Sun Produce Cooperative

Sun Produce Cooperative is an agricultural cooperative registered in SAM.gov since November 2017, operating in the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area with a focus on supporting local farmers and improving regional food systems. Registered as a corporate entity with a small agricultural cooperative and non-profit organization business type, the cooperative leverages 35 years of experience in connecting local producers with consumers and working to enhance food access and distribution networks.

Through federal grant awards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service, Sun Produce Cooperative has pursued strategic initiatives to strengthen local agricultural ecosystems. The cooperative has received multiple project grants under the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program, including a $615,142.57 grant in September 2024 to expand its community-supported agriculture (CSA) program from 250 to 500 subscribers, with a specific focus on reaching low-income and low-food access areas. Another grant of $125,000 awarded in September 2022 supported the development of a feasibility study and marketing strategy for an Arizona Food and Farm Sustainability Center, aimed at providing shared infrastructure and technical assistance to small farms. The cooperative also received COVID-19 relief funding in January 2022 to support food processors, distributors, and producers during the pandemic. These grants demonstrate Sun Produce Cooperative's commitment to supporting 42 small farmers, including 36% beginning farmers and 29% Black, Indigenous, or Persons of Color, through strategic programming and community-focused agricultural development.