Sustainable Regional Food System
PEC has been a regional advocate of community-based food systems for the past 12 years. The Meadville Market House is the oldest market house in continuous use in Pennsylvania. But by the 1960s, what once had been a vibrant, economically viable farmers' market since 1870 had devolved to an economically unstable business largely relying on retail sales of crafts produced outside the region. To reverse this trend and "reestablish the Meadville Market House as an economic, cultural and historical center of Meadville urban life and as a viable market to help sustain the region's working farms" PEC entered into an agreement in July 2005, with the Meadville Market House Authority to manage the Market House. Since this change in leadership, recorded sales at the Market House have increased significantly, and presently include both indoor (food and non-food items) and outdoor (farm food products in season) sales. A Huff Gravity model estimate of the potential market share at the Meadville Market House indicates that the fresh and prepared food sales at the Market House have the potential to increase from 136% to 636% above current sale's figures (David K. O'Neil. June 2006. Meadville Market House Revitalization Strategy) The "Revitalization Plan" was funded by a PA DCED First Industries grant. Continuing these efforts, PEC is successfully reestablishing the Meadville Market House as the hub of a community-based food system, with that market helping to drive customer demand and catalyze local production.
Recorded sales at the Market House have increased significantly (up by over 150%), and presently include both indoor (food and non-food items) and outdoor (farm food products in season) sales. In 2006 on average 24 indoor (daily) and 28 outdoor (Saturday) vendors sold goods at the Market House. 58% of those vendors were farmers (30 full or part-time farmers that sell at the Market). A PEC staff person from the Meadville office also serves on the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Administrative Council ( please see: http://www.uvm.edu/~nesare/ and http://www.sare.org/), providing advice to that organization and bringing that national perspective back to Pennsylvania as we continue our drive to develop a sustainable food network throughout the Commonwealth.