Recent Posts in Logistics, particularly transportation for increasing volume of local foods

Food System Logistics Biomimicry - Ant Colony Optimization
Casey W. Hoy's picture
Casey W. Hoy Feb 20, 7:01pm

I was telling Kari Moore about this biomimicry-based technique for optimizing transportation routes, and figured the rest of this group might be interested as well, so I'm posting here rather than just emailing Kari.  Most of the work so far has been done in Europe, but we do have some OSU Fisher School of Business faculty who are beginning to work with this algorithm.  

Logistics, particularly transportation for increasing volume of local foods, Local Food Systems Computer Modeling, GIS, Data(mining) group
Creating demand side of the marketing equation for locally produced foods
Bill Melver's picture
Bill Melver Sep 2, 9:27am

 This locavores thing is really catching on but at the same time, most farmers don't have the luxury of time to spend hours at a Farmers market, peddling their products.  What's needed are smarter ways to connect the suppliers/producers with their customers.  Casey Hoy's ant colony study keeps coming to my mind and with all these new technologies/softwares for communicating with each other, there must be a way.  My wife and I have become connected to Tina Wagner and Brad Masi's City Fresh program this year.

Main Group, Logistics, particularly transportation for increasing volume of local foods, Consumer-driven production practices, consumer education opportunities, educational needs for the producer, Entrepreneurs in Agriculture
Update on Appalachian Bean, Grain, and Oilseed Project
Michelle Ajamian & Brandon Jaeger's picture
Michelle Ajamian ... May 29, 10:23pm

Hi all, Brandon here,

Main Group, Small Grains Information Clearing House, Value-added Processing (all foods), Logistics, particularly transportation for increasing volume of local foods, Small Scale Farming Permaculture, Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative (ASFC)
Lean, as in efficient, principles applied to food systems
Casey W. Hoy's picture
Casey W. Hoy Apr 10, 4:34pm

Manufacturing has developed some principles that can be applied to local food systems.  The point is not that we're interested in producing more food widgets, its that efficiency (energy, water, nutrients, etc.) is very important in the design, operation and ultimate success.  Here's an example of application of these principles from the OSU Fisher College of Business.  And kudos to Thom Stevenson and Chef Mark Newton for bringing this expertise to the table.  An excerpt:

"Greg Leach's project could help farmers across Ohio.

Private Institutional food service as a way to initiate local food systems, Marketing and Education, relative to any foods, Logistics, particularly transportation for increasing volume of local foods, Entrepreneurs in Agriculture, OSU Faculty & Staff
Help Wanted in Tracking Down Historical Data on Grain Production and Processing
Michelle Ajamian & Brandon Jaeger's picture
Michelle Ajamian ... Feb 7, 12:23pm

I am working on putting together a coherent "context" section for presentations and grant proposals that tells the story of how we lost our localized staple food production (grains, beans, and oilseeds).

Small Grains Information Clearing House, Value-added Processing (all foods), Logistics, particularly transportation for increasing volume of local foods, Local Food Systems Computer Modeling, GIS, Data(mining) group
Warner Grant 2009 - Call for Proposals
Megan Shoenfelt's picture
Megan Shoenfelt Jan 5, 4:57pm

Warner Grant 2009 - Call for Proposals

Main Group, Circles of Support Pilot Project, Small Grains Information Clearing House, Private Institutional food service as a way to initiate local food systems, Marketing and Education, relative to any foods, Value-added Processing (all foods), Logistics, particularly transportation for increasing volume of local foods, Consumer-driven production practices, consumer education opportunities, educational needs for the producer, Expanding meat processing capabilities to meet the needs of consumers, processors, and diverse cultural preferences, Value added dairy processing, OSU Faculty & Staff
More Grant Support Awarded to the Appalachian Staple Food Project
Michelle Ajamian & Brandon Jaeger's picture
Michelle Ajamian ... Dec 22, 1:58pm

       We just received word from the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation that we will be receiving another 3 thousand dollars from them for the Staple Foods Project in Southeastern Ohio.

       This support will be used to help in the post-harvest phases (storing, dehulling, milling, packing, labeling, etc.) for the crop that will produced and harvested on Kip and Becky Rondy's Green Edge Organic Gardens in Amesville Ohio (OLFSC members), in 2009, with the support of Stinner Endowment funding.

Main Group, Small Grains Information Clearing House, Value-added Processing (all foods), Logistics, particularly transportation for increasing volume of local foods, Consumer-driven production practices, consumer education opportunities, educational needs for the producer