Fairness in Local Food Purchasing Programs

For the past three years, the Local Food Purchase Assistance program (LFPA) has supported food security throughout the state. LFPA paid farmers fair prices while food banks & pantries provided fresh, local farm goods to the community. This funding is a simple, straightforward approach to help farmers of all types stabilize and grow their businesses while contributing to food security efforts.

However, with federal funding cuts, LFPA ends in just a few weeks. For the last two years, NOFA NJ, partner organizations and farmers throughout the state have advocated for state-dedicated funding to pick up where LFPA drops off. Thankfully, the NJ Legislature, NJ Department of Agriculture (NJDA), and NJ Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA) are stepping up to establish continued funding for a direct farm-to-pantry program.

This funding should be managed transparently and should champion the opportunity to support a variety of farms (small and large, beginning and experienced, urban and rural, etc..). NOFA NJ is excited to see this new model program, and we expect nothing less than fairness and accessibility as this funding is deployed.

Farmers: Sign-on to this advocacy letter from New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative (do so by 10/16!) to express your support for an accessible, fair, and transparent Farm-to-Food Pantry program. Write a letter of your own, and attend the next State Board of Ag meeting (10/22 at 1PM) to connect with NJDA Staff and Leadership to let them know how much opportunities like this and LFPA mean for you, for your farm, and for the communities supported by LFPA.