The numbers are in: Farm to Food Pantry continues to make a big impact

Nichole Garden
WSDA Food Assistance Program

Washington onions are one of many crops bought
thanks to the Farm to Food Pantry initiative. 

Veterans Farm at Orting is a 160-acre swath of land nestled at the foot of Mount Rainier which serves as a farm incubator for beginning veteran farmers by leasing them parcels of land where they can learn to grow and raise food. This year, three of its farmers are growing food for Nourish, a Pierce County-based non-profit contracting with WSDA’s Farm to Food Pantry (F2FP) initiative. This initiative, established in 2014, is a partnership between WSDA and Harvest Against Hunger (HAH) that creates ways for Washingtonians in need to receive fresh food from local farmers and gives an economic boost to the local farms. 

Because of the initiative, Nourish is able to support the Orting farmers by purchasing their food directly. This partnership is mirrored across the state as F2FP continues to grow. 

Each of the Orting veteran farmers contributes a unique mix of products. Mark Jacobs of Jacobs Agro supplies hearty greens, such as collards and kale, as well as onions, potatoes, and tomatoes. Jillian Locascio of Dancing Sprouts Farm sells Nourish a bounty of greens, including spinach and bok choy. Terry and Regina Strong of Strong Roots Farm sent over summer squash, melons, cucumbers, and some of the 22 varieties of cherry tomatoes they grew.

Carrie Little, who manages the farm through the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, says it’s gratifying to “watch these amazing humans get excited about growing food” as they develop solid relationships with organizations that pay them for their products. And, she adds, the farmers love knowing that their food is feeding community members who need it. Nourish is also happy with the arrangement and has earmarked extra funds to buy even more from the Orting operation. 

New partnerships like these are making a significant impact. According to the Farm to Food Pantry Annual Report 2020, hunger relief organizations across the state combined grant funds with match dollars to purchase more than 105,000 pounds of produce from 97 farms to feed residents in need across 23 counties in Washington in 2020. Participating farms also donated a whopping 448,153 pounds of surplus produce through Farm to Food Pantry.

With even more funding available this year, thanks to a significant investment from the state legislature, WSDA expects those numbers to continue to grow.

Grant applications

The 2022-2023 Farm to Food Pantry grant application is now open. In addition to produce, the initiative will allow purchases of grains, dairy, eggs, and meat during this grant round. Grants will also provide administrative funding to support the coordination of these efforts.

Applications are now being accepted from prospective Farm to Food Pantry regional agencies through November 30. Recipients will receive a biennial allocation, with between $3,500 and $20,000 available from January 1 through June 30, 2022 and between $3,500 and $30,000 from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. 

Washington grown spinach.

Organizations that receive a grant to build new relationships with their local farmer through procurement, or enhance their current relationships, will not do s
o in a vacuum. WSDA and Harvest Against Hunger provide ongoing support, including monthly cohort meetings for participating organizations as well as technical support and resources, such as the Grower’s Roundtable Kit, a contracting guide and farm contract templates, purchasing calendar template, and fundraising guidance.

By connecting farmers and hunger relief organizations and encouraging community investment, Farm to Food Pantry is meeting key goals of WSDA’s Focus on Food initiative: increasing access to fresh, nutrient-dense foods for people experiencing food insecurity; supporting Washington agriculture; and facilitating connections between food providers and producers at the regional level. 

People, no matter what their income, want to know that food grown in their community is feeding the people that live there. This initiative helps make that possible by giving emergency food providers across the state greater flexibility to buy food grown and raised by local farmers. WSDA and HAH are proud to help facilitate these connections.

Apply now to become a regional agency through 2023. Access the grant materials here and contact Maddie Price by email or calling 206-236-0408 x105 with questions about the grant or the Farm to Food Pantry initiative. 

WSDA considers taking field work to new heights

Amber Betts
WSDA Communications

WSDA Staff watch as DFW officers
demonstrate how to operate a drone. 

Peeling back the wrapping paper revealing what was inside, my little brother’s eyes lit up as he realized his gift. He wasted little time taking his brand new mini drone outside to give it a try, he launched the inaugural flight, and everyone had a fun time watching has he ran the mini aircraft into trees and onto the roof of my garage.

I felt that same excitement last month and may have done a little dance after flying a giant and much more sophisticated version of my brother’s gift. I met a group of my colleagues in an open field in Prosser, Washington, to watch a demonstration led by officers of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW). As WSDA considers whether drones would make some field work easier to accomplish, we learned about the various types of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) drones, what it takes to implement a drone program at a state agency, and what qualifications drone pilots may need.

The Matrice 300, one of
the drones demonstrated,
waits to take flight. 

Every head turned to the sky as the DFW officer launched the Matrice 300, one of the types of drones used by the officers. As we watched what the aircraft could do, WSDA staff discussed the possible ways we could use a drone. From our dairy inspectors, to our safety officers, and our pesticide inspectors all of my coworkers had ideas on how this aircraft could make their job more efficient.  

For dairy nutrient inspectors, a drone’s birds-eye view could give a bigger picture of pasture conditions, potentially cutting inspection time significantly.

A drone could help entomologists follow a pest or invasive species like the Asian giant hornet to its nest with thermal sensors. Drones could also be fitted with chemical sensors that could detect evidence of pesticide drift.

A staff member operating
the drone controls. 

As a professional communicator, I can see countless uses for video footage and photos to better highlight the work we do.

In addition to learning what the drones could offer our agency, we also learned some of the regulations and licenses our staff would have to abide by and obtain in order to operate the drones as part of agency business. Those operating the aircraft must have a pilot’s license, and maintain a number of flight hours each year in order to keep that license. While flying, the aircraft must stay under 400 feet above the ground and all flight plans must be logged.

Some state agencies are already using drones for their work, including the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Labor & Industries, and the Department of Ecology.

At WSDA, the recent demo was a first step in a longer process to consider whether drones are right for our agency. Next, an internal group will consider the policies or training that use of drones would require.

A final decision could still be some months away. Stay tuned to our blog to see what’s next. 

Staff looks to the skies as the first drone takes flight.