Harvest Against Hunger is expanding upon our Farm to Food Pantry program within our very own King County, Washington, in which 1 out of every 10 people lives in poverty1. Through the King County Farmers Share (KCFS), we are collaborating with hunger relief agencies, small farms, and aggregators within the county. Thanks to a two-year grant from the King Conservation District, agencies can apply for funding to purchase produce directly from farmers. Establishing these connections will both increase the amount, variety, quality, and consistency of local produce available to food insecure King County residents and support local farmers with a consistent, profitable outlet for produce.
We are developing direct purchasing agreements between farmers and food banks as well as piloting new ideas and models, creating flexible arrangements that support the varied needs of our partners. Like F2FP, agencies and farms can arrange contracts upfront (pre-harvest) or as extra unharvested produce becomes available during the growing season, ensuring fresh, healthy food goes to people rather than to waste. Since it is not always financially feasible for farmers to make donations, purchasing produce allows food banks to establish good rapport, fostering ongoing, mutually beneficial relationships. Additionally, we provide networking and resource-sharing opportunities among the agency partners, as well as outreach support.