Sweet Southern Comfort: The Brand for the Future
Katie Murray
North Carolina State University
April 15, 2009
Southern hospitality, Southern cooking, and Southern charm are all images that come to mind when life in the South is mentioned. The South is also often associated with a rich agricultural heritage and the advantages it has when it comes to producing food. A mild climate, moderate rainfall, ease of transportation due to major rivers and ports to ship food, and a history steeped in agriculture are just a few of the reasons for the popularity of agriculture in the South. So when it comes to setting the standard in U.S. agriculture, who better to do that than the South?
Regardless of how steeped in agricultural history the South is, there are many challenges in the next century for Southern agriculture. As the world's population is expected to increase to nine billion in 2050, are Southern farmers equipped with an adequate business model and are they prepared to meet the demands of the global markets as well as maintain a safe, quality food and fiber product here in the U.S.? The answer to those questions revolves around the ability of U.S. Southern farmers to establish a cooperative, launch a marketing campaign, and develop a new seal of food safety for Southern produced food.
In order for Southern agriculture to thrive in the next century, there must first be cooperation among the Southern states. This would most ideally be accomplished through a cooperative formed among the Southern states. From there, a slogan designed to market products grown in the cooperative should be developed. Although many Southern states currently have their own marketing slogan such as “Goodness Grows in NC” or “Georgia Grown,” something along the lines of “Sweet Southern Comfort” could be used as a marketing slogan for the Southern states. The label of “Sweet Southern Comfort” would exude all of the ideals of Southern life onto whatever product it is placed. By having products grown in Southern states labeled as such, consumers would be able to associate that food with the quality standards listed as part of the cooperative.
The first rule of any business is that the customer is always right and the same can be said for the business of farming. Instead of producing, then telling consumers what is available, agriculture markets must move to more of a true supply and demand strategy, where consumer preferences are determining what is being produced. The U.S. consumer is currently demanding a product that is not only environmentally friendly, but animal friendly, and many times enriched in value as well. The use of vertical integration could be used to meet these current consumer preferences and could be the route that takes the Southern farmer into the next fifty years (Boehlje, 2006).
The next function of the cooperative would be to band together when marketing globally. Instead of having each state market their products individually to other countries, the Southern states could market as a group, introducing the concept of “Sweet Southern Comfort” food to the world. So, when any product is introduced to foreign markets, regardless of the Southern state it was produced in, it would be marketed as part of the “Sweet Southern Comfort” label. When the cooperative is successful, all Southern states benefit. Also, instead of having each state take their individual products to various countries, each state could represent all of the Southern states' products in various countries allowing Southern states to market in more countries, therefore increasing the Southern impact on global markets. Also, when competing against imports at home, the “Sweet Southern Comfort” label will allow the consumer to have confidence in the food they are purchasing and the standards associated with the cooperative.
With numerous food safety issues occurring in recent years, more has to be done to assure consumers of the safety of their food. American consumers currently have the luxury of spending only 11% of their disposable income on food. However, in a recent poll of consumers conducted by The Center for Food Integrity, American consumers revealed that they are not nearly as confident in their food supply as agriculturalists would like to believe. When responding to the statement “U.S. food is among the safest in the world today” only 33% strongly agreed with 16% strongly disagreeing. Similarly, the statement “I am confident in the safety of the food I eat” had only 26% strong agreement with 19% strongly disagreeing. On the positive side, 49% strongly agreed with only 8% strongly disagreeing that “U.S. food is among the most abundant in the world today” (Bennett, 2008). The availability of food seems to be stable, but the safety and quality perceived by consumers has a long row to hoe.
By taking Southern produced food a step farther when it comes to food safety, perhaps Southern agriculture can infuse a new respect and trust in the food that is grown in the south. The Southern states cooperative could establish a set of voluntary standards that include environmental precautions, humane treatment concerns, and safe food handling and processing standards. When farmers volunteer to follow these standards, then their products receive the “Safely South” seal and the quality associated with it (Moore, 2009).
Country songs such as “Song of the South,” “Dixieland Delight,” and “Small Town Southern Man” have introduced the world to the ideals of Southern life. Now it is time for agriculture to introduce the world to the quality of Southern produced food. Through joining all Southern states in a cooperative, marketing under the “Sweet Southern Comfort”label, and decreasing food safety concerns through the “Safely South” seal, U.S. Southern agriculture will continue to remain a viable business for the next generation.
References
Bennett, D. (2008, March 10). Consumers’ strange views of farmers’ role. Retrieved March 15, 2009, from Delta Farm Press:
Boehlje, M. (2006, April 3). The New Business Model. Retrieved March 21, 2009, from Government of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development:
Moore, G.E. (2009). Email correspondence.