It is well known that commodity markets and debt financing have worked against land ownership among low and medium-income farmers and ranchers. These producers cannot expand their operations and pass land and livestock to the next generation without access to profitable consumer markets and risk capital.
Consumer Markets
To build consumer support and access to profitable retail markets, our company offers retail food brand and market development services to organized groups of low and medium-income producers.
These producers will 1) Work together at the local and regional levels with landowners, food processors, retailers, and investors to develop commercial-scale organic farms and ranches, and 2) Build cooperatively owned retail grocery and food service brands.
Risk Capital
Risk capital for farms, processing, and brands will come from qualified local investors and institutions with interests in rural development, the environment, and consumer health.
Return on investments will be based on new income from 1) Specialty and organic commodities, 2) Direct-to-consumer sales of value-added food products sold under producer-owned brands, and 3) High-value foods sold at the retail level under producer-owned brands. These brands will be cooperatively owned by the farmers and ranchers who raise the crops and livestock featured in professionally managed marketing programs.
Marketing Strategy
High-value specialty and organic beef along with organic crops will be sold to established specialty buyers under forward contracts. Contract buyers will include feeders and packers along with farmers and ranchers who operate their own direct sales programs.
Our mission is to transition direct sales brands to profitable grocery and food service markets. Our cooperative marketing strategy includes partnerships with local and regional processors, distributors, and retailers.
Demonstration Projects
We are organizing demonstration projects in the region that includes Omaha, Des Moines, and Kansas City. These projects will include a half-section of permanent pasture that we own near Massena, Iowa, and our eighty-acre certified organic farm just west of Omaha.
Investors, producers, landowners, government agencies, and financial institutions are invited to discuss local demonstration projects.
Page 2 on this website explains planning, including forward contracts, page 3 is on market research, and page 4 offers a brief family history.
Please contact me to arrange an appointment.
Thank you.
Jim Steffen
President
Massena Corporation
402-317-2639
js@raisedfree.org
Posted 8-11-2022, Revised 8-12-22