From Bush to Table: Developing the Product and Cracking the Market Using Local Resources in New Ways

Transcription

1 From Bush to Table: Developing the Product and Cracking the Market Using Local Resources in New Ways Brief History of Little Black Bear s Band During the early 1800s, members of this Cree-Assiniboine Band were nomadic, hunting and camping within in the Cypress Hills area. Cree Chief Kees kee hew mus-coo muskwa (Little Black Bear) signed Treaty 4 on September 15, His Band, consisting of 29 families, settled on the reserve surveyed for them in the File Hills (4 km south and 4 km west of Goodeve) in The original reserve was measured at 46.5 square miles, more or less, which is approximately 29,760 acres. Like most Treaty Bands in the province, members of Little Black Bear began farming once settled on reserve, progressing at the rate that technology, climatic conditions, and government policy allowed. The Band Government consists of a Chief and 4 Headpersons, an advisory group of 17 Elder Family Representatives and a fifteen member civil service. Community infrastructure includes a Band Office, ChildCareCenter, ball diamonds, a small swimming pool and a cultural area. Currently there are a total of 452 band members, 158 of whom live on their 17,006-acre central reserve. The Band owns urban reserve land in Balcarres and FortQu Appelle. The Band s development corporation, Wakayos Holdings, occupies offices on reserve land in Balcarres. Land in Ft.Qu Appelle remains open for future development. The Land Claim as Catalyst for Community Development Canada took a surrender in 1921 of 12,462 acres of land, over one-half of the Band s land base. The Band submitted a specific land claim, alleging that the surrender and the subsequent land sales were invalid. The Band won a partial victory in 1996, when Canada accepted part of the claim based on land sales irregularities. They held that the surrender itself was valid. The Land Claim Settlement Agreement was signed on April 9, Compensation totalled $5,682,028. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Band could purchase a maximum of 12,462 acres to be returned to reserve status within 12 years. That window of opportunity closed on April 9, The Band, through Wakayos Holdings, was able to purchase 9,250 acres of agricultural land, 2 acres of institutional land and 5 acres of commercial land. Perhaps as important as the land itself was the recognition that, in order to make highest and best use of the proceeds of the claim settlement, the Band had to embark on a strategic planning and organizational development process.

2 The Economic Development Strategic Plan, 2006 The Chief & Council, the Economic Development Committee, Trustees for the 1996 Specific Claim Settlement, Wakayos Holdings and the Elder Family Representatives met to address economic development issues. They developed a shared vision and an assessment of community capacity, and then proceeded to develop broad-based goals and objectives, including sector-by-sector strategies and plans. Vision of the Future Little Black Bear s Band is a community that is respectful, healthy, wealthy and content. We are united and strong. We prosper spiritually, economically, physically, and culturally through the values of caring and sharing The goals from the Strategic Planning Sessions were: 1. Increase the number of people trained and improve the kinds of training available. 2. Increase the number of people employed. 3. Improve our ability to access funds and programs for business, employment and training. 4. Improve wealth levels in the community through the number of businesses that are started up and remain profitable. The Governance Environment The Band realized that, in order for appropriate and sustained community development to occur, there had to be significant improvement in the governance capacity at all levels in the community. For us, this meant the development of community-based law and the policies and governance structure to implement those laws. The Band adopted the following guidelines for sound governance: a. The Band government is answerable to the citizens for good governance in the use of Band assets to meet the needs of the citizens according to a plan and within an effective legal and policy framework. b. The citizens are accountable to the Band government in that they must understand and participate in the Band governance process by becoming informed of and respecting the legal and policy framework within which the Band government operates.

3 c. Citizens hold leadership accountable by asking questions as is their right and responsibility. d. Leaders, in the role as trustees, welcome the participation of citizens and readily make themselves accountable for their actions. e. Accountability will support the Band in meeting its needs and objectives and will help to prevent the abuse of power by those who hold positions of trust and authority. This Band now has its own Constitution, Administration of Government Act, Custom Election Code, Citizen and Immigration Act, Economic Development Act, Sports/Culture and Recreation Act, Housing Act and Education Act. The Economic Development Law, 2008 The Band s Legislative Assembly passed an Economic Development Act in 2008, which made provision for the LBB Development Partnership which had the following objectives: (a) To promote sustainable business development within Little Black Bear s Band by providing effective planning and implementation of agricultural, commercial and residential projects on an on-going basis and in a manner that is inclusive of membership. (b) To develop a policy framework that will include land use, development of Band and individual projects, taxation and licensing, corporate and project governance, finance related to economic development, internal and external consultation, intergovernmental relations in regard to related to economic development and any other area as required by various Band laws. (c) To support training and employment creation, equity funding and business support by the development and implementation of institutions such as the Equity Fund, the Economic Development Office and an Employment Agency or by partnering with such institutions. Under this Band Law, Wakayos Holdings accepted management responsibility of Blue Sky Berries.

