Purchase and distribute local foodtargeting purchases from socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers

The vermont agency of agriculture, food and markets will maintain andimprove food and agricultural supply chain resiliency by partnering withorganizations to purchase and distribute local food to underservedcommunities. The vermont agency of agriculture, food and markets hasidentified six nonprofit partners, abenaki helping abenaki, the centerfor an agricultural economy, capstone community action, the vermontfoodbank, the intervale center and the vermont land trust, for thisproject and will select additional partners through a competitiverequest for proposals. These partners were identified through extensiveoutreach and chosen for their relationships with socially disadvantagedproducers and their service to underserved communities. Eachorganization will use local food purchase assistance funds to expandprocurement relationships with local farmers and producers with anemphasis on socially disadvantaged food producers. Food purchased usinglocal food purchase assistance funds will be directed to underservedcommunities throughout the state. The competitive request for proposalswill be open to all vermont farm and food businesses as well asnonprofit organizations and will embed the goals of the local foodpurchase assistance program within the application, scoring, and reviewprocess. Local food purchase assistance funds will be awarded tosuccessful applicants based on their ability to support socially disadvantaged food producers and underserved communities. Quarterly performance reports will be submitted to capture the number ofproducers, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, distributionsites, and underserved locations as well as funds expended for eachcategory. Annual reports will provide percentages of new marketingopportunities and purchases distributed beyond current food distributionnetworks. The vermont agency of agriculture, food and markets estimatesthat over 900 people, the majority of which are from underservedcommunities, will benefit from food purchased and distributed usinglocal food purchase assistance funds. The local food purchase assistancefunding requested by vermont agency of agriculture, food and marketswill also have important benefits for local farmers and food producers, especially those that identify as part of a socially disadvantagedgroup. IT is estimated that 68 local food producers will benefit frompurchases made using local food purchase assistance funds and that 46 ofthose producers qualify as socially disadvantaged based on thedefinition provided in the request for proposals. The recipient plans tosubaward funds to six nonprofit partners and will subaward to additionalpartners through a competitive request for proposals.