Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/04
Outputs
In this era of unprecedented globalization, fruit and vegetable commodity producers are struggling to find ways to adjust, evolve, and become sustainable. But this is difficult to achieve in the current economic environment of least-cost labor, consolidation and international competition. Traditional commodities have gone through a rash of bad news in recent years: cranberry gluts are forcing industry restructuring; accusations of price fixing and water pollution in the wild blueberry barrens of Maine have tainted the reputation of that industry; the dissolution of the Washington Apple Federal Market Order, along with cheap apple imports from China, have put enormous pressure on Washington's Yakima Valley fresh market apple industry. Meanwhile, here in New York State and Pennsylvania poor weather and low prices are hurting the family-run vineyards in the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt and their allied processing and marketing businesses. In response to these challenges,
we set out to explore how a community could capture its agricultural heritage and expand community and economic development opportunities through regional identity. National, state and local 'heritage areas' already exist, building educational tourism around sites of significant events and developments in American history, such as wars, industries, canals, women's rights, slavery, and the like. With assistance from the Community, Food, and Agriculture Program, the Concord Grape industry including the National Grape Cooperative (owner of Welch's), and all other concord grape processing cooperatives and companies in the Concord Grape Belt have come together with numerous other local agencies and development organizations to form the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association. In a period of 6 months over 100 grape growers and allied businesspeople in the region have become dues-paying members. The Association is working with the NY state Heritage Areas Program in the creation of
a formally designated heritage area that could provide resources to the grape industry to promote its heritage, vineyard lands preservation activities, a product 'label of certified origin' marketing campaign, and an interpretive trail within the existing Seaway Trail scenic byway. The Association is also presently conducting an economic impact study of the Concord Grape Industry. These and other activities are expected to raise consumer awareness of the rich history of the Concord Grape, and the many benefits it makes to the quality of life in Western NY and PA, and the United State as a whole. As a model of place-based community development this pilot agricultural heritage area will inspire other struggling commodity production regions to tap and take advantage of their special heritage contribution to American culture.
Impacts
Based on an evaluation survey conducted at the end of the project, stakeholders reported that the project has been successful, and are looking forward to the future. The greatest concerns of stakeholders include involving more community members and increasing the efficiency and level of communication among the various committees. One potential problem with involving more stakeholders is that the current level of participation and cooperation among participants is very high, and bringing in more people may make those already participating less accountable for their involvement. However, strong leadership and the commitment shown to the success of this project thus far is likely to negate this problem. At the end of the first year of the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt project, most stakeholders continue to strongly support its mission and work. The Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Association is preparing for its New York Sate Heritage Area designation, exploring a location for
the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Center, conducting an economic impact study of the Concord Grape Belt, developing an interpretive automobile trail, and exploring the potential for licensing 'origin label' certifying the authenticity of products grown and processed in the Concord Grape Belt. The impact over time is expected to include an increase in the variety of value-added products from the region, more consumer awareness of the Concord Grape Belt and its tourism and recreation opportunities, and increased long-term viability of vineyards and the grape processing industry.
Publications
- Hilchey, D., and G. Gillespie. 2004. 'CFAP Research Update.' CFAP News, 12(3): Summer 2004.
- Hilchey, D. and G. Gillespie. 2004. 'Concord Grape Chooses for Essence of Place Project.' CFAP News, 12(1): Winter 2004.
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Capturing the Essence of Place: Fostering Community Development Through Regional Identity is well underway and all activities are progressing nicely. During the report period we completed organizational and administrative activities and implemented of our applied research activities, including: 1. Assembled advisory committee. Recruited advisors from Cornell staff and faculty with interest and expertise in place-based community development, as well as individuals in the community. 2. Fine-tuned the research methodology. Our advisors recommended more closely following the tenets of participatory action research (PAR). Furthermore, given a more in-depth and protracted relationship with the subject community, working with one community rather than two was better. 3. Developed community selection. The advisory committee developed criteria by which to choose a collaborating community. These included a. little or no previous community development work related to regional
identity. b. a geographic area that is not defined by governmental boundaries (e.g., county boundaries). c. a unique food or agriculture product(s)that may or may not still be in production d. a heritage with the potential to kindle or rekindle public interest. e. Potential for visitors to sense the distinctiveness of this place through multiple means, e.g., views, tastes, & experiences. f. the capacity and resources to work with Cornell to develop a viable agriculture heritage promotion program. 4. Solicited nominations. An announcement went to several listservs subscribed to by Extension field staff and rural and community development organizations and agencies. Of the seven useable nominations received two candidate communities were strong enough to consider (the maple syrup production area in Lewis County; and the Concord Grape Belt in Western New York and Pennsylvania). 5. Conducted site visits. To gather more detailed data about the nominated communities, we conducted site
visits of the two finalists, including meeting with the nominators and windshield tours. The Concord Grape Belt demonstrated the greatest need, interest, and organizational capacity. 6. Formed Concord Grape Belt Heritage Harvest Core Group. The PI and Co-PI met with key interested parties and developed a plan of work. This group included local economic development organizations, Cooperative Extension, grape growers and representatives of the grape processing industry. This group elected to become a core group but also convened a larger stakeholder meeting. 7. Conducted Stakeholder meeting. A stakeholder meeting was conducted in Fredonia, NY during which the PI outlined the overall project concept, led a project visioning exercise, and facilitated generation of specific project ideas based on what the stakeholders' vision for the Concord Grape Belt. Specific project ideas included: establishing a Concord Grape Museum, applying for New York State Heritage Community status, developing
tourism-related infrastructure such as signage and information kiosks, and roadside pull-offs, and involving school children in historical documentation activities.
Impacts
A Core Group was scheduled for early January to refine vision/mission, create organizational structure, and establish committees and chairs to begin implementation of the Grape Belt Heritage Harvest projects. The insights gained by the PIs have thus far been invaluable. The Grape Belt core group and stakeholders appear quite motivated and it seems quite likely that the project will be well underway, if not completed by the end of the project period. We have been able to adopt and adapt community development techniques to the goal of creating regional identity based on food and agriculture. The Concord Grape Belt Heritage Harvest district is becoming an ideal laboratory for the purposes of this applied research and we anticipate being able to share quite a bit of new knowledge with other communities in New York and elsewhere interested in developing there own Heritage Harvest areas.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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