best practices for creating a sustainable and equitable food system in the united states

8/17/2019 Best Practices for Creating a Sustainable and Equitable Food System in the United States

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1 Center for American Progress | Best Practices for Creating a Sustainable and Equitable Food System in the United States

Best Practices for Creating a

Sustainable and Equitable FoodSystem in the United StatesBy Ashley Blackwell May 12, 2016

In recen monhs, he naional dialogue on environmenal jusice has inensified, wih

he waer crisis in Flin, Michigan, orcing he American public o consider how every-

hing rom lead exposure o poor air qualiy disproporionaely affecs low-income

communiies and communiies o color.1 While environmenal jusicewhich srives o

include and involve all people in he insiuion o environmenal proecions, regard-less o heir backgroundsis finally geting he atenion i deserves, his issue exends

beyond polluion hazards and exposure o oxic maerials o include ood environmens

as well.2 In paricular, i includes he inequiable disribuion o healhy ood across

socioeconomic and racial lines. In predominanly low-income neighborhoods and com-

muniies o color, his inequaliy ofen leads o ood desers: areas wih limied access o

resh, healhy, and affordable ood.3

Over he pas cenury, he naion’s ood sysem radically ransormed rom one sus-

ained by amily arms4 o an indusrialized sysem dependen on oxic agriculural

pracices, arm consolidaion, ood processing operaions, and disribuion ware-houses. Such a sysem ofen urher elongaes he disance beween ood sources and

consumers.5

Despie increased ood producion, here is sill a lack o healhy, affordable ood in low-

income communiies and communiies o color, as well as varying dispariies in rural

localiies compared wih urban ones. An esimaed 14 percen o American households

were ood insecure a some poin in 2014, meaning ha hey lacked access o enough

ood o encourage an acive, healhy lie or all household members.6

Te effecs o ood-insecuriy on children and amilies spill ino heir everyday lives,

including ime spen a school and work and heir overall healh. Residens who live in

ood desersneighborhoods wih ew or limied access o healhy ood sourcesare

more likely o be people o color.7 Individuals living in ood desers also end o have

lower levels o educaion, earn lower incomes, and are more likely o be unemployed.8


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As summer approaches, 15 million children living in ood-insecure households will no

longer have access o he daily lunches hey receive a school, as heir households’ low

wages make i difficul o afford healhy ood opions.9 In addiion, according o he

U.S. Deparmen o Agriculure, or USDA, he effecs o climae change are hreaening

he naion’s ood supply, wih increased occurrences o droughs and wildfires ha may

affec he cos o ood in he uure and disproporionaely harm low-income communi-

ies and communiies o color.10

Tis issue brie oulines a road map o creae a more susainable and equiable ood

sysem. I firs provides an overview o he exising sae o ood insecuriy in he Unied

Saes; i hen gives an overview o naional bes pracices, highlighed hrough specific

case sudies, and discusses ools o und such iniiaives and o build cross-secor par-

nerships ha ake a holisic approach o addressing ood desers and ood insecuriy.

The state of the U.S . food system and food insecurity

In 2014, roughly 48 million Americansmore han 30 percen o whom were chil-

drenlived in households experiencing ood insecuriy.11 Food insecuriy and lack o

access o healhy, affordable ood are linked o decreased economic opporuniy and

lower wages. Abou 85 percen o ood insecure households include an employed adul,

which suggess ha despie having jobs, workers are earning low wages and ha his is

a conribuing acor o ood insecuriy.12 In addiion, communiies o color are more

likely o experience ood insecuriy han whie communiies: 1 in 4 Arican American

households and 1 in 5 Laino households are ood insecure, compared wih only 1 in 10

whie households.13 Furhermore, nearly hal o he roughly 18 million people who live

in ood desers are low-income.14

And roughly 2.3 million o hese people live in low-income, rural areas ha are more han 10 miles rom he neares supermarke.15

For youh living in ood-insecure households, lacking he proper nuriion can lead o

increased risk o poor perormance in school, behavioral problems, and chronic illnesses

such as obesiy.16 Poor nuriion has been shown o have an impac on suden oucomes.

According o Wilder Research, “One sudy ound ha 5h grade sudens wih less nuriious

dies perormed worse on a sandardized lierary assessmen. … Anoher sudy discovered

ha 5h grade sudens who ae more as ood ared worse on mah and reading scores.”17

oday, one-hird o U.S. children are overweigh or obese, and 40 percen o elemenary

school sudens shop a a corner sore wice daily.18 In ac, one sudy ound a con-

necion beween greaer access o supermarkes and lower obesiy raes, while greaer

access o convenience sores and as ood resaurans was associaed wih higher raes o

obesiy.19 According o research rom he American Psychological Associaion, “Hungry

children were significanly more likely o receive special educaion services, o have

repeaed a grade in school and o have received menal healh counseling han a-risk-

or-hunger or no-hungry children.”20


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Adul hunger also exends o daily work perormance. According o he AARP, almos 20

percen o aduls ages 40 and older experience ood insecuriy a some poin in heir lives,

and o hose aduls, 82.7 percen experience high ood insecuriy.21 Aduls experiencing

ood insecuriy are more likely o have long erm physical and menal healh problems ha

lower heir perormance on healh exams.22 Chronic healh problems add o household

medical expenses, wih an esimaed addiional cos o $130.5 billion o aduls who experi-

ence hunger annually compared wih hose who have no experienced ood insecuriy.23

Tese issues are inrinsically ied o people’s need or jobs ha provide a living wage, access

o ransporaion, high-qualiy educaion, and affordable healh care. All o hese hings

help o ensure ha people have access o healhy ood and ha he negaive effecs o ood

insecuriy are ully addressed. Holisic and inersecional approaches are necessary o solve

U.S. ood insecuriy and should address muliple aspecs o he ood sysem, including he

realiies wihin low-income communiies and communiies o color.

Examples of best practices

Tere are a number o iniiaives across he naion ha are addressing he impac o

access o healhy, affordable ood, rom reevaluaing he agriculural sysem o develop-

ing creaive ways o inegrae armers markes ino schools. Te ollowing case sudies

serve as promising models ha communiies across he counry can adop o address

ood insecuriy among heir residens.

