National Local Food Programs
Revised March 2022
National Local Food Programs
- ATTRA, National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - Provides information on sustainable agriculture and renewable energy.
- Buy Fresh Buy Local - Working to rebuild local food systems and promote sustainable agriculture.
- Buy Local Think Global - This site lists farmers' markets, growers associations, articles on buying local, energy news, technology and business.
- Environmental Nutritional Solutions - Provide reports on the benefits of sustainable food systems.
- Farm to School - Connects schools with local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias and supporting local farmers.
- Locavore Network - Eat locally, eat seasonally.
- MarketMaker - Local and regional food initiatives, food traceability and certification awareness.
- Women, Food and Agriculture Network - Provides networking opportunities for women in farming and food systems development and informs women about conservation practices and programs available.
State Local Food Programs
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, US Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Alabama
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh, Buy Local , increase market access, sales volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Sweet Grown Alabama, gives a direct connection to the family farms of Alabama.
Alaska
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
Arizona
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Arizona Grown, local organic produce and other foods.
County Specific Programs
- Baja Arizona Sustainable Agriculture, helping to create a local food supply in southern Arizona, and strengthening local food production and marketing by educating both producers and consumers.
Arkansas
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Arkansas Food.net devoted to local food and farming.
- Arkansas Grown helps potential buyers locate Arkansas producers.
- Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission promote Arkansas livestock and poultry industries for the benefits of our citizens.
- Arkansas Local Food Network
California
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh, Buy Local creating long term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- California Grown, created to reconnect the ties between the land and the consumers, and restore pride in homegrown products.
- Community Alliance with Family Farmers, building a movement of rural and urban people to foster family-scale agriculture.
County Specific Programs
- Local Food Coalition, Nevada County, working together to support local farmers, preserve local farms and farmland, and ensure a local food supply in western Nevada County.
- Nevada County Grown, strengthening the connection between local farmers and ranchers and the larger community.
Colorado
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Colorado Farmers Market Association, supporting and promoting Colorado farmers markets and direct marketing of Colorado agriculture products.
- Colorado Local Sustainability, sustainability planning for Colorado.
- Grow Local Colorado, developed by community leaders to help people grow more food locally.
Connecticut
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Connecticut Grown, helping you find locally grown food and farm products in Connecticut.
- Harvest New England, supporting the sale of New England - grown produce through supermarket channels, the program now includes all New England food and agricultural products.
- Local Food Guide to Connecticut
Delaware
Statewide Agencies
Florida
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Florida Farmlink, a social and economic networking tool to help communities and farmers build local food connections.
- Florida "Farm to School" Program, connecting local farmers and schools, including K-12, colleges, and universities, with fresh food.
- Fresh from Florida
Georgia
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Athens Locally Grown, a group of nearly a hundred small farms and gardens around Athens that raise produce ranging from dairy, to fruits and vegetables, to meats and herbs.
- Georgia Organics, Georgia Organics promotes Georgia organically grown produce.
- Buy Local Savannah recognizes local businesses that contribute to the economic prosperity and encourage community activism.
Hawaii
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh * Buy Local Island Fresh, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources - Increasing demand for, consumption of and familiarity with locally grown commodities.
- Hawai'i Island Grown Food - List of markets, farms and restaurants that serve Hawai'i Island grown food.
- Healthy in Hawaii - Fresh and organic foods in Hilo Hawaii.
Idaho
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- IdahoPreferred, Locally grown Idaho foods, dedicated to identifying and promoting Idaho food and agricultural products.
- Rural Roots, supports and enhances sustainable and organic agriculture and local food networks.
Illinois
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Illinois Farm Direct, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - A searchable, on-line directory of Illinois farmers growing and selling local foods to consumers.
Indiana
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Indiana Foodways Alliance, dedicated to the celebration, promotion, and preservation of the authentic food culture of Indiana.
Iowa
Statewide Agencies
- Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
- Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals Food and Consumer Safety Bureau - Processing applications and inspections of food processing plants and food establishments.
