Local Food
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture recently showcased how the AGRI Farm to School Grant program helps bring fresh, Minnesota-grown foods to students while supporting local farmers.
Every October, through the Farm Fresh Challenge, schools and childcare centers earn recognition for promoting local foods and teaching children about healthy meals and Texas agriculture.
The Packer’s annual survey examining shopper purchasing behavior also shows that consumers are feeling the effects of inflation and higher grocery prices, which for some may present a barrier to purchase.
Two studies illuminate food prices for the holiday barbecue season.
Local connections and relationships are helping new and old growers alike expand operations.
The lawsuit challenges the ending of the Local Food Purchase Assistance program agreement that directly supports Pennsylvania farms and food banks.
Thirteen agribusinesses in the state will share $200,000 to improve facilities, expand businesses and update offerings in their local communities.
Funding opportunities include FMPP, LFPP and RFSP; applications due June 27.
Building on the success of its five Hispanic-focused stores, El Mercado Fresco, the company launched World Fresh Market in Overland Park, Kans. — a venture designed to reach an even broader audience by incorporating ethnic varieties of food that resonate with the city’s diverse communities.
Retailers, growers and associations share how the growing season is progressing, future promotions and what makes New York-grown produce so special.
New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Ed Wengryn highlighted the beginning of the state’s blueberry season with a visit to Macrie Brothers Blueberry Farm in late June.
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 state’s farmers market programs, including the newly Expanded FreshConnect Checks Program, aim to support access to fresh food.
Brighter Bites, a nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, is expanding its offerings to six Phoenix-area schools.
Berry grower Wish Farms, Plant City, Fla., is encouraging consumers to support their local Florida businesses affected by the pandemic.
I have lost count of the number of times that I have been in a debate about local produce.
Companies have their own definition of what “local produce” means, but the consensus is the closer the better.
Federal and state government programs keep encouraging the local agricultural economy, especially since COVID-19 pandemic shut-downs disrupted the market.
Schnucks Markets Inc., St. Louis, is pledging to buy more than $5 million of local produce and other goods this year.
The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Agriculture are inviting communities to apply for technical assistance to help promote local foods.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is hosting web seminars every third Monday of the month on how local food systems can respond to needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hydroponic greenhouse grower BrightFarms has partnered with Crosset Co., Independence, Ky., to distribute its products to more than 100 independent retailers in the Midwest.
Reviving an idea that promoted Florida produce following a natural disaster, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has a new “buy local” program, SWFL Fresh.
Canadian retailer Loblaw Cos. Ltd. is signaling a huge commitment to local growers, pledging to spend $150 million more each year by 2025, buying local produce and curtailing imports when possible.
Side Delights, San Francisco, is launching “Journey of a Potato,” an educational video for consumers and buyers.
Container farm manufacturer Freight Farms and Sodexo have plans to bring hydroponic vertical farms to schools and universities across the U.S.