Small Farmers Can Make Local Food Systems Healthier
Joshua Cave of Cave Family Farm packs peppers at Pilot Mountain Pride Cooperative in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina. To provide an opportunity for predictable and sustainable income, Pilot Mountain Pride Cooperative, a local food movement group, provides a network of suppliers and end users. Hospitals, restaurants, and supermarkets in western North Carolina benefit from consistent delivery, better prices, certified safe handling, and a unified supply from a variety of local farmers.
Pilot Mountain Pride was able to secure a Rural Business Enterprise Grant from USDA to purchase a refrigerated truck to distribute its produce. The grant program is an example of how USDA could scale up support for development of local food systems.
| < Previous Article |
|---|
