More than a pickle: How grants from Washington State Department of Agriculture are yielding impressive impacts across the state

Micha Ida and Galen Van Horn
WSDA Regional Markets Program

Small farms and food businesses play important roles in maintaining vibrant and robust local food systems that support growth in local economies and ensure healthy communities. Disruptions to supply chains and food distribution systems can have far-reaching impacts, as witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. To increase the resiliency of local food systems, Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has distributed nearly $20 million in grants to small farms and local food businesses through several grant programs administered by the WSDA Regional Markets Program. Continued funding from the Washington State Legislature will further bolster the resiliency of our local food systems in the years ahead.

Recent grants from WSDA have allowed businesses and organizations to expand and diversify in a variety of ways, including increasing the amount of product they produce, expanding their customer bases, and facilitating linkages with other businesses in their local food systems.

Lum Farm: Building resilience 

Amy Lum welcomes one the farm’s newest members.

“Living on an island, buying local food, and having local food access is critical,” says Amy Lum, of Lum Farm. Her farm is located on Orcas Island, and during the pandemic, Lum witnessed how difficult food access became for her community. According to the San Juan Community Food Assessment, in 2020 less than 5% of the food consumed in San Juan County was produced locally. In response, Lum Farm scaled up and increased its food production and distribution within the county by 275%. 

Lum Farm is the only WSDA-inspected dairy in the state that produces goat’s milk ice cream, along with a variety of goat’s milk cheeses and pasture-raised meats. Everything produced on their farm is sold and distributed within San Juan County through restaurants, grocery stores, the local food bank, and directly to consumers. 

The farm used Local Food System Infrastructure Grant funds to support their growth and resilience through added cold storage space, additional equipment for cheese making, a new cattle handling system, and technological upgrades to their operation. These enhancements are allowing them to raise more animals and produce more food for their small island community. “Our customers and farming partners have all experienced the positive impact of this grant, and celebrated each new change with us,” Lum said.

Expanding services at Windy N Ranch 

The Newhall Family of Windy N Ranch.

To Bradley Newhall of Windy N Ranch, the need for this type of support is clear. “We all saw the devastating effects that Covid-19 had on food supply and distribution,” he says. His family’s operation is a Certified Organic meat ranch located in Ellensburg that specializes in humanely raised beef, pork, lamb, goat, and poultry. In May 2021, Windy N Ranch opened their own butcher shop on their farm, with licensing that allows them to process their own meat as well as provide butchering services to other area producers.

The Newhalls used Local Food Infrastructure Grant funds to make improvements to Windy N Ranch's meat processing facility, which has allowed them to expand the variety of products they prepare, as well as increase their butcher shop services to other farmers and ranchers in the Kittitas Valley. They also aspire to transition their USDA-inspected butcher shop into a Certified Organic facility.

Critical services, such as Local Food Infrastructure Grant funding, increase the viability of small farms and ranches by opening new marketing avenues and revenue streams. “With [added] infrastructure for local USDA meat processing in place, we and other ranchers will be better suited to meet the food needs of our local communities regardless of supply chain issues that may be occurring nationally,” Newhall added.

Increasing capacity: Beyond Pickles

Increased resiliency in our local food systems can come from surprising places too, and something as humble as a pickle can have an outsized impact. Beyond Pickles is a micro food processing company located in the Tri-Cities that uses lactobacillus salt fermentation to preserve and create sauerkrauts, kimchi, and other vegetable-based fermented condiments using locally-grown vegetables from small farmers in eastern Washington. Local Food System Infrastructure Grant funds helped Beyond Pickles install a walk-in cooler addition that is allowing them to quadruple the amount of product they can store prior to distribution.

Packing jars at Beyond Pickles.

Increased capacity and demand for Beyond Pickles’ products will allow them to ramp up their orders from local farms, which is one way these grant funds are supporting the broader local food economy. A larger walk-in cooler has also allowed Beyond Pickles to collaborate more on food distribution with other local food-centric companies such as the Walla Walla Food Hub, Chesed Farms, and Farmstand Local Foods. Strong linkages like these among Washington’s local food businesses create a more robust and secure food system.