Healthy corner stores initiatives

Te erm “ood deser” pains he picure ha low-income communiies are barren land-

scapes wihou any ood opions, bu his is no always he case. Ofen, such neighbor-

hoods have a higher prevalence o corner sores han wealhier neighborhoods.24 Tese

sores ypically serve oods ha lack nuriional value and are high in calories and a.

Acknowledging he role o corner sores as disribuion poins wihin ood desers can

ransorm hem ino asses ha increase access o high-qualiy, affordable produce.

Washington, D.C.

Te naion’s capial has he highes rae o ood-insecure children in he counry, wih 1 in

3 children lacking consisen access o enough ood o lead a healhy, acive liesyle. 25 In

order o address his issue, in 2011, DC Cenral Kichen, or DCCK, launched is Healhy

Corners program in an effor o increase access o healhy ood. oday, he organizaion

delivers healhy produce o 67 corner sores in Washingon’s low-income neighborhoods,

which ace significan inequiies in erms o he exisence o ull-service grocery sores and

he availabiliy o healhy ood. According o D.C. Hunger Soluions, “O he ciy’s 43 ull-

service grocery sores, only wo are locaed in Ward 4, our in Ward 7, and hree in Ward 8.

By conras, Ward 3he highes-income Wardhas eleven ull-service sores.”26


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Iniially, some wholesalers were unwilling o deliver small amouns o resh produce o

corner sores; some corner sores, or heir par, were unsure o consumer demand or

hese producs and worried abou he business risk o socking such ood.27 Anoher bar-

rier was he sores’ limied amoun o shel space. As a resul, DCCK invesed in provid-

ing corner sores wih rerigeraors, increased heir shel space, and rained owners on

how o handle resh produce o ensure ha iems ripen slowly and have a longer shel

lie. In addiion, DCCK provided a $200 credi o each corner sore o cover he coss ohe firs shipmens o healhy produce.28

oday, his iniiaive has sold more han 88,000 unis o healhy ood in low-income

communiies.29 I also demonsraed o local wholesalers and corner sore owners ha

here is demand or healhy ood among low-income consumers and ha healhy ood is

a worhwhile invesmen or boh sore owners and local residens.30

Nonprofit grocery stores

An increasingly common model, he nonprofi grocery sore is a mission-driven

supermarke esablished o give communiy residens access o resh, low-cos ood.

Philadelphia is among he ciies leading he way on his model.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In 2004, he Philadelphia Ciy Council called or hearings o learn more abou healhy

ood access across he ciy.31 A subsequen ask orce convened by Te Food rusa

naional nonprofi locaed in Philadelphia ha works o increase access o healhy

oodcalled or a parnership beween governmen and indusry o enable supermar-

kes o ener neighborhoods ha had limied access o ood.32

Tis led o he creaiono he Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Iniiaive, or FFFI, a gran and loan program

designed o decrease financial barriers o supermarkes.33 According o one o he iniia-

ive’s invesors, Reinvesmen Fund:

Since is iniiaion in 2004, FFFI has commited more han $73.2 million in loans and

$12.1 million in grans o preserve, develop, or expand 88 food reail projecs in under-

served low- and moderae-income neighborhoods in urban areas like Philadelphia and

Pitsburgh as well as rural areas like Derry and Williamsburg.34

Tis has benefied more han 400,000 residens and has led o he combined creaion

or reenion o 5,023 jobs hroughou he sae, he vas majoriy o which go o local

residens.35 A he ederal level, he iniiaive was used as a model or he Healhy Food

Financing Iniiaive, or HFFI, which unds similar iniiaives across he counry.


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Food cooperatives

Food cooperaives are a ype o ood-reail business model in which members make deci-

sions regarding ood producion and disribuion hrough a democraic process.36 Co-ops

ypically operae ou o reail aciliies and are open o he general public, bu hey limi

heir special services, prices, or benefis o members.37 Co-op workers are provided equi-

able pay and benefis and are included in all decision-making processes, leading o a senseo ownership in he workplace and broader ood sysem.38 Unlike in convenional ood

reail oules, wha he co-op purchases reflecs is members’ preerences and is no direcly

influenced by wha ood manuacurers wan o sell.39 Co-ops provide consumers wih

cos-effecive ways o buy producs ha align wih heir values, such as buying in bulk or

buying producs rom companies ha are environmenally or socially responsible in heir

pracicesi.e., ha rea heir workers humanelyor are locally produced.40

Olympia, Washington

Te Olympia Food Co-op buys direcly rom nearly 125 local and regional producers and

arms in Washingon, Oregon, and Briish Columbia.41

I provides communiy classesin which residens can learn how o handle kichen uensils or how o cook, as well as

classes in gardening, personal healh, social jusice, and susainable living.42 I also provides

clohing, books, and kichenware a is ree sore. In order or he co-op o ensure ha i is

accessible o residens o all income levels, i esablished a iered sysem or membership

ees according o wheher a cusomer is a senior, has a disabiliy, or is low-income. Senior

members and members wih disabiliies are offered a ree membership and a 10 percen

discoun on all purchases.43 Low-income members are eniled o ree membership and a

10 percen discoun on all purchases i hey are: experiencing homelessness, unemployed,

underemployed, emporarily unable o make a reasonable living due o physical or menal

challenges, or supporing dependens wihou adequae resources.44

Farm to school

Te Naional Farm o School Nework increases access o resh, healhy ood and local

ood producers by ransorming ood procuremen pracices and curricula in schools.45

According o he USDA, as o 2015, here were 221 arm-o-school grans, and roughly

40 percen o hese were used o purchase ood locally or more han 40,000 separae

schools and 25 million kids.46 Alhough he implemenaion o arm-o-school programs

differs by locaion, i ypically includes a leas one o he ollowing: procuremen poli-

cies ha ocus on purchasing, promoing, and serving local oods in school caeerias;

educaion as sudens paricipae in aciviies relaed o agriculure, ood, healh, or

nuriion; and school gardens where sudens can engage in hands-on learning.47


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Naionally, he Naional Farm o School Nework has had posiive impacs on educa-

ion, environmenal qualiy, economic developmen, and public healh. Research shows

ha here has been marked improvemen in K-12 healhy eaing behaviors, overall aca-

demic achievemen, and increased physical aciviy due o such programs.48 Farmers also

reap he benefis o a 5 percen increase, on average, in income rom selling o schools.49

