The purpose of our project is to create a successful collaboration of distinct but critical parts of the local food system to increase supply, distribution, and demand of specialty crops grown by all farmers throughout Alabama.
The Alabama Department of Agriculture (ADAI) will purchase food directly from farmers and will coordinate the logistics of getting the food from the farm to 1) aggregation and storage facilities, and 2) directly to the most needed schools in Alabama. ADAI will work with the Alabama State Department of Education to determine which school systems are most in need. We anticipate relationships created thru LFS will continue after LFS agreement is completed as we hope our schools will have developed relationships and realize the value of fresh, local foods.
ADAI will enter into subaward agreements with The Deep South Food Alliance (DSFA), New North Florida Cooperative (NNFC), Durbin Farms, several other small farmers, and School Produce Distributors. Through these subawards we will connect the farmers to these groups for aggregation, storage and distribution of their products to schools in greatest need for the purpose of this project while increasing our state’s overall food production.
ADAI Feels this proposal will maintain and improve the food and agriculture supply chain resiliency as described by USDA-AMS.