Latest News From Local Food

Brighter Bites, a nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, is expanding its offerings to six Phoenix-area schools.

The 2014 farm bill program aims to increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables to mitigate health care costs.

The state’s farmers market programs, including the newly Expanded FreshConnect Checks Program, aim to support access to fresh food.

The educational toolkit supplements the USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and transforms “eating your fruits and veggies” into an exciting adventure.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s new initiatives lean into science-based nutrition updates to school lunches that tackle added sugar and sodium and support domestic and locally grown sourcing options.

Supply chain technology company iTradeNetwork is launching a local sourcing strategy by adding small and mid-sized producers to its supply chain platform in partnership with Big Wheelbarrow.

The 5-year-old “urban mushroom farmer” delivers fresh mushrooms to about 400 supermarkets and restaurants, and also works with a number of locations to help them raise their own organic specialty varieties on site.

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a solicitation to procure fresh oranges.

Produce sales in the St. Louis, Mo., area are going strong, and distributors say they anticipate a solid fall-winter season. 

After Hurricane Irma in 2017, Hurricane Michael in 2018 and six other hurricanes since 2000, Florida farmers are hyper-aware of the potential impacts of Hurricane Ian.

Ariz.- based Duncan Family Farms LLC., focus on sustainability is deeply rooted in transparency and a drive to be better.

Sobeys Inc. is dedicated to expanding its local produce selection.

Schnucks Markets Inc., St. Louis, is pledging to buy more than $5 million of local produce and other goods this year.

The state brand, Maryland’s Best, is killing it on social media, online and on TV.

I have lost count of the number of times that I have been in a debate about local produce.

Do U.S. buyers and consumers need to show more love and loyalty to U.S. produce?

What’s in a name? When it comes to food, the term “local” holds within it the story of community impact, vibrant farmers markets, and tempting farm-to-table menus.

“Local” means “regional” in the Carolinas, as far as marketing fresh fruits and vegetables goes, suppliers and marketers say.

Local food is maintaining its strong appeal in the Twin Cities, but tight and expensive labor make it a challenging business environment for growers.

Local food is maintaining its strong appeal in the Twin Cities, but tight and expensive labor make it a challenging business environment for growers.

Foodservice consumers in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., are looking for more fresh local goods and clean labels on non-produce local items.

Ohio continues to be fertile ground for sales of locally grown produce. “Every year it increases, and everyone wants it longer."

Local produce continues to see strong interest in the Atlanta market, and industry members say the Georgia Grown logo has been key.

Boston wholesalers continue to see demand for regionally grown produce.

Produce retailers recognize the value of food grown close to home, and they have expanded their local offerings.

“Huge, huge, huge” is how Kevin Bartolotta describes the role locally grown fruits and vegetables play in the Connecticut marketplace.

Ready Pac Foods corporate executive chef Jeff Haines urged sports venues to offer organic and local products during an event in Philadelphia.

Summer is here, but wholesalers on the New England Produce Center, Chelsea, Mass., said the local deal won’t necessarily be the antidote they need for a months-long lull.

Situated in close proximity to major local growing regions, wholesalers on the Atlanta State Farmers Market in Forest Park source and distribute high volumes of local and regional produce.