4 Blue Sky Berries Little Black Bear Band shad planted 7,000 saskatoon berry trees in There was a steep learning curve on care and control and an even steeper one on harvesting and marketing. Two crops were harvested by hand pickers ad marketed locally with little return and great loss of berries. The Band needed a better harvesting method and a better marketing strategy. In the spring of 2007, Little Black Bear s Band applied to the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan Student-Assisted Business & Marketing Plan Program for the development of a Business Plan focusing on Black Bear Orchards. The development of the detailed Business Plan provided an overview of the orchard capacities, future growth patterns, development of a branded First Nation Saskatoon Berry Jam and provided forecasts of cash flow requirements. Blue Sky Berries was turned over to Wakayos Holdings to manage in Wakayos changed the name to Black Bear Orchards and hand-picked one harvest and made about $3500 from the sale of berries directly to the consumer. Black Bear Orchards had to improve the harvesting methods. In the summer of 2009 Black Bear Orchards contracted Prairie Berries to mechanically harvest the berry crop and 10,900 lbs. of berries were harvested, compared with 2,500 lbs. in the previous year. This was a great learning experience on production and harvesting practice We now had the raw material to put this business plan into place.the Business Plan has been implemented at certain stages and this project will assist in the development of a permanent process of growing, processing and marketing the saskatoon berry. With the completion of the harvest, the capabilities of Value Adding the Saskatoon Berry into a Jam Product was the next initiative. The requirements of doing business within this category are new to the Band. We needed expert advice and Sandi Purdy of Prairie Berries provided expertise in the development of the Black Bear Orchard Saskatoon Berry Spread. Black Bear Orchards Saskatoon Berry Spread Our people knew nothing about the processing and marketing of the product. Wakayos submitted a proposal for an initial product run and market test to Saskatchewan Added Value Initiative, a program of Saskatchewan Agriculture, which is designed to provide support for value-added processes using Saskatchewan crops. This project provided $8,000 (50% of the total cost; Wakayos provided the other 50%) for consultant services for ingredient listing and product tests, branding and labels, travel and the initial run of 2,000 jars of the berry spread. There were applications to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency,visits to the Food Center at the University of Saskatchewan, getting a bar code, development of marketing brochures and label design and making a list of potential retailers.

5 The Initial Run Black Bear Orchards has its first run of 2,000 jars in May of The cost was $3.09 per jar. We sold them to selected First Nation-operated stores in southern Saskatchewan at $4.00 per jar and they retailed them for $4.75 to $5.50 per jar. LBB Gas sold unit cases and Cowessess sold 16 cases. There was excellent feedback from the retailers and consumers. Another run of 5,000 jars is in production as we speak. There will be a more aggressive marketing campaign to other stores and institutions in the province. We will have used 5,500 lbs. of our berries that are in cold storage and expect to use the rest before the next harvest. Wakayos met with representatives of the Safeway chain in Saskatchewan to see if we could place our product on their shelves. They informed us on September 10 that they wanted to meet on September 16 to begin the process of supplying the stores. We now plan to expand our operations to 50 acres of orchard from the original 10, acquire more efficient equipment and diversify our product. Anticipated revenue in 2010 and 2011 is $50, with yearly growth providing we can manage the orchards effectively. Lessons Learned We have to make the best use of available resources. Our people have gathered berries and processed them for our own use for thousands of years. It seems to be a natural thing to produce and market them to the general public. It was a new experience for everyone involved. This is the only product on our store shelves that is produced by a First Nation under a First Nation brand in southern Saskatchewan. The community members are extremely proud of the brand and want to grow the business. It was a little scary, but there is a tremendous amount of advisory and professional assistance available for those who take the time to look for it and are willing to take the chance to try something new. The business really took off when the Council assigned responsibility to the Development Corporation. The Council remains very supportive and actually helped broker the deal with Safeway. The Chief is willing to present the product to his colleagues at the Treaty 4 Gathering in September. Take the plunge but make sure that the plan is in place. Start small and grow as the product becomes known in the marketplace. Learn as you go.