Based on current consumption patterns, if residents of Alabama were to purchase 15% of their food directly from farmers in the state, it would increase income for Alabama farmers by nearly $1 billion annually.
The Food Bank of North Alabama, as an organization that is dedicated to ending hunger today, and preventing hunger tomorrow, has developed a program to capture those dollars in the local economy. The Farm Food Collaborative, which was launched in 2012, gives farmers access to local markets, by removing barriers and forging connections between producers and consumers.
The Farm Food Collaborative, a program of the Food Bank of North Alabama, works to connect farmers with local buyers and other local food programs. Finding local buyers and meeting all of the standards required to safely distribute produce can add a tremendous burden to a local farmer, which is why the Farm Food Collaborative works to facilitate this process wherever they can, making the local food market accessible to a greater number of producers.
