Local Food Promotion Press Release
MISSION WEST RECEIVES 2022 USDA LOCAL FOOD PROMOTION PROGRAM GRANT
Ronan, MT, November 1, 2022 – The USDA has recently announced awards for the Local Food Promotion Program grant, including a $491,701.55 award to Mission West Community Development Partners. The three-year grant will build on the success of the Northwest Food Hub Network (NWFHN) by increasing the processing capacity for the NWFHN, identifying and creating value-added food products for the institutional marketplace, creating effective marketing materials for the developed products, and providing necessary technical assistance and trainings for local and regional food processors.
The Northwest Food Hub Network (NWFHN), a collaboration between three food hubs in Montana and Washington, was created to help respond to these institutional market demands by providing one ordering platform in which institutions can access large quantities of local and regional products. However, the food processing capacity within the Network is limited, and institutions are continuing to ask for value-added food products that are easily integrated into their food operations. By increasing the processing capacity of the NWFHN, this project will lead to increased sales for the Network, which will ultimately benefit the 211 small to mid-size family farms that participate in the NWFHN and develop best practices for processing and product development that will be shared with interested organizations nationwide.
“We are very excited to expand on the success of the Northwest Food Hub Network through increasing processing capacity at the Mission Mountain Food Enterprise Center and in the region,” said Anne Harney, Mission West’s Local Food Promotion Manager. “We hope this project will be a win for everyone by improving access to local foods for institutions across Montana and Washington, increasing market opportunities for small to mid-size family farms, and helping us move towards an economically and ecologically sustainable regional food system.”
The project brings together multiple partners in the region, including Western Montana Growers Cooperative, Puget Sound Food Hub, LINC Foods, Kitchen Sync Strategies, Montana State University Food Product Development Lab, and Fresh Systems LLC.
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If you would like more information on this topic, please contact Anne Harney at [email protected].