Local Food Systems Information from SARE

Posted on May 24, 2014 by in Education, Food Systems, Local Food // 0 Comments

New Resource for information about local food systems from USDA-SARE

The local food movement is more than a trend among many consumers—it is becoming a way of life, one that presents farmers with new business opportunities. But the know-how and infrastructure to get food to local markets is not always readily available. Now, you can use SARE's new topic room, Farm to Table: Building Local and Regional Food Systems, to find the materials you need to join the movement.

Bookmark and share today: www.sare.org/local-food

The Building Local and Regional Food Systems topic room is a free, online collection of practical tools and educational resources. This information, which is gleaned from SARE-funded research by real farmers, entrepreneurs, researchers and educators, comes as the public investment in local food continues to grow: The 2014 Farm Bill gave USDA a historic $78 million to fund grants and loans that support local food projects.

For example, find:

· Farm to school resources for Extension agents on topics such as food safety, evaluation, local food procurement and much more, developed by Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP).

· The Guide to Designing a Small Red Meat Plant, which helps producers think through important considerations when building, expanding or upgrading a locker-type meat plant.

· Plain language guides for new and underserved producers interested in learning about farm financing, accessing government programs, harvest practices and marketing.

· The Direct Marketing for Farmers and Ranchers video, which shows how the Imperial Stock Ranch used a SARE grant to successfully add value to their existing livestock operation by producing and direct marketing wool products.

Resources compiled in the topic room are grouped into the following categories:

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