Food To Bank On
Founded by the Community Food Co-op's Farm Fund and administered by Sustainable Connections' Food & Farming program since 2003, this new farmer incubation project creates partnerships among new sustainable agriculture farmers, experienced growers, and area food banks to provide fresh, sustainable, locally grown produce to low-income community members.
Food to Bank On participants receive technical assistance, business planning training, a farmer mentor, can attend trade meetings for free, and are paid market rates to deliver their produce according to a set crop schedule, thus bringing high quality food to the hungry and also preparing them to deliver to other clients such as restaurants and grocery retailers.
The community, farmers, and the hungry all benefit from the innovative and effective work of the Food To Bank On project. Whatcom emergency food pantries have received over $50,000 in fresh produce from these farmers since the programs' inception.
If you are a beginning farmers and want to know more about how FTBO works, click here for a description of the program.
Applications for 2011 are now available HERE. For more information about FTBO contact Sara Southerland, sara@sconnect.org or 360.647.7093 ext. 114.
Click here for a list of resources for beginning farmers in Whatcom County.
Meet our participating Food To Bank On beginning farmers & mentors:
Thank you very much to our Food to Bank On 2010 Business Sponsors:
2010 Brand Sponsors:
