Purchase and distribute local food targeting purchases from socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers

The washington state local food purchase assistance pilot program will strengthen local food supply chains by facilitating and funding the purchase of washington-grown and processed food for distribution to people in rural, remote, and underserved communities. Through this pilot program, over three million dollars will be spent purchasing food directly from local and regional farmers and producers, with 63 percent of resources prioritized for procurement from socially disadvantaged producers. Washington state department of agriculture will expand food assistance activities by issuing contracts to existing food assistance contractors using a traditional allocation formula, with 25 percent of passthrough funds set aside for tribes and tribal organizations. Contracts will empower existing contractors to build or strengthen relationships with producers and procure local food based on community needs, while also encouraging expanded distribution networks to include organizations that serve black, indigenous, and people of color and socially disadvantaged communities. Washington state department of agriculture will issue a competitive grant solicitation seeking up to 10 additional subrecipients with the ability to provide technical assistance or procure local food predominantly from socially disadvantaged producers for community-informed, equity-centered household distribution to communities experiencing food insecurity. Quarterly performance reports will be submitted to capture the number of producers, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, distribution sites, and underserved locations as well as funds expended for each category. Annual reports will provide percentages of new marketing opportunities and purchases distributed beyond current food distribution networks. Of 500 anticipated food distribution sites, 90 percent or more will serve otherwise underserved communities. The recipient plans to subaward funds to multiple subcontractors. In fiscal year 2023, the agreement was amended with local food purchase assistance plus funding to increase the budget with funds authorized by the commodity credit corporation, and to increase the duration of the period of performance. As a result of the additional funding and extended period of performance, the washington state local food purchase assistance pilot program intends to strengthen local food supply chains by facilitating and funding the purchase of washington-grown and processed food for distribution to people in rural or underserved communities. Through this pilot, funding will be spent on purchasing food directly from local and regional farmers and producers, with 63 percent of the resources prioritized for procurement from socially disadvantaged producers. Of the 500 anticipated food distribution sites, 90 percent or more will serve otherwise underserved communities and reach over 1.78 million people struggling with food insecurity, a 39 percent increase from 2022 client data. After recent experiences with procurement and expanding distribution networks in response to the covid-19 pandemic, in addition to years developing the farm to food pantry initiative, washington state department of agriculture is uniquely positioned to pilot two new pathways to achieve these results. First, washington state department of agriculture will expand food assistance activities by issuing subawards to existing hunger-relief agencies, tribes, and tribal organizations. This will empower hunger-relief agencies to build or strengthen relationships with producers and procure local food based on community needs and expand distribution networks to include organizations that do not participate in the emergency food assistance program, particularly those that serve black, indigenous, and people of color and socially disadvantaged communities. Second, washington state department of agriculture will issue a competitive grant solicitation seeking up to 15 additional subrecipients with the ability to provide technical assistance and procure local food predominantly from socially disadvantaged producers for community-informed, equity-centered household distribution to communities experiencing food insecurity.