USDA supports and invests in local and regional food projects from coast to coast, in every state. Communities across the country have built locally-supported food systems to meet emerging market demands, and consumers are now exposed to the concept of local food at their grocery stores and neighborhood farmers markets. Between 2009 and 2015, from the smallest on-farm projects like high tunnels, to large-scale investments like food hubs, USDA has invested over $1 billion in more than 40,000 local and regional food businesses and infrastructure projects. More than 160,000 farmers and ranchers nationwide are selling into local markets, from farmers markets and CSAs to local restaurants, grocery stores and institutions, generating huge returns for local communities.
USDA at Work in Your Community:
USDA People's Garden Initiative - Works with USDA Agencies and other Federal, state and local partners to start and sustain gardens to grow healthy food, people and communities.
USDA Food LINC Initiative - Initiative aimed at bolstering the supply chain for local food systems around key U.S. cities. The Initiative works in partnership with national and regional philanthropic partners to promote long-term sustainability.
Federal Local Foods, Local Places Initiative - Creating walkable, healthy, economically vibrant neighborhoods through local food systems. Sponsored by USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Transportation, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and the Delta Regional Authority, with support from the White House Rural Council.
USDA Military Youth Programs - Formal partnerships between USDA, 4-H and the Department of Defense to support positive development for youth whose parents serve in the military.
USDA AgrAbility Initiative - Consumer-driven USDA-funded program that provides vital education, assistance, and support to farmers and ranchers with disabilities.
Resources for Tribal Governments, Individual American Indians and Alaska Natives:
