Submitted by Sustainable Connections
Sustainable Connections announces that operations are well under way to expand their Food and Farming program due in part to the award of a USDA grant to collaborate with the Bellingham Farmers Market. The grant leverages additional support from the Sustainable Whatcom Fund of the Whatcom Community Foundation.
According to Agriculture Marketing Services Administrator, Anne Alonzo, “These Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program grants provide farmers and ranchers around the country with tools to reach consumers, strengthen ties between urban and rural communities, and help meet the growing demand for locally and regionally produced food.”
The community’s recognition and support of The Bellingham Farmers’ Market and Sustainable Connections’ Eat Local First Campaign demonstrates how helpful and responsive the community is in supporting local farmers. The success of these programs is encouraging to the USDA and funding for expansion in these programs will benefit local farmers and strengthen the economy.
In a USDA press release about the award, Secretary Vilsack announced, “Investing in local and regional food systems supports the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers, especially smaller operations, while strengthening economies in communities across the country.”
“There is so much momentum happening within the food and agriculture sectors that we couldn’t be more excited tosupport local farmers and reward our community for Eating Local First by expanding our programs and partnership with the Bellingham Farmers Market,” said Sara Southerland, food and farming manager at Sustainable Connections.
The expansion includes activities such as market product demonstrations and promotions; Bellingham Farmers Market season extension; Farm Tour and Eat Local Month public events; Eat Local First in schools; and promotion for ‘Fresh Bucks’, a market-matching EBT promotion that provides Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as “food stamps”) shoppers with extra buying power. The Fresh Bucks program matches SNAP dollar-for-dollar up to $10 per cardholder per market per day.