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local - Aa marketing program for farmers selling directly to consumers, grocery stores and other institutions.
- Drake University Agriculture Law Center, Greater Des Moines Buy Fresh Buy Local Campaign - Local and state food policy.
- Edible Iowa River Valley - A seasonal magazine dedicated to recognizing, preserving and revitalizing the flavors of the Heartland.
- Grow Your Small Market Farm TM Network - Farmer-led fruit and vegetable processing.
- Iowa Farm to School Program - Local chapters throughout the state help to connect the local food network with local students.
- Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association - Supports research and educational opportunities for fruit and vegetable growers.
- Iowa State University Department of Horticulture - Education programs for small acreage farmers and promotes fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Iowa State University University Extension - Small Farm Sustainability - Holds workshops dealing with sustainable farming, farmers' market vendors/managers and rotational grazing.
- Iowa State University Families Extension - Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management - Research, presentations and publications related to use of locally sourced foods by retail food service establishments.
- Iowa State University Organic Agriculture Program - Assist producers, processors and marketers in recommendations for organic ag and local food production.
- Iowa State University Value Added Agriculture Program - Provide leadership and vision for value-added agriculture education and business development.
- Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture - Support education, conduct research and assist in developing alternative practices.
- Practical Farmers of Iowa - Horticulture clusters and production programming, field days, on-farm research and demonstrations.
County-Specific Programs
- County of Marshall Investing in Diversified Agriculture (COMIDA) - Organizes community-wide local food discussions, develops and implements beginning farmer training program.
- Hometown Harvest of Southeast Iowa - Producers surveys, producer and public outreach and education, promoting local family farms.
- Iowa Valley Regional Food Initiative (I-Food) - Research regional local food needs and resources, and develop a sustainable regional food plan.
- ISU Dining- Farm to ISU and Buy Fresh Buy Local Central Iowa - ISU Dining's initiative to increase its purchases of local sustainable and organic foods.
- Johnson County Local Food Alliance, - Fosters a more local, more sustainable food economy in Johnson and surrounding counties.
- Local Foods Connections, South central and Southeast Iowa - Working to make locally made healthy food available to low-income communities and learn how to best prepare fresh food for the most health benefits.
- Northeast Iowa Farm & Food Coalition - Plans and partners with local organizations and food producers to provide and promote a variety of seasonal workshops for the region.
- Northern Iowa Food & Farm Partnership - Supports the development of a local and regional food economy that positively impacts local farmers, consumers and businesses through education, collaboration and economic development.
- \Southwest Iowa Food and Farm Initiative (SWIFFI) - Building a sustainable regional food system linking production, distribution and consumption for better health, food security and economic development.
Kansas
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Buy Fresh North Central Kansas, promote regional farms and agri-tourism businesses that market directly to the consumer.
- High Plains Food Coop, promote a culture of stewardship by cultivating farmer-consumer relationships, promote the enjoyment of healthy food, and enhance overall rural sustainability.
Kentucky
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Kentucky Proud Market, offering specialty foods, beverages, and hand-crafted items grown and produced by Kentucky farmers and producers.
Louisiana
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
Maine
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Eat Local Foods Coalition of Maine, creating a shift toward locally-based food system that is economically vibrant, environmentally sustainable and healthy.
- Get Real. Get Maine! connecting producers directly with consumers.
- Harvest New England, supporting the sale of New England-grown produce through supermarket channels, the program now includes all New England food and agricultural products.
County-Specific Programs
- Maine Highlands Farmers Market, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Somerset Counties, develops new markets to enhance farmer to community relationships and increase farm revenues.
Maryland
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Maryland's Best, a program created by the Maryland Department of Agriculture's Marketing and Agribusiness Development section, connecting producers and consumers.
County Specific Programs
- So Maryland, So Good, connecting the growers from the five Southern Maryland counties directly with consumers.
Massachusetts
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Community Involved in Sustainable Agriculture, strengthens local agriculture by building connections between farmers and the community.
