Great News! We have been awarded a $100,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service. A portion of the grant will be used to create a local food purchasing guide for restaurants, retail stores, nonprofits, and schools. We’ll work with these entities to build custom commitments and connect buyers with local food producers.
The grant from the USDA allows for the expansion of a key element of our regional food systems work. Local food purchasing commitments allow local businesses, nonprofits, and institutions to see what is possible and help them incorporate local sourcing into their decision-making. Local food purchasing commitments lead to economic stability for farmers and increased access to local food for consumers. This grant is helping us realize this critical part of our vision.
Expanding the Guide
We’ll also use the grant to expand and enrich the Locally Grown Guide. Building on the Locally Grown Basket certifications that have been part of the Guide for the past two years, businesses that commit to sourcing locally will receive a special certification, and they’ll be provided with marketing materials to promote their commitment. A new section in the Guide will feature these local food commitments.
Beyond helping businesses and organizations source locally, this grant is making it possible for us to promote their commitments. Signing a local food purchasing agreement is a big deal, and the Locally Grown Guide is the perfect place to celebrate the businesses and organizations that are stepping up to support locally grown food. We’ll do everything we can to ensure that residents and visitors knows about their commitments.
Contribute today to help us reach our cost-share commitment of $25,000 for this USDA grant to enhance the Locally Grown Guide.
About the USDA Grant
The grant awarded to SVIR is part of the more than $32 million given to 98 grant projects that expand and strengthen local and regional food systems and increase the availability of locally grown agricultural products. The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service supports U.S. food and agricultural product market opportunities while increasing consumer access to fresh, healthy foods through applied research, technical services, and congressionally funded grants. These projects will support the development, coordination and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets and enterprises and value-added agricultural products. Read more about the other grantees here.