The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) through the Local Food Purchase Assistance grant will enhance the food and agriculture supply chain resiliency in North Dakota. Funds will be used to purchase food from local, regional, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers for distribution targeting underserved communities.
During the initial funding Great Plains Food Bank (GPFB) has demonstrated their capability to produce, purchase, store, aggregate, transport, and/or distribute local products to underserved communities across North Dakota.
The additional funding and the extension by an additional year will focus on the purchase of beef from North Dakota producers which is one of the most difficult commodities for GPFB to provide its partner agencies. During farmers market season in 2023, 2024 and 2025, an end of day produce buying program will be implemented in communities across North Dakota allowing for the procurement of locally grown produce.
It is anticipated that the partnerships established during this program will continue after the conclusion of the program. The goal is to add over 30 new underserved communities to the Great Plains Food Bank (GPFB) Mobile Food Pantry program, reaching over 100,000 food insecure North Dakotans.