“The remarkable level of interest in these grants demonstrates the clear need for WSDA to invest in local food system infrastructure in Washington,” says WSDA Local Food Infrastructure and Supply Chain Specialist Galen Van Horn. “We’ve received wonderful feedback from grant recipients about how their businesses are thriving beyond their imagination. These grants are allowing the people of Washington to benefit from those investments and we’re grateful for the Legislature for recognizing the impact and providing continued funding.”

WSDA is interested in making continual improvements to our grant offerings and are inviting interest and comment on future grant rounds. You can sign up to be notified of future grant opportunities and share your thoughts on investing local food system infrastructure by completing this short interest survey. Comments should be submitted by September 15, 2023.

For questions about the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Program please contact Galen Van Horn at galen.vanhorn@agr.wa.gov.

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 planning meetings connected farmers and school buyers

Chris Iberle, WSDA Farm to School 

Seattle Public Schools nutrition staff meet with farmers and distributors
about supplying fresh fruits and vegetables to the district’s snack program.

Farmers and school nutrition staff have a lot in common. They have some of the busiest jobs, and do a lot of different things depending on the season. They also care about feeding kids nutritious foods, teaching students about agriculture and where food comes from, and supporting local farms in their communities.  

Back in January and February -- before the current pandemic imposed physical distancing restrictions -- WSDA Farm to School organized four meetings where farmers and school buyers could network and plan sales. These meetings in different parts of the state aimed to help farmers and nutrition staff collaborate on using more Washington-grown products in schools’ scratch-cooked meals.

Thirty-four farmers, food hubs, processors, or other local food suppliers met with 16 school districts. They built relationships, learned about school buyer needs, and relayed what products are available from Washington producers. Each school district shared information about products they’d be interested in purchasing, how much and how often, for farmers to use in market and production planning. 

All the meetings had great energy and enthusiasm as attendees worked together to support Washington agriculture and provide nutritious meals to students.

Supportive farm to school approach

This was the first time WSDA hosted farm to school meetings focused on networking and planning to increase schools’ purchases of Washington-grown foods. We worked with city, county, and nonprofit partners to co-host and provide outreach to farmers and schools interested in farm to school. 

Each meeting looked a bit different depending on the local needs and priorities.

• Seattle Public Schools met with four farms and two food hubs about supplying the district with fresh fruits and vegetables for a snack program. The program was developed with the support of City of Seattle and FEEST. It prioritized bringing in new vendors, particularly small businesses owned by women or people of color.
• In Walla Walla, the Sustainable Living Center’s Walla Walla Valley Farm to School Program helped farmers and school districts prepare for the meeting by assessing their needs and requirements for effective partnerships. Attendees also discussed the logistics of getting more food grown in Walla Walla Valley into school kitchens.
• Bethel School District hosted farmers and nutrition staff from nine districts in Puyallup. Producers attended with a wide array of Washington products to offer, including tree fruit, berries, vegetables, seafood, eggs, beef, pork, chicken, yogurt, flour and grains.
• In Grandview, four school districts met with tree fruit, vegetable, and pork farmers, and discussed topics ranging from food safety standards to planning purchases around the growing season.

School district nutrition staff from around Central Washington meet in
Grandview with farmers, distributors and processors.

From relationships and discussions coming out of the meetings, multiple school districts and producers reported new purchases and sources for Washington-grown products for their school meals.

Value of relationships

Furthermore, the momentum from the meetings has extended into the current COVID-19 response. WSDA helped organize a call on April 2 connecting an agency and non-profit team with farms, suppliers, distributors, and other industry partners. The call included many of the attendees from our February meetings.  

Our goal was to respond to immediate K-12 school and childcare food needs and fill shortages for certain items used in their new and evolving meal distribution models, such as grab-and-go, sack lunches, and weekly food boxes. 

To survey and respond to food-supply need, WSDA is working with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Child Nutrition, United Way King County, Department of Children, Youth and Families, and Childcare Aware.

For resources and tools to support ongoing farm to school efforts with your districts and farms, visit WSDA’s Farm to School Toolkit. Or contact me - Chris Iberle, WSDA Regional Markets’ Farm to School Lead, at ciberle@agr.wa.gov. I’d be happy to support starting, expanding, or growing farm to school in your community, and to find out about future activities.

