Economic Development Recovery and Resiliency Playbook - Flipbook - Page 65
Case Study:
Community Connections
cuisine. The event features dishes prepared by
Woodland chefs with ingredients from local farms,
ranches, and manufacturers.
The City of Woodland’s Food Front
Initiative Mobilizes Diverse Groups
The City of Woodland’s Food Front Initiative exemplifies how
a community can mobilize a diverse group of businesses
and community organizations around a representative
umbrella economic development initiative. The initiative
joined together several existing projects, providing additional
capacity and resources to highlight agriculture-based
projects and business activity. By unifying these eforts, the
city markets the pride and identity of the area’s economy and
culture, and it enhances business-to-business and business
to-consumer relationships under a unified brand.
The initiative preceded the city’s 150th anniversary, as
Woodland’s leaders and business stakeholders reflected
on the importance of the area’s agricultural industry to the
community and the state. Woodland is home to more than
190 food and agriculture businesses and supporting entities,
including food and cattle producers and manufacturers,
equipment manufacturers, specialized logistics businesses,
seed researchers, farm-to-fork restaurants and retailers, a
food and ag incubator (AgStart), and workforce development
programs at Woodland Community College.
As the seat of Yolo County, Woodland hosts the county fair,
where participants showcase local industry. Woodland’s
downtown historic architecture reflects the civic and arts
investment of leaders whose wealth came in large part
from agriculture. The city’s civic and business leaders
continually promote its small-town atmosphere, community
engagement, and participation. Local leaders say these
eforts emanate from the history of the food and agriculture
industry in and around Woodland and reflect the industry’s
impact on local community identity and culture.
The city has undertaken a community branding and
engagement initiative, The Food Front, as a way to tell the
story and promote the rich history of local agricultural
commerce and industry. Led by elected oficials, executive
staf, and a dedicated initiative manager, Woodland acts as a
convener for the businesses and nonprofits that support The
Food Front projects, which include the following:
• Woodland’s Dinner on Main — This annual event
brings together corporate sponsors, community
and business leaders, and residents to showcase
Woodland’s food and agricultural products and
• Woodland Edible Learning Garden — Near City Hall,
this garden provides a gathering point for food and
agriculture events. A coordinating nonprofit, Yolo
Farm to Fork, and local restaurants like the Savory
Café hold educational workshops for residents and
area schools. Restaurants and food banks plant and
harvest ingredients in the garden, highlighting healthy
eating and locally produced food.
• The Food Front @ Raley’s — The regional grocery store
corporation Raley’s partners with the city to feature
local growers and food and beverage producers in its
Woodland stores. The project serves to market local
businesses and educate residents about sustainable
food concepts, such as reducing transportation
impacts and eating freshly harvested ingredients. The
project has helped producers overcome the immense
challenge of getting products into large grocery stores.
City of Woodland staf conducts community outreach with
Woodland Dinner on Main Board Member and Savory Café
owner Juan Barajas (second from right).
The Food Front’s eforts have contributed to economic
resiliency by marketing the projects under its umbrella
to community stakeholders and businesses as well as to
external partners. Along with the city’s convening and
networking eforts, the initiative has established new
business-to-business supplier relationships and has
promoted business-to-consumer awareness. The initiative
has enhanced locally serving business activity and has
established an externally facing brand that communicates
the support of Woodland’s thriving economy of agriculture
and food businesses.
Harnessing Community Culture for Resiliency Planning and Recovery Response
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