Kansas rural center will establish a robust and interconnected food system across a twelvecounty region anchored by wichita and salina kansas

This project will achieve this through three key components the creation of a farmerled food hub providing critical technical assistance to farmers seeking access to wholesale markets the coordination of this food hub with other regional farmers connecting them to midtier market channels including restaurants grocery stores and institutions and the development of mobile markets by project partners common ground producers and growers ST. Johns missionary baptist church and kansas wesleyan university to improve access to fresh local food for consumers in communities experiencing limited access to nutritious products. The anticipated outcomes include strengthened market access for farmers and ranchers increased availability of locally produced goods for consumers and improved supply chains for food processors. The primary beneficiaries of this project are the farmers and ranchers within the region as well as the consumers who will gain access to a wider selection of locally sourced food. The projects success will be measured by the number of farmers participating in the food hub the volume of products moving through the system and the number of communities receiving access to fresh food via the mobile market initiative.