We Value: Farming sustainably Caring for our local community - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

We Value: • Farming sustainably • Caring for our local community • Sharing the highest quality products with our customers • Transparency in our processes • Practicing the Triple Bottom Line accounting framework • Evaluating our work in view of social, environmental and financial costs

We Act Locally • We lessen environmental transportation costs across states • We encourage the local economy by purchasing needed materials and supplies made in our city as much as possible • Our produce is offered to local markets/grocers within hours of harvest to ensure freshness and optimal quality • Our products are available year- round as weather does not affect our growing season

We Are Focused On The Environment • Use up to 98% less water than conventional farms • Save electrical energy by using LED lights • Renovated two breweries, thereby causing less construction strain on the local environment and resources • Have no pesticides, causing no leaching into the groundwater • Grow vertically to maximize growing area

We Are Organic • We are USDA Organic Certified through MCIA (MN Crop Improvement Association) • In place of pesticides we use Integrated Pest Management • We focus on leaving the environment better than we found it

How do we share our values with our customers? We use less water: Aquaponics uses up to 98% less of the water that conventional agriculture requires by targeting plants directly at the roots rather than dispersing through soil. Education through strategic labeling is important for creating and sustaining farmer/consumer relationships.

We Eli liminated Chemicals • With no herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers needed, our local wildlife and watershed is not affected by chemical runoff from soils • Our IPM mimics natural ecosystems

We Help Restore Oceans • Our method of production offers customers an alternative to commercial fishing and traditional aquaculture practices. • We qualify as a Seafood Watch Best Choice option because we demonstrate care for the oceanic environment.

We Provide Super Fresh Products

We Protect Our Local Air ir Quality Local food means fewer trucks on the road and cleaner air.

We Help Dim iminish Food Deserts in in Our Local Community • By using an indoor system, fresh food is produced year-round in our urban area where there is limited local sources for fresh fish and veggies. • Statistics show that there are 12 food deserts within the city of St. Paul.

What About the Fish? • We partner with The Fish Guys as our main distributor. • As RAS farmers we strive to educate our customers in our sustainable and humane fish farming practices.

How Does Our Labeling Help Share Our Vision? • THE most important thing for our packaging is messaging that informs consumers, enabling them to make clear, educated, and confident decisions when choosing their food purchases. • We are clear about where the food comes from and how it is produced. • We provide easy recognition of our products; customers trust our USDA Organic logo amidst the confusion of labeling within the marketplace.

Our Marketing Partner H e a l t h y • s u s t a i n a b l e • o r g a n i c H e a l t h y s t . p a u l s u s t a i n a b l e g r o w n o r g a n i c g r e e n s Urban Organics is a hyperlocal aquaponic family-run s t . p a u l g r o w n g r e e n s farm providing you with fresh and nutritious food year-round in a revolutionary way. Urban Organics is a hyperlocal aquaponic family-run u r b a n o r g a n i c s . c o m farm providing you with fresh and nutritious food year-round in a revolutionary way. u r b a n o r g a n i c s . c o m

We began by reaching out to lo local vendors that supported a sim imilar mis ission for their customers. (2 (2013)

We continue to expand our reach

Health Partners reached out to us to provide high quality food for their patients during recovery . . . …now they sell our clamshells in their cafeteria as well.

Our continuing mis ission: • Fix a broken food system one delicious meal at a time. • Fresh = nutritious • Nutritious = healthy • Fish and plants help each other grow • Create a better food system for the people, by the people.

Marketing