By Jamie Martin
The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is investing $13.75 million into its new Farm to Community Food Hubs Grant Program, funding 12 organizations to grow food hub operations across the state.
Food hubs act as a link between farmers and large buyers, such as schools, food banks, and health programs. They provide the structure to help smaller farmers reach wider markets while giving communities more access to local, healthy food.
The grant program received overwhelming interest with 165 proposals requesting $148 million, but only $13.75 million was available. Among the awards, $2.2 million was directed to Tribal-led organizations, exceeding the goal of reserving at least 10 percent for Native American communities.
Projects are divided into two tracks. Planning grants will develop business plans and distribution models in counties like Colusa, Modoc, Tuolumne, and Santa Cruz. Implementation grants will cover food aggregation, infrastructure, and operating costs for five years, partnering with 159 California food producers. Importantly, most of these farmers use climate-smart practices, run smaller farms, and come from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
By expanding food hubs, California is advancing climate resilience, fair wages for food workers, and stronger connections between farmers and communities. These efforts support sustainable farming while ensuring institutions and households have reliable access to fresh, local food.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-d-keine
Categories: National