KEYWORDS: change, local, and stakeholder groups

The "New Gates" initiative is especially concerned with the well-being of agriculture, business and rural regions of the Southwest U.S. It assumes that value-added efforts, which take into account interests of producers, small businesses, local citizens, and communities, have the greatest potential to benefit or "add value" to each. Value-added efforts that anticipate and are appropriate to local circumstances, resources, and constraints, and which are locally controlled have the greatest potential to benefit local people and communities. Likewise, in today's world of rapid change and with accompanying need for flexibility, smaller-sized enterprises with local to even global-linkages may be more appropriate.

A "New Gates" Framework to Guide Value-Added Discussion and Action

The "New Gates Framework" introduces key activities and stakeholder groups for value-added efforts (see Framework, below). It is a basic way of organizing thought, ideas, discussion and action. Presented as a matrix, the framework also implies important relationships among and between key activities and stakeholders.

Value-Added Agriculture and Forestry Enterprises
Ideas for Creating Success for Businesses and Whole Communities

The columns on the framework suggest need for attention to stakeholders and considerations at the enterprise level ("producer" and "other small business" enterprises) and community-regional level. Since they are interdependent, we are also concerned with ways in which enterprises and communities can effectively work together to promote value-added activities that benefit both. To be most successful, we need good communication, cooperation, and working partnerships among many (e.g., producers, processors, retailers, lenders, local government, community leadership, area youth, economic development groups, colleges/universities, state/federal agencies, non-profit groups).

The rows on the framework are meant to suggest that, for greatest likelihood of success, there are four basic activities, or steps, which enterprises and communities need to address—i.e., recognize and investigate; select and plan; implement and manage; monitor and evaluate.

The framework is for quick illustration. In real-life practice the row, column and cell boundaries of the matrix are often "fuzzy" and overlapping.

Adding Value to Agriculture…Business…Community

Here are some efforts most likely to add value to all three.

* CONSIDER interests of producers, small businesses, local citizens, communities of the region.

* RELY on many working together for mutual benefit.

* BUILD local ownership and support.

* STAY flexible and adaptive; start small and grow manageably.

* STRENGTHEN community spirit and overall quality of rural life.

* COMPLEMENT other economic and non-economic goals and activities.

* RECOGNIZE & ANTICIPATE local-regional resources, opportunities, constraints.

Sheila Knop is Program Coordinator, Center for Rural Assistance, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension.