How to organize aquaponics growers into a cooperative for successful Marketing and Branding of clean, healthy, chemical and fertilizer free local food. SUSTAIN, The Aquaponics Growers Cooperative

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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)

2. SUSTAIN
The Aquaponics Cooperative
If you care about the environment.
If you want to buy sustainably grown food, then look for this label, because
we use ONLY natural nutrients and fertilizer.
No hormones, No antibiotics, no pesticides EVER!
Aquaponics is Sustainable Farming
The Family Fish Farms Network (c)
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3. Objectives & Agenda
Why Do This ?
What is The Cooperative About?
Our Message & Our Story
The Charter
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4. Why Do This?
We Are All In - Our Dog is in This Fight …
We are going to make Aquaponics Farming a Key Part of the
Global Food Supply Chain!
We want to grow food and make money
We need to compete effectively with Big AG
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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)

5. AND!!
If Not – We Will be Crushed!
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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)

6. Regulations ARE Coming
Social Anthropologist – Margaret Mead
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We Have 3 or Maybe 4 Years
We Have A Plan …
“… never think that a small group of dedicated people cannot change
The world – Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

7. What Are We About?
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We are the
Cooperative
We are ALL
Owners
We own our
Businesses
And…
We own the
Cooperative
NO ONE
OWNS US!
The Family Fish Farms Network (c)

8. Our Story!
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Aquaponics is Sustainability
Aquaponics is Food Security
If is it NOT Aquaponics, It is NOT
Sustainable
ONLY Aquaponics uses natural nutrients and fertilizer. No hormones, No
antibiotics, no pesticides EVER!
The Family Fish Farms Network (c)

9. You and Your Family will always have food
Locally Grown by Local Farmers
Our Message to Consumers
The Family Fish Farms Network (c)
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Only Locally Grown Healthy Food
Fresh Picked - Hours from harvest
NO pesticides, NO nitrates, NO
antibiotics Ever!
And, Supermarkets Don’t Grow Food
… when the shelves
Are empty – There is NO FOOD.

10. THE CHARTER
• Now! (Next 90 days)
▫ establish cooperative
▫ set short term objectives
▫ fund operations
Suggested First Steps
▫ learn our demographics
▫ set up purchasing
agreements
▫ build local/regional buyer
data base
▫ develop communications
link
▫ establish regional centers
▫ grow the cooperative
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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)

11. How We Help Each Other?
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Marketing …
Price
Place
Product
Promotion
Purchasing
Sales &
Distribution
The Family Fish Farms Network (c)

12. Major Concerns Are:
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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)
How Do We Finance Our Aquaponics Farm?
How Do We Finance Our Aquaponics Farm?
Funding The Aquaponics Farm
Aquaponics Training
Making A Profit (sales/dist)

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Alliance Partnership
Standardized
Growing System
Provide Quality
Training
Reduce Operating
Costs
Provide Financing
50% Discount with
Partnership
Low Interest USDA
Loans
All Growing Supplies
Included
Assure Fair Pricing
High Profile Brand
In Store
Merchandising
National Promotion
We Grow/They Sell
Share in Profits
A Strategic Cooperative
Alliance Partner
The Family Fish Farms Network (c)

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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)
Farm-in-a-Box
• A SUSTAIN Cooperative
Alliance Partner
▫ Commercial System
▫ Small Footprint(400 sq ft)
▫ Affordable
▫ Subsidized Acquisition
▫ Fully Supported
▫ Including: Training &
Supplies

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System
Aquaponics
Vortex
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The Vortex Growing System

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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)
Vortex in Action

18. Strategic Partner
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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)
How Do We Finance Our Aquaponics Farm?
How Do We Finance Our Aquaponics Farm?
Low Cost of Entry
50% Partner Investment
High Efficiency Growing System
All Supplies Included: (fish,feed,seeds)
Guaranteed Sales – Equal Share of Profits
Farm in a Box

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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)
Low Interest Loans
• $50,000. USDA Micro loans for minority,
socially-disadvantaged and young and
beginning farmers across the United States.
• http://www.fsa.usda.gov/internet/FSA
File/loansoct11.pdf
• Help with loan Applications

20. What Do You Think?
• Add your suggestions and priorities here on
the chat. We’ll respond ASAP
• We’re opening up our (subgroup) and
changing the name to: SUSTAIN !
• Watch for an invitation to join a SKYPE chat
room called: SUSTAIN !
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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)

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The Family Fish Farms Network (c)
Next Webinar
Please check out our Website for our next scheduled
Webinar
http://www.thefamilyfishfarmsnetwork.com/webinars.html
Feel free to contact me
aquaponikus@gmail.com
Skype ID
Fishfarms1
Facebook
http://tinyurl.com/m6loq9e
Twitter
@aquaponikus
LinkedIn
http://tinyurl.com/lldx2to
Phone
(410) 227 0498