According o he Naional Farm o School Nework, “each dollar invesed in arm o

school simulaes an addiional $2.16 o local economic aciviy.”50

Vermont

Vermon is a naional leader in arm-o-school programming, wih is schools spending

a larger share o heir annual ood budges on locally sourced oods han schools in any

oher sae.51 Te Vermon Farm o School Gran Program, par o he Naional Farm o

School Nework and now in is 10h year, works o improve nuriion among Vermon’s

children by connecing ood producers o local schools, as well as by providing enriched

educaional experiences and curricula.52 Te program has reached 30 percen o schools

and more han 27,000 sudens in he sae.53 According o he Vermon Agency o

Agriculure, Food, and Markes, he sae’s allocaion o $816,000 beween fiscal year2007 and fiscal year 2015 combined wih $400,000 in leveraged unds rom ederal and

oundaion suppor beween 2011 and 2015 oaled $1,216,000 “o inegrae local oods

in school caeerias, classrooms and communiies.”54

Training young farmers for sustainable food production

Creating a sustainable and equitable food system is impossible without

local small farms and family farms. The FarmLASTS project at the Uni-

versity of Vermont estimates that 70 percent of farmland in the United

States will change hands from aging adult farmers to young adults over

the next two decades. The trend of inheritance within families is declin-

ing, however, which means that there is a need to train the next genera-

tion of young farmers.55 This is particularly important because according

to U.S. Bureau of the Census data, the average age of U.S. farmers is 58,

and rural populations are declining as a share of the national popula-

tion.56 To create a sustainable food system, young farmers need to be

cultivated and connected with financial and technical resources that

provide them with the knowledge to develop a successful business.

Tennessee also recognizes the importance of young farmers. Roots Mem

phis, a nonprofit farmer incubator program, is working to transform the

city’s large swaths of vacant land—which are costing taxpayers money—

into an asset by providing jobs and healthy, affordable food to residents

who desperately need them. In 2013, Memphis was home to the highes

unemployment rate in the nation at 9.5 percent.57 That same year, Roots

Memphis started its Farm Academy to train the next generation of farme

in sustainable farming practices and small business management.58 The

Academy hosts a five-month program that includes classes on everythin

from small farm business entrepreneurship to planning and manageme

and offers financial aid to applicants who may need it.59 By 2027, the Far

Academy’s projected 112 graduates could be generating upward of $4

million in local food sales annually.60


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Procurement policies

Governmen agencies procure, or purchase, ood o provide meals o people in he major

insiuions ha communiy members inerac wih on a daily basis, ranging rom schools

o senior programs and hospials.61 Governmen deparmens also purchase ood o sell

o employees and he public in reail oules such as vending machines, caeerias, and

concession sands on governmen propery. A he same ime, major public insiuions ahe sae and local levels have significan incenives o improve he healh o heir resi-

dens, since according o research rom he Naional Policy and Legal Analysis Nework

o Preven Childhood Obesiy, “Healhier dies alone could preven an esimaed $71

billion per year in medical expenses, los produciviy, and los lives naionwide.”62 Te

same sudy says ha here are various ways in which sae and local governmens can help

improve residens’ dies, including hrough healhy procuremen policies.63

Los Angeles, California

Te Los Angeles Food Policy Councilan iniiaive o expand access o healhy ood

hroughou he Los Angeles regiondeveloped is Good Food Purchasing Program inan effor o leverage he purchasing power o he ciy’s larges insiuions and increase

demand or more socially, environmenally, and economically susainable ood. Te

program ocuses on five values or purchasing ood: local economies, environmenal

susainabiliy, valued workorce, animal welare, and nuriion.64 I was developed in col-

laboraion wih a coaliion o organizaions and individuals ineresed in improving he

relaionship beween insiuional ood purchasing and susainable and equiable ood

producion and was ormalized by a mayoral direcive.65 Wihin a monh o is launch

in all 2012, our ciy deparmens and wo privae organizaions commited o he pro-

gram’s pledge, influencing he region’s agriculural pracices and enabling healhy ood o

be included in more han 750,000 meals served daily across he ciy.66

Te Los Angeles Unified School Disric, or L AUSD, adoped he program in 2012.67

As he larges ood purchaser in Los Angeles,68 he LAUSD serves as an example o

he widespread impac ha his procuremen policy has had in he ciy. Te LAUSD

serves almos 475,000 sudens, 73.4 percen o whom are Laino and 10 percen o

whom are Arican American.69 More han 64 percen o he disric’s sudens come

rom socioeconomically disadvanaged backgrounds, in which healhy ood ofen does

no acor.70 Schools hroughou he disric are ser ving healhy meals using ingrediens

sourced rom local growers, including abou $10 million in local produce, and have

invesed more han $50 million in producs rom businesses wihin a 200 mile radius.71

Furhermore, he policy has resuled in more han 150 new well-paid ood chain jobs

due o he demand or local ood disribuors.72


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Permitting and licensing

Sreamlining ciies’ permiting and licensing processes can allow or vendors o more

efficienly sock healhy ood and or local governmens and organizaions o aciliae

he creaion o armers markes and oher spaces or vendors o sell healhy ood.73

Communiies lacking access o healhy, affordable ood can benefi rom hese effors “o

help bring more local, resh, and unprocessed ood” ino low-income neighborhoods.74

