The Illinois Department of Agriculture in partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services are bringing together stakeholders to create a meaningful and sustainable model to bridge locally grown and raised products of underserved farmers and ranchers to food insecure communities. This cooperative agreement is an opportunity to unite Illinoisans invested in building a resilient food system and build a collaborative network of food system support.

Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a recommended decision on proposed amendments to federal marketing order No.984, which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California.

USDA is hosting this listening session to gather input on the Organic Transition Initiative, Pinpointed Organic Market Development grant program.

The New York State Education Department will sub award the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Program funds to School Food Authorities for the purchase of local unprocessed or minimally processed foods. This program will strengthen the food system for schools by helping to build a fair, competitive, and resilient local food chain and expand local and regional markets with an emphasis on purchasing from historically underserved producers and processors.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYS AGM) will implement the New York Food for New York Families program to create a more resilient statewide food system that supports local farms and provides high quality, nutritious food to communities facing food insecurity. Funding will be awarded through two mechanisms. A competitive process will award funds to eligible applicants with experience in food procurement and distribution for the purpose of procuring local, domestic product and distributing it to underserved communities.

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) is requesting funding through a Cooperative Agreement with USDA AMS under the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) to facilitate the purchase and distribution of local foods to schools within the state, with an emphasis on areas of need. SCDA will work with an established and verified distributor, Senn Brothers, as well as the South Carolina Department of Education to determine levels of need and to increase the purchase and distribution of local foods to these schools.