The Arizona Food Bank Network, Pinnacle Prevention, the Arizona Department of Economic Security, the Arizona Department of Education, and the Arizona Farm to School Network are working together to help source and place locally sourced foods in various food assistance programs. Our goal is to purchase fresh, Arizona-grown produce, dairy, and protein and distribute it to Arizonans struggling with hunger through the statewide emergency food relief network and food assistance programs. We are collaborating with growers and communities to purchase food through three food purchasing programs.
Two USDA programs help to fund Purchase Local Arizona, Friends of the Farm, and Try it Local: 1) the Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program and 2) the Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program. These USDA programs are designed to strengthen supply chain resiliency by supporting local, regional, and socially disadvantaged food producers by purchasing local food to distribute in rural, remote, or underserved communities. The Arizona Department of Economic Security and the Arizona Department of Education will disburse AZ's allocation of funds, approximately $19 million, over fiscal years 2023-2025.
The Results are in!
Check out these 2023 IMPACTS
Together with dozens of community-based organizations and hundreds of farmers and food producers across the state, the Friends of the Farm and Purchase Local Arizona programs are building a more resilient, food system in Arizona.
