The document introduces four individuals who are interested in starting a local farm market called Agricole in Chelsea, Michigan. Patrick Zieske has experience in IT and farming. Sharon Norton is involved in biking, kayaking, and animal rescue and wants to start a closer market. Abby Hurst has a background in education nonprofits and wants to bring innovative food concepts to the community. Kathy Kennedy advocates for local and healthier food choices.

3. Patrick Zieske has had a 35-year long career in information technology, in financial
forecasting systems. Since moving to the Chelsea area in 2009, Patrick has been a
member of Transition Town Chelsea, a council officer of the Knights of Columbus, and a
board member of the Michigan Friends Center. Patrick has recently started a small farm
and is developing an agro-ecological living community at the farm site.
Sharon Norton is an avid biker, kayaker, animal rescuer and local realtor. Passionate
about food, long time CSA member and former food business owner. Sharon is a longtime
Jackson County resident who enthusiastically shops at Argus and wants to start a closer
market.
Abby Hurst is a local resident and Chelsea enthusiast. Abby has a background in
educational non profit work where she was the VP of US programs at buildOn for 12 years.
Her passion for food has taken to culinary school, as well as farms and restaurants around
the world. Abby was inspired by Alice Waters’ Edible School Yard while living in California
and wants to bring innovative food concepts to this community.
Kathy Kennedy hails from the thumb but has established herself as an active Chelsea
resident where she and her husband are raising their family. Kathy is currently Clerk for
Sylvan Township where she advocates for the democratic process on a daily basis. Kathy
has had a life long dream to open a local farm market and wants to provide local residents
with healthier tastier food choices.

4. Transform Local Food Economy
● Create a vibrant and self sustaining retail space
● Be a community-connector
● Provide healthy and sustainable food to residents
● Revitalize the rich agricultural tradition of the area
Agricole will contribute $6.7 million
to local farms and producers
over next 15 years

5. Agricole, L3C is a “low profit, limited
liability company”
● L3C’s use best business practices
to achieve social outcomes
● The mission of Agricole is to grow
the local food economy
● 75% of sales goes back to
producers.
● Income from café allows store to
break even.
● Store designed to facilitate
customers and farmers interaction
75% to Farms
Agricole Creates a
Community Tapestry
Local
Farms
Caring
Customers
Passionate
Staff

6. Why should we
care so much
about local food?

7. ● 93% of farms producing food have disappeared
● The 5-year survival rate for beginning farmers is less than 50%
● The average farmer age is 58 years, and increasing.
● Once farms are lost, they are extremely difficult to replace
Our area is at risk of losing the capability
to produce local food
Source: USDA Trends in U.S. Local and Regional Food Systems, 2015

8. Farmers fare poorly when they sell
through traditional channels
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, 2016
• Farmers receive less than 15 cents on the dollar, on
average.
• Middlemen and distributors take the remaining 85 cents
Farm Share of 2016 U.S. Consumer Food Dollar

9. It will take a unified effort to turn this
trend around!
Source: USDA Farm Census, 2012 and Worldwatch Institute
99.7% of food is purchased
indirectly from producers
•Food travels long distances from
farm to table – on average 1,500
miles
•The current food system is
dependent on high levels of fossil
fuels and is vulnerable to climate
change, oil shortages and other
disruptions
0.3% of food is purchased
directly from producers through
channels such as farmers markets
and Community Supported
Agriculture (CSAs)
•Direct connections between
farmers and consumers
•Higher margins for farms
•Limited by weather, seasonality,
lack of convenience and time
intensive for the farmer

10. How can we “super-charge” local
food economies?
Traditional Grocery
Stores
● High margin for
farms
● Fresh, in-season
● Authentic – know
who grows your
food
● Educational
● Builds community
● Convenient – open
every day, all year
● High quality
refrigeration and
display
● One-stop shopping
?
Farmers Markets /
CSA’s

11. A new model – Argus Farm Stop
●Argus Farm Stop is an everyday farmers market in Ann Arbor, open year
round, stocked exclusively with local products – all local, all the time
●Single checkout where customers can purchase from all farms in a single
easy transaction (cash, credit, EBT)
●Producers own and set prices for their products and then let Argus staff
sell on their behalf with clear signage identifying producers and methods
used for growing
●Argus is a gathering place for people who care about food. Margins on
café support the business financially

12. Proven Success
● Argus opened in August 2014 with
40 producers and grew to >200 in 2016
● Initial investment of $170,000 has
returned over $2.2 million to local
producers in the first three years.
● Farmers sell year-round with extended growing and selling
seasons - 36% of annual sales are from January – May, a
typically very slow part of the year for Michigan producers.
● Argus is having a tremendous impact on farms, keeping
existing farms in farming and helping new farmers grow
their businesses.
● Argus openly shares their business model with others
interested in growing their local food economies.

13. Demographic Comparison
Considerations…
● Agricole compares favorably on vehicular traffic counts, parking
accessibility, and relative lack of market competition.
● Agricole’s market service area is much wider than that of Argus; whereas
half of Argus customers arrive on foot.
● The more financially established customer base in Chelsea has more
disposable income.
● Awareness of local food and commitment to community are rising
everywhere.
main service area, 5 miles main service area, 0.75 miles
Population 12,521 Population 19,807
Median Age 46.5 Median Age 23.8
Traffic count: 14,100 per day Traffic count: 6,000 per day
Per Capita Income $42,989 Per Capita Income $34,115
Total Income $538,265,269 Total Income $675,715,805
79.7% of Argus 100% of Argus
Bottom Line: Agricole can reach 50-80% of Argus Farm Stop’s sales.

14. Agricole is cash positive at YR 3 and will have contributed
$962,000 to local farms and producers
At 50% of Argus

15. Community Investment Opportunity
● $75,000 capital already raised.
● $175,000 needed for store opening and operating capital.
● We are highly committed to the L3C organization model
which emphasizes the social mission above the financial.
● As an L3C, Agricole is eligible to receive grant funding.
● Potential ROI (Return On Investment) of 2-3%.

17. “Booming with Confidence”
and
“Flourishing Families”
In Chelsea Area
5 mile radius *
Population 12,521
Per Capita Income
$42,989
Median Age 46.5
3 mile radius
Population 8,091
Per Capita Income $42,306
1 mile radius
Populaton 4,492
Per Capita Income $42,150
Traffic count, Main St.
14,100 vehicles per day
★ Easy vehicular access and parking
★ High visibility
★ Both walkable and driveable
★ No close competitor for local/organic grocery
★ Central to Chelsea community within 5-mile radius
* Based on Gale / Cengage Learning research (via MSBDC), 2022 projections

18. ● Very limited parking accessibility
● Close radius: Half of the customers arrive on foot
● Overlaps with the new Packard store, but Liberty
has maintained its market
● May compete with Plum Market, Whole Foods,
Trader Joe, and People’s Food Co-Op
Packard store
Liberty store
“Singles and Starters”
and
“Thriving Boomers”
In Ann Arbor Area / Liberty
0.75 mile radius *
Population 19,807
Per Capita Income
$34,115
Median Age 23.8
1.5 mile radius
Population 51,067
Per Capita Income $34,312
Traffic count, Liberty
6,000 vehicles per
day
(between Main and Ashley)
* Based on Gale / Cengage Learning research (via MSBDC), 2022 projections