Farmer-Owned Retail Food Brands

This website explains how small landowners, farmers, and local investors can work together with locally owned food processors to build profitable farmer-owned retail food brands for nearby cities. Our two Omaha area farms will be part of a series of demonstration projects.

Local Food Production Units

Our production units will help increase local food chain capacity and food variety while reducing food costs. As used here, a production unit is a group of two or more contiguous and nearby farms managed together by one operator selected by the landowners.

These small farm management companies will cut farm-level production costs while attracting better contracts for a wide variety of field crops, livestock, and fresh produce – all without buying or selling farms and without taking on farm debt. Production unit landowners, farmers, and their families will  approve preliminary business plans and lead public information programs for investors and consumers.

Marketing

Once several production units are up and running, we plan to incorporate a separate farmer-controlled marketing company. This company will focus on transitioning farmer-owned direct sales brands to Omaha area retail food service and grocery markets. It will also work with vendors to reduce farm and production unit input costs and with commodity firms to negotiate forward contracts for specialty and organic crops and livestock.

For value-added products, we will start by organizing small product-specific food chains that integrate the local services required for product and market research and planning. Production unit farmers will control this regional company – with direct oversight by a board of directors composed of production unit landowners. Local contractors will conduct product research and prepare business plans. ROI for the food chain members (including Massena Farms) will be based on audited sales of commodities and direct-to-consumer products along with sales to local institutions, grocery stores, and restaurants.

Massena Farms

Until the marketing company is incorporated, our farm corporation and business partners will support landowners and farmers who organize local food chains. We are inviting food related companies, investors, and organizations to become project partners.

As part of a separate but related project, we are inviting Omaha area residents, food companies, and organizations to help develop our Bennington farm as a local foods market research center. Our goal is to blend farming with practical consumer market research and sustainably constructed homes that fit within suburban development plans in northwest Douglas County. To make this “agrihood” a reality, we are planning attractive “eco homes” for individuals and families who want to live on a peaceful organic farm that has been in our family for over 75 years. This privately funded research farm and conservation-oriented housing development will include affordable homes for young farmers. Public information meetings and planning work started in 2025 will continue this fall and winter.

Please read on and then contact me to arrange an appointment.

Thank you.