Overview

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PSFN Update

The Puget Sound Food Network is quickly becoming a vibrant regional supply network that links independent producers with businesses looking to buy and move more regional food. Lucy Norris and Tim Crosby have been contacting regional producers, buyers, and distributors and connecting them with each other by gathering buyer’s product needs and matching them with regional producers that have product that matches those needs. Various broadline and smaller, more locally owned distributors have shown interested in moving more regional product by helping develop the tricky logistics of consolidating and moving a more diverse, decentralized food supply chain.

Technologically, PSFN is finalizing the foundational components of its online marketplace. The website will launch soon with the ability for values-based supply chain partners to find each other through directory and map listings, control their own profiles, make buy/sell product requests, receive current market information, and request assistance from staff to help move more product through the region. If you are a regional producer, buyer, or distributor and would like to assist in beta testing please contact Tim Crosby at tim@psfn.org.

Posted by nabctim on September 11th, 2009

Research / Sales Support Contract Position Closed

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Thank you for all the interest in the position. We are now closed to new applications.

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PSFN is moving forward with development and implementation at an accelerating pace. We are excited to offer a contract position opening for a research/sales support lead. Please follow this link for more information about the job. View the the Network Overview and About us for more info about PSFN.

The position is open until it is filled.

Tim Crosby
Network Coordinator

Posted by nabctim on May 26th, 2009

Network Overview

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PSFN has spent the past months researching what is needed to support the growth of regional food transactions.The last month has been spent less on blog posting and more on network formation. Development of the next-phase website (beyond this development blog) is under way, with a soft launch of the initial work due next month.

We have developed a more detailed PSFN Overview of where we feel this work is going. This overview forms the foundation of what we feel are the next best steps to growing direct connections between wholesale and retail players. We look forward to your feedback and ongoing interest as we bring this network in to a more visible arena.

Posted by nabctim on May 5th, 2009

Advisory Council meeting

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Yesterday (Fri. Nov 14th) we held our first Advisory Council meeting. It is truly an honor to have these regional food system leaders all in one room helping shape the direction of our ambitious project. Thanks again to all the Advisors for taking the time to listen and comment on the direction of our network.

The meeting was very constructive. One consensus point that I feel was achieved was to work first on strengthening the relationships and connections, and then work on a potential transaction system. This reaffirms our priorities.

Next step: a forum or group discussion space to connect participants.

Posted by nabctim on November 15th, 2008

Welcome to the Puget Sound Food Network

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Created and managed by the nonprofit Northwest Agriculture Business Center, the Puget Sound Food Network (PSFN) is a new web-based tool being developed to address the most pressing needs of the various players in the region’s food system. Some of these needs will be addressed through a dynamic webspace that assists networking, marketing, sales/transaction/order fulfillment, and integrated logistics. Other needs can only be addressed by assisting the growth of a vibrant relational network – connecting people across the region to groups of individuals and/or organizations with similar needs and/or offers.

The Northwest Agriculture Business Center is managing the Food Network development, with the main goals being to increase the supply of local food and to enhance the profitability and market access for the region’s producers. A star-studded Advisory Council has been created to help steer network development toward solutions for the regional food system’s shortcomings.

NABC is seeking your input on the development of a logistics, technology, and relationship network of local food producers, consumers (retail and wholesale), and logistics providers. Please add constructive comments and fill out our online survey if you are interested in becoming a participant in a Food Network designed to expand local farmers’ markets, deliver more fresh, locally-produced food to area families, and perpetuate the region’s farming heritage.

Posted by nabctim on November 8th, 2008