Farmer-Owned Retail Food Brands

My children and I own two small farms in the Omaha area, 78 acres near Bennington, NE and 320 acres south of Massena, Iowa. Both farms are in permanent pasture.

My parents, Robert and Clara (Sund) Steffen, bought our Bennington farm in the early 1950’s and our Massena place in the early 60’s, both with help from my grandfather, Henry Sund. Dad leased both farms to experienced producers.

These farms were profitable through the 1970s when changes in commodity markets, technology, and finance began to drain profits away. We are not alone (ERS, USDA). To date, government, non-profit, and food industry programs have failed to create new business structures that small farmers can use to systematically increase income from farming – without selling land or taking on more debt.

Without new income from farming, young producers cannot afford to lease and buy smaller farms. Off-farms jobs, risky debt, and grants are not enough. We need a new business model and long-term relationships with local investors who can back profitable Omaha area farms, modern food processing, and farmer-owned retail food brands.

Grazing Loops, Production Units, and Farmer-Owned Retail Food Brands

To increase income from farming, we are developing a three-level business model that will be controlled by farmland owners. For Level One, I am inviting farmland owners and renters near our farms to join us in organizing informal grazing loops for beef cattle. We need several farms that are close together. My business partners and I will write business plans for each farm, and separate operating plans for each loop. In other words, four farm plans, one loop plan. A short planning outline is available. Page 3 on this website explains why we need large ruminants in sustainable food local systems. Page 4 summarizes our qualifications.

For Level Two, grazing loop producers will be invited to organize “regenerative production units” that will supply grain, hay, alfalfa and cattle to conventional and specialty commodity markets. Again, these farms must be close to one another. My business partners and I will write new business plans for each farm with a separate plan for the unit. Each farm will be leased by the owners, with purchase options, directly to an experienced farmer. Page 2 on this website explains planning, markets, and financing.

Level Three builds on Levels One and Two. This work centers on public and investor meetings to raise money for product and market research that will underpin farmer-owned retail food brands for Omaha area institutions, restaurants, and grocery stores.

Without successful farmer-owned brands, our small farms and thousands of others will eventually be sold to the highest bidder.

Please call me to arrange an appointment. Thank you.