Reed Announces $2.85 Million for Local Food Programs Across RI

WASHINGTON, DC - As part of his ongoing efforts to strengthen Rhode Island's food supply chain and help local farmers, fishermen, and families in need, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced that Rhode Island is getting $2.85 million through two key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.

Rhode Island is getting $1,124,836 through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA) program, which allows food to be purchased within the state or within 400 miles of its delivery destination and is then distributed through food banks, pantries, and other food distribution centers to hungry families in need. The state is also getting $1,730,304 through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement (LFS) program, which is designed to help school districts partner with local farmers and producers to offer students more access to fresh, nutritious foods unique to the area.

In Rhode Island, the federal LFPA funding will be distributed through a cooperative agreement between USDA and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), working with nonprofits like Farm Fresh Rhode Island, to purchase local foods for distribution within the state's hunger relief system. To date, DEM, Farm Fresh, and their partners have purchased food from 95 local producers and distributed it to over 65,000 Rhode Islanders through the LFPA program.

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) will be allocated the federal LFS funding to support the purchase of unprocessed and minimally processed local foods to be used in school meals. RIDE will also work with Farm Fresh to administer this funding.

"Using local foods to feed hungry Rhode Islanders is a commonsense way to reduce food insecurity while also supporting Rhode Island producers. I'm proud to deliver federal investments that will increase nutritious local food options for students and families in need while creating opportunities for local farmers and fishermen to grow their businesses and strengthen the resiliency of our local food supply chain," said Senator Reed. "These programs increase markets for local growers and put more nutritious local food options on the table and in our school cafeterias. The health and economic benefits, along with the improved educational outcomes that come from providing students with nutritious foods, make it a real win-win."

Reed, who helped launch the LFPA with funding from the American Rescue Plan, recently introduced the Expanding Access To (EAT) Local Foods Act (S.3982) to build on the program's success. The EAT Local Foods Act would create a permanent grant program for state and tribal governments to procure local foods for distribution to nearby hunger relief programs. It would leverage government procurement and purchasing power to increase access to locally-sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in underserved communities and help family farmers, fishermen, and local food producers grow their markets.

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