A brand new federally funded program will assist West Virginia farmers distribute meals to underserved communities and strengthen state provide chains.
It’s referred to as the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and is a part of the American Rescue Plan. The thought is to assist small farmers compete, strengthen meals financial institution relationships, and produce extra nutritious meals to the state’s rural residents.
The cash from the US Department of Agriculture can be distributed by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture to meals banks within the state.
Facing Hunger Food Bank and Mountaineer Food Bank will buy meals from 5 producers which can be thought of “socially deprived” within the first yr. The meals will then be distributed to underserved communities.
Officials mentioned in a press launch that they plan to develop this system over the following couple of years to buy from 40 producers, and expects to serve no less than 111,000 West Virginians in want.
A portion of those funds can be used for program growth, administration, meals storage and distribution.
The funds will complement current federal meals applications in West Virginia and attain communities that aren’t at the moment served.
https://www.wvpublic.org/government/2022-06-30/new-program-invests-in-agriculture-supply-chains-and-nutrition-in-w-va