Minneapolis, Minnesota

In 2006, leaders in Minneapolis worked wih he Insiue or Agriculure and rade

Policy, or IAP, o change he permiting and applicaion processes or communiy orga-

nizaions o esablish mini-armers markes in low-income neighborhoods.75 Te pas-

sage o he ciy o Minneapolis’ Local Produce Marke permi in 2007 allows or hosing

mini-markes “wih five or ewer vendors ha sell only locally grown ruis, vegeables,

flowers and herbs” on organizaions’ or vendors’ own propery.76 Since organizaions

ha are already working wihin communiies hos hese mini-markes, residens have

easier access o healhy ruis and vegeables.77

Te IAP has provided raining, echnical assisance, promoional suppor, evalua-

ion, and oher services o he nework o mini-markes since he policy was imple-

mened.78 In 2012, i ransiioned leadership o he Mini Marke Nework o our

communiy organizaions ha now serve as liaisons beween he markes and he ciy

governmen o Minneapolis, as well as offer echnical assisance.79 Tese liaisons also

ac as an umbrella service wihin he Minnesoa Deparmen o Agriculure so ha

he markes can accep Farmers’ Marke Nuriion Program coupons, which low-

income residens can exchange or eligible oods.80 Te effeciveness o he change

is eviden: Supplemenal Nuriion Assisance Program, or SNAP, use a armersmarkes increased 239 percen beween 2011 and 2013. oday, here are almos 70

armers markes across he sae ha accep hese benefis.81

Land use or zoning ordinances

Local laws ha ban or allow land use or specific purposes can be used o sop coninued

developmen o as ood or unhealhy ood reail and creae space or urban agriculure

in communiies. Land use or zoning ordinances can “allow healhy ood o be grown and

sold in communiies, allocae public space or communiy ood-growing iniiaives such

as communiy gardens, and permi armers markes in more locaions.”82

Boston, Massachusetts

Boson’s Aricle 89 is a zoning ordinance ha “increases communiy members’ access

o local ood” by expanding he area where urban agriculure can be housed under he

zoning code, as well as increasing he capabiliy o commercial agriculure projecs


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across he ciy.83 According o he Union o Concerned Scieniss, “I was developed

hrough a parnership beween he ciy planning agency, he mayor’s office, and an

advisory working group made up o armers, expers, residens, and advocaes.”84

oday, because o his ordinance, here are six arms in Boson ha cumulaively cover

hree acres o land and are locaed in predominanly low-income neighborhoods.85

Whereas ciy permis are ypically prescribed or specific iniiaives wihin commu-

niies, land use and zoning ordinances allow or more susainable changes ha areinegraed ino how he ciy al lows communiy members o use land.

Getting started: Funding and cross-sector collaborations

Funding a local food system

Undersanding he financial capaciy necessary o spearhead he many case sudies and

bes pracices suggesed in his brie is criical o deciding wha is wihin he realm opossibiliy. Tere are opporuniies o receive unding a he ederal, sae, and local

levels o increase communiies’ access o healhy ood.

Federal funding

Saes across he counry have used ederal unds o suppor he implemenaion o local

iniiaives o increase access o healhy ood. Federal invesmen in creaing a more sus-

ainable and equiable ood sysem is criical o he uure o agriculural producion and

o addressing ood insecuriy all over he naion. Te oucomes o his unding suppor

are deailed below hrough a ew case sudies.

Kenucky is leading he naion in erms o is ederally unded local ood projecs, wih

1,659 projecs ha range rom microloans or smaller arms o direc unding or ood

hubs, armers markes, and oher local ood enerprises.86 Te projecs benefi rom he

suppor o ederal iniiaives such as Local Food, Local Places, which ocuses on increasing

economic opporuniies or local armers and relaed businesses in neighborhoods ha

need hem, as well as on promoing childhood wellness by improving access o healhy

local ood.87 Kenucky ranks 45h in he Unied Saes or overall healh, wih 67 percen

o aduls being overweigh or obese and 10 percen o he populaion living wih diabe-

es. According o he Communiy Farm Alliance and Wildflower Consuling, despie

Kenucky being one o he op saes or agriculure, “1 in 6 [Kenuckians] … do no

always know where heir nex meal will come rom. Close o 1 in 4 o Kenucky’s children

lack consisen access o enough ood or a healhy, acive liesyle.”88 Te USDA’s inves-

men in a broad range o programs and iniiaives o increase access o healhy, affordable

ood in he sae and o suppor key sakeholders operaing a differen poins in he ood

sysem will likely have a posiive impac on reducing Kenucky’s ood insecuriy.


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Healthy Food Financing Initiative

Te Healhy Food Financing Iniiaive is an effor ha he ederal governmen devel-

oped afer winessing Philadelphia’s success a increasing he number o grocery sores

in is low-income neighborhoods hrough he Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing

Iniiaive. Te HFFI suppors plans ha “increase access o healhy, affordable ood

in communiies ha currenly lack hese opions.”97 According o he Healhy Food

Access Porala collaboraion beween PolicyLink, Reinvesmen Fund, and Te Food

rushis iniiaive has been an inerdeparmenal effor:

Trough programs a he U.S. Deparmens of Agriculure (USDA), Healh and

Human Services (HHS), and reasury’s CDFI Fund, HFFI has been expanding he

availabiliy of nuriious food, including developing and equipping grocery sores, small

reailers, corner sores, and farmers markes selling healhy food.98

New Orleans, or example, spearheaded he Fresh Food Reailer Iniiaive o inceniv-

ize grocery reailers o locae heir sores in communiies ha need hem.99 Tis was

made possible by he combined oal o $5 million in HFFI unding in 2011 and 2012

ha Louisiana received o increase access o healhy, affordable ood in 66 census racs

ha were idenified as ood desers.100 Research rom he ulane Prevenion Research

Cener shows ha his iniiaive played a criical role in reducing he ood access

dispariies ha exised afer Hurricane Karina: By 2014, he number o supermarkes

in New Orleans had reurned o pre-Karina levels.101 oday, more han 30 supermar-

kes are locaed in New Orleans, compared wih less han hal ha number almos 10

years ago.102 Tis was made possible hrough parnerships beween he ciy govern-

men o New Orleans; he Hope Enerprise Corporaion, or HOPE; and he nonprofi

Te Food rus. Te ederal governmen provided $7 million in Disaser Recovery

Federal grants for food systems

In 2010, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition created a “Guide

to Federal Funding for Local and Regional Food Systems.”89 The guide pro-

vides an overview of the USDA’s structure and describes in detail 15 grant

programs that are relevant to local and regional food systems develop-

ment. Each program description also includes a case study of a regional

food system project that received grant funding. Below are brief descrip-

tions of a few of these federal grants:

• The Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program provides

funds to organizations that work with people who are “socially disad-

vantaged, traditionally underserved (including women), and beginning

farmers and ranchers.”90 The work must involve risk management train-

ing such as “innovative marketing approaches, improved financial man-

agement, and production planning to better serve customers.”91 In the

past, this grant has funded “Farm to School, Food Safety, and addressin

Food Deserts (areas underserved by food retailers) with agricultural

products from small farmers and ranchers.”92

• Farmers Market Promotion Program grants focus on “increasing marke

ing opportunities for farmers to sell directly to consumers through

farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture (CSA) farms, retail

markets, and other direct marketing initiatives.”93

• The Rural Cooperative Development Grant provides “grant funds to

organizations providing technical assistance to new or existing rural

cooperatives.”94 The goal is to “improve local businesses in rural Americ

through cooperative development.”95

• Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program funds nonprofit

“projects to meet the food needs of low-income people by increasing

their communities’ capacity to provide enough food for its residents.”96


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Communiy Developmen Block Gran unds oward he Fresh Food Reailer Iniiaive

ha HOPE mached 1-o-1, and Te Food rus conribued significan experise o

providing program oureach and echnical assisance in creaing access o healhy ood

opions in low-income communiies. As menioned above, he organizaion had done

similar work wih he Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Iniiaive. 103 Te Fresh Food

Reailer Iniiaive also helped suppor local economic developmen hrough increased

employmen and neighborhood revializaion opporuniies.104

Local funding

Tere are a number o resources available or local leaders o oser access o healhier,

susainable ood. Tese range rom ood incubaors o a variey o grans and micro-

loans.105 One effecive mechanism is o organize invesors and donors in a way ha

seers capial o small ood enerprises.106

Madison, WisconsinTe Willy Sree Co-op provides naural oods o co-op sores in Madison and

Middleon, Wisconsin. Annually, he sores make almos 36,000 ransacions wih

SNAP recipiens.107 According o Linda Naeve and Chrisa Harsook o Iowa Sae

Universiy, “In 2013, he Co-op had $38.6 million in acual sales,” while a survey o cur-

ren vendors ound ha growers had “an ineres in expanding operaions and providing

addiional producs o he Co-op, bu unding was a limiing acor.”108 Trough parner-

ships wih Forward Communiy Invesmens and Universiy o Wisconsin-Exension,

Willy Sree Co-op creaed he $100,000 Local Vendor Loan Fund, or LVLF, o “sup-

por susainable growh o local ood companies” by giving loans o local armers and

vendors ranging rom $25,000 o $30,000.109

Naeve and Harsook wrie ha he FoodFinance Insiue a UW-Exension “ocuses on providing business consuling o susain-

able ood and arming businesses” and helps is cliens successully “package non-radi-

ional and radiional sources o deb and equiy financing.”110 I also provides echnical

assisance o LVLF loan awardees. As he Willy Sree Co-op looks o scale he und, i is

considering allowing members o “inves in he und, expanding he amoun o money

available, increasing he number o loan recipiens and offering oher Wisconsin-based

grocery co-ops in he sae he opporuniy o join or replicae he und.”111

Conclusion

Given he scope o ood insecuriy in households across he naion, i is criical o imple-

men he iniiaives and policies necessary o creae a more equiable and susainable

ood sysem. Te case sudies and policies oulined in his brie provide a guide or lead-

ers across ciies and saes o work ogeher o creae a ood sysem ha works o mee

heir unique needs.

Ashley Blackwell is an Emerson Fellow a he Cener for American Progress.


12/14


Endnotes

1 Tracey Ross and Danyelle Solomon, “Lessons from Flint: TheCase for Investing in the Building Blocks o f Communities ofColor” (Washington: Center for American Progress, 2016),available at https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/report/2016/03/03/132341/lessons-from-flint-the-case-for-investing-in-the-building-blocks-of-communities-of-color/.

2 Angela Hilmers, David C. Hilmers, and Jayna Dave, “Neigh-

borhood Disparities in Access to Healthy Foods and TheirEffects on Environmental Justice,” American Journal of PublicHealth 102 (9) (2012), available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3482049/pdf/AJPH.2012.300865.pdf .

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid.

6 Economic Research Service, Household Food Security in theUnited States in 2014 (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2015),available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err-economic-research-report/err194.aspx.

7 U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service,“Food Access Research Atlas: Documentation,” available athttp://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-re-search-atlas/documentation.aspx (last accessed April 2016).

8 Paula Dutko, Michele Ver Ploeg, and Tracey Farrigan,Characteristics and Influential Factors of Food Deserts (U.S.Department of Agriculture, 2012), available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/883903/err140.pdf .

9 Feeding America, “Poverty and Hunger in America,” avail-able at http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/hunger-and-poverty/?referrer=https://www.google.com/ (last accessed April 2016).

10 M.E. Brown and others, “Climate Change, Global Food Se-curity, and the U.S. Food System” (Washington and Boulder,CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, University Corporationfor Atmospheric Research, and National Center for Atmo-spheric Research, 2015), available

at http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/FoodSecu-rity2015Assessment/FullAssessment.pdf .

11 Feeding America, “Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics,”available at http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/hunger-and-poverty/hunger-and-poverty-fact-sheet.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/ (last accessed April 2016).

12 Maureen Black, “Household food insecurities: Threats tochildren’s well-being,” The SES Indicator 5 (2) (2012), availableat http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/indicator/2012/06/household-food-insecurities.aspx.