- Harvest New England, supporting the sale of New England grown produce through supermarket channels, the program now includes all New England food and agricultural products.
- The Food Project, trains youth and adults to produce healthy food for residents of urban Massachusetts.
County Specific Programs
Michigan
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
County-Specific Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, Western Michigan.
- Taste the Local Difference, Michigan Land Use Institute, Traverse City, Michigan - This website promotes the production and consumption of local foods in a 10-county area of northwest Michigan.
Minnesota
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Heartland Food Network, working with Minnesota dining establishments, catering companies, institutional food service buyers and food distributors to encourage the increased consumption of locally grown foods.
- Local Foods Program, Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy, connecting the Upper Midwest and around the Midwest with those around the world. Also strengthening small and medium scale sustainable farms.
- Minnesota Grown, a partnership between Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Minnesotans who grow or raise specialty crops and livestock.
- Slow Food Minnesota, defending the biodiversity of our food, offer taste education and link producers of excellent food to consumers.
Mississippi
Statewide Agencies
- Missouri State Department of Agriculture
- Grow Native, helping to protect and restore our state's biodiversity by increasing conservation awareness of native plants and their effective use.
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Eat Wild, a direct link between local farmers selling all-natural, grass-fed products to consumers.
- Missouri Exchange, a place to buy and sell Missouri-produced products and a source of information for market participants.
Montana
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) - dedicated to grassroots solutions for resource conservation and local economic vitality in Montana.
- Buy Fresh Buy Local - increasing market access, sale volume, net income and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Buy Local Montana - supporting the consumption of locally grown foods because the entire community receives the benefits.
- Montana Made - local food buying initiative to optimize the use of Montana grown and/or processed products.
Nebraska
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Nebraska Food Cooperative, helping Nebraska farmers, gardeners, and craftspeople come together.
Nevada
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Nevada Grown, promotes Nevada agricultural producers and their products.
New Hampshire
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Harvest New England, supporting the sale of New England-grown produce through supermarket channels, the program now includes all New England food and agricultural products.
- New Hampshire Farm to School Program, creating a sustainable and expandable business and educational program that connects NH farms and farm products to NH classrooms and cafeterias.
- New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection, links New Hampshire farms and food businesses with New Hampshire consumers and restaurants.
New Jersey
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
New Mexico
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local - Increasing market access, sale volume, net income and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Farm To Table - Dedicated to promoting locally based agriculture through education, community outreach and networking.
- New Mexico Food and Agriculture Policy Council - Works to build the capacity of agencies, organizations and individuals and of communities to advocate local, state and national agricultural policies.
New York
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Buy Local. Buy Pride of New York, promote and support the sale of agriculture products grown and food products grown and food products processed within the state of New York.
North Carolina
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- North Carolina Farm Fresh, a comprehensive database of grower/shipper information.
- Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, get connected with healthy, fresh food, the farmers who grow it; and the markets, grocers, and restaurants committed to using locally grown products.
North Dakota
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Going Local North Dakota, a networking site for keeping in touch with other local food supporters.
Ohio
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- A Taste of Ohio, promoting Ohio made foods, unique retail outlets, and food marketplace events.
- Ohio Proud, promotes food and agricultural products that are made and grown in Ohio.
Oklahoma
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing marketing access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Closer to Home: Healthy Food, Farms and Families, Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 2009 - This report looks at Oklahoma’s food system from farm to table, combining information on nutrition, health and food access along with information about agricultural production and marketing.
- Oklahoma Farm to School, aims at getting Oklahoma-grown food on the cafeteria trays, encourages farmers to sell produce to schools and encourages schools to buy from local producers.
- The Oklahoma Food Connection: A Directory of Agricultural Producers, Crops and Institutional Buyers, Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, updated 2009 - This directory consists of four sections: a list of Oklahoma farms by county, a list of crops and the farms that grow them, a list of institutions interested in buying locally grown foods and more information on farm-to-school and food policy in Oklahoma.
