Arizona Food Banks to Purchase Produce from Small-Scale Farmers
Through a $250,000 investment, Arizona is launching the innovative Friends of the Food Bank program as a partnership between the Arizona Food Bank Network and Arizona’s agriculture industry. The program will bring more fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein to food banks as well as create a reliable new market for Arizona’s small-scale farmers. Announced in November of 2019, the program is now taking root and accepting inquiries from Arizona’s growers. With the impacts of COVID-19, it is now even more crucial to have Arizona farmers feeding our state. It means faster access to homegrown produce and meat to keep up with demand, and a great way to keep our local economy strong.
“Farmers and food bankers have the same goal—to feed people,” said Angie Hilsabeck Rodgers, president and CEO of the Arizona Food Bank Network (formerly the Association of Arizona Food Banks). “With Friends of the Farm, our food banks will work directly with Arizona’s farmers to get a greater quantity and variety of healthy foods on the tables of working families, children, older adults, and other clients who come through our doors”
The program will purchase fresh, Arizona-grown produce, dairy, and protein and distribute it to Arizonans struggling with hunger through the statewide emergency food relief network. The focus is to purchase from small growers to provide unique variety to food banks that complement other products being distributed at the same time. “Small growers” are defined according to the USDA farm classification scale of annual gross cash farm income below $350,000 or 150 acres (both will be considered on a case by case basis).
If you are a grower and interested in providing a proposal for the purchase of a current product or future planning, complete the form here.
Questions? Contact Sylvia McKeever, Logistics Manager at sylvia@azfoodbanks.org.
Governor Doug Ducey joined St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix to lend a helping hand with their turkey distribution. November 26, 2019. Photo courtesy of Association of Arizona Food Banks Facebook.
About the Arizona Food Bank Network:
Established in 1984, the Arizona Food Bank Network (AzFBN), formerly the Association of Arizona Food Banks, is a private, non-profit organization serving five regional food bank members and a network of nearly 1,200 food pantries and agencies. AzFBN is one of the first state associations in the nation and an inaugural partner state association of Feeding America. AzFBN was instrumental in the development of a statewide gleaning project, and their advocacy efforts have brought about beneficial state and federal legislation for member food banks and the people they serve.
Read more about Friends of the Farm: http://bit.ly/AzFriendsOfTheFarm.