13 Feeding America, “African American Poverty,” availableat http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/african-american-hunger/african-american-hunger-fact-sheet.html (last accessed April 2016);Feeding America, “Latino Hunger,” available at http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/latino-hunger/ (last accessed April 2016).

14 Dutko, Ver Ploeg, and Farrigan, Characteristics and InfluentialFactors of Food Deserts.

15 DoSomething.org, “11 Facts About Food Deserts,” availableat https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-food-deserts (last accessed April 2016).

16 Black, “Household food insecurities.”

17 Wilder Research, “Nutrition and Students’ Academic Perfor-mance” (2014), available at https://www.cargill.com/wcm/groups/public/@ccom/documents/document/na31742057.pdf.

18 Joseph A. Skelton, “Dr. Joseph A. Skelton: Corner storescould lead to better health,” Winston-Salem Journal , March24, 2015, available at http://www.ncallianceforhealth.org/wp-content/multiverso-files/2_5552558b788b2/Winston-Salem-Journal-3.24.15-Dr.-Joseph-A.-Skelton-Corner-Stores-Could-Lead-to-Better-Health.pdf .

19 J. Nicholas Bodor and others, “The Association betweenObesity and Urban Food Environments,” Journal of UrbanHealth 87 (5) (2010): 771–781, available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2937132/.

20 American Psychological Association, “Effects of Poverty,Hunger and Ho melessness on Children and Youth,” availableat http://www.apa.org/pi/families/poverty.aspx (last ac-cessed April 2016).

21 Sara Strickhouser, James D. Wright, and Amy M. Donley,“Food Insecurity Among Older Adults” (Washington: AARPFoundation, 2014), available at http://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/aarp_foundation/2015-PDFs/AF-Food-Insecurity-2015Update-Final-Report.pdf .

22 Ibid.

23 Donald S. Shepard, Elizabeth Setren, and Donna Cooper,“Hunger in America: Suffering We All Pay For” (Washing-ton: Center for American Progress, 2011), available at

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/poverty/re-port/2011/10/05/10504/hunger-in-america/.

24 Hilmers, Hilmers, and Dave, “Neighborhood Disparities inAccess to Healthy Foods and Their Effects on EnvironmentalJustice.”

25 Feeding America, “Child Hunger Facts,” available athttp://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/child-hunger/child-hunger-fact-sheet.html?referrer=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/01/dc-food-insecurity_n_3528446.html (last accessed April2016).

26 DC Hunger Solutions, “Facts on Hunger in D.C,” available athttp://www.dchunger.org/about/facts.html (last accessedMay 2016).

27 Personal communication from Alexander Moore, chiefdevelopment officer, DC Central Kitchen, March 24, 2016.

28 Ibid.

29 D.C. Central Kitchen, “Healthy Corners,” available at http://dccentralkitchen.org/healthycorners/ (last accessed May2016).

30 Personal communication from Alexander Moore.

31 Reinvestment Fund, “Healthy Food Retail Financing At Work:Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative” (2011), avail-able at http://www.healthyfoodaccess.org/sites/default/files/healthy-food-retail-financing-102411.pdf .

32 Ibid.

33 Ibid.

34 Ibid.

35 Ibid.

36 Cooperative Grocers’ Information Network, “How to Start aFood Co-op” (2010), available at http://www.foodcoopinitia-tive.coop/sites/default/files/How%20to%20Start%20a%20Food%20Co-op.pdf .

37 Ibid.

38 Ibid.

39 Ibid.

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40 Ibid.

41 Olympia Food Co-Op, “Go Local,” available at http://www.olympiafood.coop/healthy-food/go-local/ (last accessedApril 2016).

42 Ibid.

43 Ibid.

44 Ibid.

45 National Farm to School Network, “About National Farm to

School Network,” available at http://www.farmtoschool.org/about (last accessed May 2016).

46 Janet Patton, “Kentucky leads nation in federal funding forlocal food, Vilsack says,” Lexington Herald Leader , June 30,2015, available at http://www.kentucky.com/news/busi-ness/article44607915.html.

47 National Farm to School Network, “About National Farm toSchool Network.”

48 National Farm to School Network, “The Benefits of Farm toSchool,” available at http://www.farmtoschool.org/Resourc-es/BenefitsFactSheet.pdf (last accessed May 2016).

49 Ibid.

50 Ibid.

51 Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, “Agency

of Ag Announces More than $50,000 of Farm to SchoolGrant Funding Available to VT Schools,” October 14, 2015,available at http://nofavt.org/blog/agency-ag-announces-more-50000-farm-school-grant-funding-available-vt-schools.

52 Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, “Farmto School,” available at http://agriculture.vermont.gov/producer_partner_resources/market_access_development/farm_school (last accessed April 2016).

53 Ibid.

54 Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, “Ver-mont Farm to School Grant Program,” available at http://agriculture.vermont.gov/sites/ag/files/Farm%20to%20School%20Poster_2-17_v2%20%282%29.pdf (last accessedMay 2016).

55 FarmLasts Project, “Farm Land Access, Succession, Tenureand Stewardship” (2010), available at http://www.uvm.edu/

farmlasts/FarmLASTSResearchReport.pdf.

56 U.S. Bureau of the Census, “Growth in Urban Population Out-paces Rest of Nation, Census Bureau Repor ts,” Press release,March 26, 2012, available at https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-50.html.

57 Cindy Wolff and April Thompson, “Memphis Has HighestUnemployment Rate For Large Metropolitan Cities,”WREG Memphis, July 3, 2013, available at http://wreg.com/2013/07/03/memphis-has-highest-unemployment-rate-for-large-metropolitan-cities/.

58 Union of Concerned Scientists, “Fixing Food: Fresh Solutionsfrom Five U.S. Cities” (2016), available at http://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/01/ucs-fixing-food-report-jan-2016.pdf.

59 Nancy B. Allen, “Roots Memphis,” WREG Memphis, July 29,2013, available at http://wreg.com/2013/07/29/roots-mem-

phis/.

