Indiana business offers resources, education for local farms

COLFAX, Ind. (AP) - Jessica Smith, owner of This Old Farm in Colfax, said the United States is losing between 3 and 5 percent of its processing infrastructure each year, meaning that farmers are continually losing options for places that process meat and produce - an issue that especially impacts small farms.

Smith said the steady loss of processing facilities around the country was the impetus for starting This Old Farm, a business offering processing resources, educational opportunities, and marketing for local farms and farmers.

This Old Farm is one of only a few facilities in the state certified by the United States Department of Agriculture, which means farmers can sell wares processed there across state lines. Additionally, This Old Farm uses all natural processing and has options for non-GMO processing, as well. Best of all, Smith said, the product is 100 percent traceable not just to the farm but to the processing service.

"I was at a large processing operation and they were so proud they could track the product to the box," Smith said. "We track back down to the livestock."

Beyond processing services, This Old Farm offers courses for farmers and marketing assistance.

"We help farmers build their businesses," Smith explained.

The business offers consulting for small farms and education about processing procedures, packaging and marketing practices. This Old Farm also has a wholesale component. Smith said the company is committed to supplying schools and other businesses with fresh, local food - a difficult task as food production becomes increasingly consolidated. There also is a storefront where meat and produce from local farms are sold.

"We have challenges in our food industry and very few realize how consolidated our food system is," Smith said. "When you walk the grocery store aisles very few companies are represented. We're all about giving that transparency and product type."

Joe Mills, owner of Mills Livestock, said he wasn't sure what his farm would do without This Old Farm. Not only is it the closest federally inspected facility for miles, Mills said Smith is great at appealing to those who value all-natural products.

"It's a really nice place to send our customers to," Mills said.

Smith doesn't know what the future of food and agriculture looks like, but it is something she worries about. Through promoting transparency, traceability and all-natural products, Smith hopes to aid smaller farms and diversify the food supply - at least in this corner of the country.

Ultimately, she said, the onus for supporting small farms lies with the public.

"There is always controversy between big agriculture and small agriculture. There shouldn't be, every American can choose on their own. If we want to support beginning farmers, we need to support them with our vote, which is of dollar," Smith said.

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Source: The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier, http://on.jconline.com/2akVgB0

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Information from: Journal and Courier, http://www.jconline.com