Fighting hunger together

Nichole Garden
WSDA Food Assistance 

Food pantries, hunger relief agencies, and others dedicated to fighting hunger will gather in Yakima September 12th – 14th for the Washington Food Coalition (WFC) conference. The annual conference provides a unique opportunity for those interested in hunger relief in Washington to share best practices, tools, and resources; hear about new and innovative programs and services; and network with others who share in a commitment to alleviate hunger.

The conference will feature speakers, breakout sessions, and tours, including:

• Keynote speakers discussing the growth of food insecurity on college campuses 
• A panel discussion with current Farm to Food Pantry participants
• Touring Rainier Fruit, a family owned and operated farm that grows and sells organic apples, pears, cherries, and blueberries

In addition to facilitating the Farm to Food Pantry panel discussion, the WSDA will staff a booth. Attendees can visit the WSDA Food Assistance programs resource booth to show their support of the Farm to Food Pantry initiative by donning a F2FP temporary tattoo, posing for a picture, and posting it on social media with the hashtag #Farm2FoodPantry.

Cow proudly displaying F2FP "tattoo"

WSDA’s resource booth will also feature new resources now available in English, Spanish, Russian, and Ukrainian. These resources include Washington Grown Produce posters and brochures as well as MyPantry posters and recipe cards highlighting where the commodity foods available at food pantries fit into USDA’s MyPlate. 

Visit WFC’s website o learn more or register for the conference. WFC represents a unified voice in the emergency food system, providing technical assistance and advocacy for hunger relief agencies.

Roots run deep at Washington farmers markets

Laura Raymond
Food Access and Regional Markets Program

Walk most any farmers market in Washington state this week (and I hope you will) and you’ll encounter a dizzying variety of products.

This week is Farmer’s Market Week by proclamation of the Governor. Now at the height of the growing season, farm tables offer up glowing peaches, nectarines, and plums, glossy eggplants and peppers, fragrant melons, heirloom tomatoes, vibrant greens, crunchy cucumbers, pastured meats and cheeses, and a constellation of fresh cut dahlias and lilies.

Washington farmers grow more than 300 fruits, vegetables and other commodities but it might be the deep-rooted carrot that best represents what’s so valuable about farmers markets.

Farmers markets aren’t just the magical places where grocery lists go to be transformed from being a chore. They transform into places for new recipes, fun and adventure. Farmers markets provide multiple, and deep rooted benefits to shoppers, farmers and communities.

Farmers markets are places of direct and joyful commerce where you get to talk directly to the farmer who grew your food. They are incubators for fledgling enterprises that often grow into generational businesses. Last year, sales at farmers market members of the Washington State Farmers Market Association topped $44 million dollars. That’s “no small potatoes” in terms of local economies. The dollars shoppers spend at farmers markets go directly to the producers, keeping farming viable and keeping farmers on the land and caring for the agricultural landscapes we all can enjoy.

Neighborhood businesses

Farmers markets add sparkle and energy to neighborhoods. Commerce spills over the edges of the markets and supports many neighborhood businesses. As places where people come together from many walks of life, markets also cultivate community. With music, community information, chef demonstrations, kids’ activities, and time to talk while you shop, farmers market days can become not-to-be missed social events.

If you’ve had the opportunity to chomp down on a fresh-picked, sweet and crunchy carrot, you know the availability of delicious, fresh produce at farmers markets makes it easier to eat healthfully. Most farmers markets in Washington accept WIC and SNAP benefits markets, making healthy produce more accessible for all.

That’s why when a group of creative farmers market supporters came together to choose an image that captures what farmers markets mean to farmers, communities, shoppers, and our state, they chose the deep and intertwined roots of a row of carrots. A series of graphics, including "These Roots Run Deep," have been produced in English and Spanish through a WSDA Specialty Crop Grant Program Project awarded to the WSU Small Farms Program. One goal is to promote buying specialty crops (mainly fruits and vegetables) directly from growers at farmers markets.

Farmers Market Week Aug. 7-13

Farmers Market Week runs Aug. 7-13 and many markets are adding special activities to celebrate. Find a market near you at the Washington State Farmers Market Association website.