60 Ibid.

61 ChangeLab Solutions, “Understanding Healthy Procure-ment: Using Government’s Purchasing Power To IncreaseAccess to Healthy Food” (2011), available at http://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Understand-ing%20Healthy%20Procurement%202011_20120717.pdf .

62 Ibid.

63 Ibid.

64 Los Angeles Food Policy Council, “Good Food PurchasingPolicy,” available at http://goodfoodla.org/policymaking/good-food-procurement/ (last accessed April 2016).

65 Ibid.

66 Ibid.

67 Ibid.

68 Ibid.

69 California Department of Education, “State AccountabilityReport Card: Reported Using Data from the 2012–13 SchoolYear” (2014), available at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/sc/documents/streportcard12-13.pdf .

70 Ibid.

71 Los Angeles Food Policy Council, “Good Food PurchasingPolicy.”

72 Ibid.

73 Center for Science and Democracy at the Union ofConcerned Scientists, “Healthy Food in Your Community: A Toolkit for Policy Change” (2014), available at http://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2014/10/ucs-food-policy-toolkit-2014.pdf .

74 Ibid.

75 Insitute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, “The MinneapolisMini Farmers Market Project” (2010), available at http://www.iatp.org/documents/the-minneapolis-mini-farmers-market-project.

76 Ibid.

77 Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Con-cerned Scientists, “Healthy Food in Your Community.”

78 Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, “Mini Markets,”available at http://www.iatp.org/issue/mini-markets (lastaccessed May 2016).

79 Ibid.

80 Ibid.

81 Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, “The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year: Farmers Markets Open, Giving Low-In-

come Minnesotans Access To Fresh, Healthy And AffordableFood,” Press release, May 27, 2014, available at http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/.

82 Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Con-cerned Scientists, “Healthy Food in Your Community.”

83 Ibid.

84 Ibid.

85 Personal communication from Marie Mercurio, senior plan-ner II, Boston Redevelopment Authority, April 19, 2016.

86 Patton, “Kentucky leads nation in federal funding for localfood, Vilsack says.”

87 U.S. Department of Agriculture, “Obama Administrationto Partner with 27 Communities to Boost NeighborhoodRevitilization through Local Food Enterprises,” Press release,January 25, 2016, available at http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/01/0024.xml.

88 Community Farm Alliance, “Building a Grassroots DrivenFood Policy Network in Kentucky” (2014), available at http://cfaky.org/test/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/CFA-CFP-Final-Report-82914.pdf .

http://www.olympiafood.coop/healthy-food/go-local/http://www.olympiafood.coop/healthy-food/go-local/http://www.farmtoschool.org/abouthttp://www.farmtoschool.org/abouthttp://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article44607915.htmlhttp://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article44607915.htmlhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/BenefitsFactSheet.pdfhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/BenefitsFactSheet.pdfhttp://nofavt.org/blog/agency-ag-announces-more-50000-farm-school-grant-funding-available-vt-schoolshttp://nofavt.org/blog/agency-ag-announces-more-50000-farm-school-grant-funding-available-vt-schoolshttp://nofavt.org/blog/agency-ag-announces-more-50000-farm-school-grant-funding-available-vt-schoolshttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/producer_partner_resources/market_access_development/farm_schoolhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/producer_partner_resources/market_access_development/farm_schoolhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/producer_partner_resources/market_access_development/farm_schoolhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/sites/ag/files/Farm%20to%20School%20Poster_2-17_v2%20%282%29.pdfhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/sites/ag/files/Farm%20to%20School%20Poster_2-17_v2%20%282%29.pdfhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/sites/ag/files/Farm%20to%20School%20Poster_2-17_v2%20%282%29.pdfhttp://www.uvm.edu/farmlasts/FarmLASTSResearchReport.pdfhttp://www.uvm.edu/farmlasts/FarmLASTSResearchReport.pdfhttps://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-50.htmlhttps://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-50.htmlhttp://wreg.com/2013/07/03/memphis-has-highest-unemployment-rate-for-large-metropolitan-cities/http://wreg.com/2013/07/03/memphis-has-highest-unemployment-rate-for-large-metropolitan-cities/http://wreg.com/2013/07/03/memphis-has-highest-unemployment-rate-for-large-metropolitan-cities/http://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/01/ucs-fixing-food-report-jan-2016.pdfhttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/01/ucs-fixing-food-report-jan-2016.pdfhttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/01/ucs-fixing-food-report-jan-2016.pdfhttp://wreg.com/2013/07/29/roots-memphis/http://wreg.com/2013/07/29/roots-memphis/http://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Understanding%20Healthy%20Procurement%202011_20120717.pdfhttp://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Understanding%20Healthy%20Procurement%202011_20120717.pdfhttp://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Understanding%20Healthy%20Procurement%202011_20120717.pdfhttp://goodfoodla.org/policymaking/good-food-procurement/http://goodfoodla.org/policymaking/good-food-procurement/http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/sc/documents/streportcard12-13.pdfhttp://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/sc/documents/streportcard12-13.pdfhttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2014/10/ucs-food-policy-toolkit-2014.pdfhttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2014/10/ucs-food-policy-toolkit-2014.pdfhttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2014/10/ucs-food-policy-toolkit-2014.pdfhttp://www.iatp.org/documents/the-minneapolis-mini-farmers-market-projecthttp://www.iatp.org/documents/the-minneapolis-mini-farmers-market-projecthttp://www.iatp.org/documents/the-minneapolis-mini-farmers-market-projecthttp://www.iatp.org/issue/mini-marketshttp://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/01/0024.xmlhttp://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/01/0024.xmlhttp://cfaky.org/test/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/CFA-CFP-Final-Report-82914.pdfhttp://cfaky.org/test/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/CFA-CFP-Final-Report-82914.pdfhttp://cfaky.org/test/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/CFA-CFP-Final-Report-82914.pdfhttp://cfaky.org/test/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/CFA-CFP-Final-Report-82914.pdfhttp://cfaky.org/test/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/CFA-CFP-Final-Report-82914.pdfhttp://cfaky.org/test/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/CFA-CFP-Final-Report-82914.pdfhttp://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/01/0024.xmlhttp://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/01/0024.xmlhttp://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/farmers-markets-open-giving-low-income-minnesotans-access-to-fresh-healthy-and-affordable-food.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/http://www.iatp.org/issue/mini-marketshttp://www.iatp.org/documents/the-minneapolis-mini-farmers-market-projecthttp://www.iatp.org/documents/the-minneapolis-mini-farmers-market-projecthttp://www.iatp.org/documents/the-minneapolis-mini-farmers-market-projecthttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2014/10/ucs-food-policy-toolkit-2014.pdfhttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2014/10/ucs-food-policy-toolkit-2014.pdfhttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2014/10/ucs-food-policy-toolkit-2014.pdfhttp://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/sc/documents/streportcard12-13.pdfhttp://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/sc/documents/streportcard12-13.pdfhttp://goodfoodla.org/policymaking/good-food-procurement/http://goodfoodla.org/policymaking/good-food-procurement/http://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Understanding%20Healthy%20Procurement%202011_20120717.pdfhttp://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Understanding%20Healthy%20Procurement%202011_20120717.pdfhttp://www.changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Understanding%20Healthy%20Procurement%202011_20120717.pdfhttp://wreg.com/2013/07/29/roots-memphis/http://wreg.com/2013/07/29/roots-memphis/http://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/01/ucs-fixing-food-report-jan-2016.pdfhttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/01/ucs-fixing-food-report-jan-2016.pdfhttp://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/01/ucs-fixing-food-report-jan-2016.pdfhttp://wreg.com/2013/07/03/memphis-has-highest-unemployment-rate-for-large-metropolitan-cities/http://wreg.com/2013/07/03/memphis-has-highest-unemployment-rate-for-large-metropolitan-cities/http://wreg.com/2013/07/03/memphis-has-highest-unemployment-rate-for-large-metropolitan-cities/https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-50.htmlhttps://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-50.htmlhttp://www.uvm.edu/farmlasts/FarmLASTSResearchReport.pdfhttp://www.uvm.edu/farmlasts/FarmLASTSResearchReport.pdfhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/sites/ag/files/Farm%20to%20School%20Poster_2-17_v2%20%282%29.pdfhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/sites/ag/files/Farm%20to%20School%20Poster_2-17_v2%20%282%29.pdfhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/sites/ag/files/Farm%20to%20School%20Poster_2-17_v2%20%282%29.pdfhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/producer_partner_resources/market_access_development/farm_schoolhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/producer_partner_resources/market_access_development/farm_schoolhttp://agriculture.vermont.gov/producer_partner_resources/market_access_development/farm_schoolhttp://nofavt.org/blog/agency-ag-announces-more-50000-farm-school-grant-funding-available-vt-schoolshttp://nofavt.org/blog/agency-ag-announces-more-50000-farm-school-grant-funding-available-vt-schoolshttp://nofavt.org/blog/agency-ag-announces-more-50000-farm-school-grant-funding-available-vt-schoolshttp://www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/BenefitsFactSheet.pdfhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/BenefitsFactSheet.pdfhttp://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article44607915.htmlhttp://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article44607915.htmlhttp://www.farmtoschool.org/abouthttp://www.farmtoschool.org/abouthttp://www.olympiafood.coop/healthy-food/go-local/http://www.olympiafood.coop/healthy-food/go-local/


