 1999,• Weavers Way Co-op, a food cooperative with 3000 members serving the Mount Airy, ChestnutHill and Germantown communities in Northwest Philadelphia for over 30 years.Project partners, individually or collectively:• Represent over $2,000,000 in purchasing power that can be directed to locally-producedagricultural products,• Own a warehouse facility that is suitable in size and zoning designation for a distribution center,• Work directly with dozens of farmers throughout the region,