Initiative Launched to Increase Local Food Access
by Scott Bunn
Two of North Carolina’s leading local-food and farmer-advocacy organizations have joined forces on a major new initiative to increase farmer direct sales and expand local food access.
ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) and RAFI-USA (Rural Advancement Foundation International) have partnered on Connect2Direct, with the goal of supporting and building equitable community-based local food economies through the development of direct markets for farmers in North Carolina. ASAP has nearly two decades of local food systems development experience, and RAFI is a national leader in farmer-led policy and market reforms.
Demand for locally grown food continues to grow, and direct farm sales are an important connector between farmers and the community. North Carolina is home to a variety of direct markets including on-farm stores, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs (CSAs), and nearly 250 farmers markets. Despite this, according to the USDA Census of Agriculture, the combined sales of these outlets increased only slightly from 2007 to 2012 to $31.8 million.
“There are tremendous opportunities for farmers to increase direct sales” said ASAP Executive Director Charlie Jackson. “Efforts to expand access through outreach and food assistance programs are good for our farms, our health, and our local economies” notes Jackson.
Over the past few years efforts have grown in North Carolina to increase access to fresh farm products through supplemental nutrition assistance programs such as SNAP/EBT and the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, increasing 175%, from 24 to 66 markets. “Ensuring that all North Carolinians have access to health foods, particularly direct from the farmer, is central to the Connect2Direct mission and good for communities” said Scott Marlow, Executive Director for RAFI-USA.
Connect2Direct aims to dramatically increase farm to consumer direct sales and the usage of EBT/SNAP at farmers markets in NC by over 100% within two years, by providing training and technical assistance to markets and market vendors, creating effective marketing and outreach campaigns, facilitating the transactional process for EBT/SNAP, and building statewide capacity and efficiency to sustainably ensure that all North Carolinians have access to fresh foods grown by local farmers.
A Farmers Market and Direct Sales Conference is planned for November 2015. Learn more at www.connect2direct.org.