- Oklahoma Food Cooperative, only sell food and non-food products that are made in Oklahoma, connecting our family farms to your family table.
- Made in Oklahoma, connecting consumers directly to the farmers producing fresh fruits and vegetables.
County Specific Programs
- Frontier Farms Buy Fresh Buy Local, a connection to the Oklahoma City metro area's freshest and most delicious local food.
- Sustainable Green County, Buy Fresh Buy Local, making it fun and easy to find delicious, farm-fresh foods in northeast Oklahoma.
Oregon
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Ecotrust Food and Farm Program, is building food networks of flourishing farms, vibrant communities, and healthy eaters.
Pennsylvania
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Farm to City, uniting communities, families and farmers year round through good local food.
- Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture, working to improve the economic prosperity, environmental soundness and social propriety of Pennsylvania.
- The PA Preferred Program, a labeling program that helps consumers identify products of Pennsylvania agriculture, providing a valuable service to both the producer and consumer.
Puerto Rico
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
Rhode Island
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Local RI, connecting independent businesses and organizations wanting to sell their local products to communities in Rhode Island.
- Farm Fresh Rhode Island - This website is home to the Local Food Guide to Rhode Island, which includes searchable directories of farms, community gardens and local food businesses in the state.
- Harvest New England, supporting the sale of New England grown produce through supermarket channels, the program now includes all New England food and agriculture produce.
South Carolina
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Certified South Carolina, learn more about the producers who grow, harvest, and process the products.
- Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, promotes sustainable agriculture by educating, inspiring, and organizing farmers and consumers.
- Fresh on the Menu, provides South Carolina citizens the freshest products and produce from some of the nation's best restaurants.
South Dakota
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Dakota Flavor - a directory of agricultural products, producers and processors.
Tennessee
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local - Increasing market access, sale volume, net income and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Pick Tennessee Products - Tennessee Farm Bureau and Department of Agriculture work together to assist producers with the promotion of their products and connecting them to local consumers.
Texas
Statewide Agencies
US Virgin Islands
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
Utah
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Utah's Own, sponsored by the Utah Department of Agriculture to encourage consumers to shop Utah, Buy Utah, and Build Utah.
Vermont
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Harvest New England supports the sale of New England-grown produce through supermarket channels. The program now includes all New England food and agriculture products.
- Smart Growth Vermont provides ideas of how to conserve, develop, steward and connect with the land.
- Vermont Fresh Network encourages farmers, food producers and chefs to work directly with each other to build partnerships.
County-Specific Programs
- Addison County Locally Grown is an online farmers' market where farmers may register to sell their own produce.
- Local Growers Guide, a guide to locally produced food in the Champlain Valley and central Vermont, helps you find and learn more about local farmers.
- Mad River Valley Localvore Project celebrates and supports local food in the Mad River Valley, those who eat it and those who grow it, through education, community connections and collective wisdom.
Virginia
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Farm-to-School, bringing nutritious fresh food from local farms to schools including K-12, colleges, and universities.
- Virginia Grown, supporting Virgina agriculture by promoting products from local farmers, producers and processors.
Washington
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- P-Patch Community Gardens, contributing to Seattle's urban agriculture with youth projects and more than 60 gardens.
West Virginia
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, increasing market access, sale volume, net income, and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- West Virginia Farmers Market Association, membership based organization designed to strengthen farmers markets and enhance their surrounding communities.
Wisconsin
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Buy Fresh Buy Local, Southern Wisconsin, increasing market access, sale volume, and net income and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
- Buy Local Buy Wisconsin, database of grocers interested in purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables, meats, cheese and more from local farmers, growers, producers, and manufacturers.
- Wisconsin Local Food, educate people about what grows around them, develop and strengthen a connection between farmers, consumers, and chefs.
Wyoming
Statewide Agencies
Statewide Programs
- Wyoming Farmers Markets - Increasing market access, sale volume, net income and long-term stability of direct marketing farmers, and strengthening the viability of independent farmers and businesses.
