The Research Foundation for the State University of New York (RF) will use a $940,521 Project Grant from the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service under the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program to improve the reach and effectiveness of the Veggie Van Training Center (VVTC) and Mobile Market Coalition (MMC) through September 2024.
The VVTC and MMC work to expand access to locally grown foods in underserved communities through mobile markets. RF will create a strategic plan and standards to connect mobile market operators through the MMC, expand VVTC training and technical assistance using a mobile market toolkit and other resources, and facilitate regional mobile market networks for operator support. These efforts aim to help mobile markets address food access disparities and connect producers to new markets in a sustainable manner.