Strengthening small farm viability and food security in the U.S.
Over the past several years, there has been a tremendous growth of programs across the United States that aim to strengthen small farm viability and food security by connecting local farms to food assistance distribution partners such as food banks, food pantries and other grassroots efforts to end hunger. These Farm to Food Assistance (F2FA) initiatives can play a key role in the renewal of local and regional food and farm economies and to support food-insecure communities. These local economies are foundational to a community-driven and equity-centered food system.
The Wallace Center’s key findings from a National Farm to Food Assistance Survey conducted in 2022 demonstrate the positive impact these programs have for farmers and communities.
Through innovative programs like the USDA Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA), new partnerships between state agencies and tribal governments, food banks, food pantries, food hubs, farmers and community-based organizations are narrowing the longstanding gap between the charitable food system and local and regional food systems. With a total budget of $900 million, LFPA is a transformative federal initiative that empowers state agencies, tribal governments, and their community partners to collaboratively source and distribute food, benefiting local producers and underserved communities.
To support the success of the LFPA program, the Wallace Center is conducting research, providing technical assistance and convening a national F2FA Community of Practice to share best practices in this emerging field. Since the launch of the LFPA program in 2021, two states have stood out – New Mexico and Iowa – for the highly collaborative, strategic and equity-centered programs they created with LFPA funding. In just the first year of implementation, farmers in these two states combined had close to $4 million in new sales that also enabled them to provide nutritious food to community members in need.
The Wallace Center is pleased to share these two “LFPA Spotlights” featuring approaches underway in Iowa and New Mexico:
Iowa LFPA: Together We Grow, Together We Thrive describes the unique partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development, and the tribal government of the Meskwaki Nation to ensure that all of Iowa’s farmers continue to grow and thrive.
New Mexico LFPA: Building a Local Food System on Efficiency, Trust, and NM Values demonstrates how food systems leaders are working collaboratively to expand market opportunities for socially disadvantaged producers and increase values-based procurement that facilitate positive social impact.
Over the next several months, the Wallace Center will roll out eight more LFPA Spotlights and a comprehensive report on our collective learning on Farm to Food Assistance over the past several years.
Related Projects