14/14

89 Kate Fitzgerald, Lucy Evans, and Jessica Daniel, “The NationalSustainable Agriculture Coalition’s Guide to USDA Fundingfor Local and Regional Food Systems” (Washington: NationalSustainable Agriculture Coalition, 2010), available at http://sustainableagriculture.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/6.18-FINAL-Food-System-Funding-Guide2.pdf .

90 Ibid.

91 Ibid.

92 Ibid.

93 Ibid.

94 Fitzgerald, Evans, and Daniel, “The National SustainableAgriculture Coalition’s Guide to USDA Funding for Local andRegional Food Systems.”

95 Ibid.

96 Ibid.

97 Healthy Food Access Portal, “Healthy Food Financing Funds,”available at http://www.healthyfoodaccess.org/funding/healthy-food-financing-funds (last accessed April 2016).

98 Ibid.

99 Jessica Shappley, “Expanding Access to Healthy Food Op-tions,” Hope Policy Institute, February 10, 2016, available athttp://hopepolicy.org/blog/expanding-access-to-healthy-food-options/; U.S. Department of Agriculture, “Know Your

Farmer, You’re your Food Compass,” http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=KYF_COMPASS (lastaccessed April 2016).

100 Community Development Financial Institutions Fund,“Awardee Profile,” available at https://www.cdfifund.gov/awards/state-awards/Pages/AwardeeProfile.aspx?controlNumber=121FA010630(last accessed May 2016).

101 Adrienne R. Mundorf, Amelia Willits-Smith, and DonaldRose, “10 Years Later: Changes in Food Access Disparitiesin New Orleans since Hurricane K atrina,” Journal of UrbanHealth 92 (4) (2015): 605–610, available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25985844.

102 Ibid.

103 City of New Orleans, “Fresh Food Retailers I nitiative,”available at http://www.nola.gov/city/fresh-food-retailers-initiative/ (last accessed April 2016).

104 Personal communication from John Weidman, deputy

executive director, The Food Trust, April 21, 2016.

105 Food Tank, “30 Incubators and Funding Resources for Farmsand Food,” July 13, 2015, available at http://foodtank.com/news/2015/07/thirty-incubators-and-funding-resources-for-farms-and-food.

106 Linda Naeve and Christa Hartsook, “Case Studies of VariousFunding Support for Sustainable Local Food Systems inMidwest Communities” (East Lansing, MI: North CentralRegional Center for Rural Development, 2014).

107 Personal communication from Anya Firszt and KirstenMoore, Willy Street Co-op, May 4, 2016.

108 Naeve and Ha rstook, “Case Studies of Various FundingSupport for Sustainable Local Food Systems in MidwestCommunities.”

109 Ibid.

110 Ibid.

111 Ibid.

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