California Ag Network

Tag: Farm-to-Fork

  • Business Builder Awards Infuse $1.5M into Food Enterprises Across Southwest

    Awards totaling approximately $1.5 million will empower farmers, ranchers and food entrepreneurs and strengthen local food systems and supply chain resiliency throughout the southwestern United States.

    Barraza Farms is a small-scale organic farm growing mixed vegetables in Santa Cruz County.

    The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Southwest Regional Food Business Center are pleased to announce the first round of Business Builder Award grants to 73 small and mid-sized farm and food businesses across the Southwest region.

    The Business Builder Award Program is designed to build capacity for food producers and processors by supporting infrastructure, innovation and market access. Recipients include businesses working on:

    ●      Food safety equipment for egg processing, cleaning and grading for a pasture-raised flock, modernizing operations and improving efficiency

    ●      Grain mill for organic heirloom flour production, which will increase supply tenfold to meet growing demand from school districts

    ●      Meat inspection and processing equipment supporting cattle ranchers in Arizona, Nevada and Utah

    ●      Marketing and packing supplies for small food businesses to expand into new markets; examples include spice blends, baked goods, mobile markets, farmers and fish harvesters

    “These projects reflect the diversity and ingenuity of our regional food producers,” said Tracy Celio, program manager for the Southwest Regional Food Business Center. “We are thrilled to distribute Business Builder awards across the Southwest in partnership with USDA, which will address the unique needs of farmers, ranchers and food producers while strengthening local food systems with lasting impact.”

    The recipients include a small, Los Angeles-based spice company, which creates authentic flavors of West Africa.

    “I’m so grateful to receive this grant for Gloria’s Shito,” said founder Gloria Allorbi, whose business creates authentic flavors of West Africa. “These funds will help elevate our shipping process, improve the unboxing experience, and reduce package damage. It’s a big step toward our mission of bringing the bold flavors to more tables and our vision of making the cuisine visible in mainstream grocery spaces; starting with our direct-to-consumer platforms while we grow into retail.”

    Another award recipient, Oatman Flats Ranch, is a farm in Arizona that aims to provide farm-to-fork regenerative, organic-certified food to schools, bakeries, restaurants and health-conscious consumers.

    “We’re thrilled to be an integral part of building local, regenerative and organic food network infrastructure with other local participants,” said Oatman Flats Ranch co-founder Dax Hansen. “This award helps us elevate the value chain with a walk-in freezer and refrigeration unit, improved packaging equipment, and sustainable logistics with local food hubs while supporting the integrity of the products for the community we serve.”

    Part of a national system of USDA food centers, the Southwest Regional Food Business Center – managed by UC ANR alongside its partners – provides coordination, technical assistance and capacity building for food and farm businesses.

    The center’s work across the Southwest is led by a coalition of partners including Utah State University Extension; Utah Department of Agriculture and Food; University of Nevada, Reno Extension; Nevada Department of Agriculture; UC Agriculture and Natural Resources; Valley Vision; UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology; California Department of Food and Agriculture; Occidental College; Local First Arizona; Arizona Department of Agriculture; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; California State University, Chico; Fresno State; Kitchen Table Advisors; and San Diego Food System Alliance.

    “UC ANR is proud to be part of this transformative initiative, supporting food and farm businesses across the Southwest and helping build a more resilient, diverse and competitive regional food system,” Celio said.

    For a full list of the 73 awardees and project descriptions, visit https://swfoodbiz.org/business-builder/. Updates on the progress of the projects will be posted on the website and on the SWfoodbiz Instagram and LinkedIn pages.

    USDA has terminated the national Regional Food Business Center program, effective Sept. 15, eliminating direct funding and training for small farmers. Over the past two years, the Southwest Regional Food Business Center has directly assisted 2,181 individuals and over 1,850 farm and food organizations to grow new businesses and strengthen local and regional food systems.

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings UC information and practices to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, economic growth, nutrition and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu and support our work at donate.ucanr.edu.

  • Tickets are on sale now to the Farm-to-Fork dining experience benefiting the CA State Fair Kaiser Permanente Farm

    Sacramento, Calif., (August 16, 2017) – Join us for the 2017 Blue Ribbon Brunch at the California State Fair Kaiser Permanente Farm on Sunday, September 10, 2017 from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

    The Blue Ribbon Brunch is a three course farm-to-fork feast with the best fresh, local ingredients, plus award-winning wines, beers and desserts from the California State Fair competitions.

    The Second Annual Blue Ribbon Brunch features farm-to-fork inspired meals by the official chef of the California State Fair, Keith Breedlove and guest chef Jill Campbell.

    Guests can stroll through the farm enjoying freshly picked vegetables and fruits while they sip award winning wines and beers.

    Tickets are $100.00 and are tax deductible. The Friends of the California State Fair hosts this major fundraiser for the Kaiser Permanente Farm. The proceeds from the Brunch help to add new fruit trees, cover expenses for planting new California-grown crops, farm equipment, supplies, tools and programming materials that are needed for the Fall and Spring Farm Tours from year-to-year.

    Buy your ticket here!

    The California State Fair Kaiser Permanente Farm offers K-6 grade students a unique, hands-on experience that shows them first-hand where their food comes during Spring and Fall Farm Tours at Cal Expo. Over 2500 students this year have experienced what it takes to plant, maintain and manage a farm from the 2017 CA State Fair Spring Farm Tours.

    The California State Fair Kaiser Permanente Farm Tours are offered for six weeks in the spring and fall. The 2017 Fall Farm Tours begin September 12 and run through October 19. They are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. School sign-ups are going on now at http://www.castatefair.org/farmtours/ . There is a nominal fee of $5 per student for the tour.

    “… the first challenge we have as teachers is to get students to buy in. Once they step foot on The Farm, they’re sold”, said Josie Peavy, 2nd grade teacher American Lake Elementary School.

    The CA State Fair Farm grows over 90 varieties of fruits and vegetables all year long from kiwi, squash, eggplant, chili peppers, corn and melons to pumpkins and even cotton. The tours give students insight on what it takes to grow and produce healthy food. Students will see actual crops including a functioning greenhouse. They will participate in five learning stations: Grow it- they will explore seeds; See it: they will see what the seeds turn into; Save it: the newest methods for growing plants; Plant it: they can plant seeds; and Taste it: they will be able to taste the foods grown on The Farm.

    The Farm’s fresh produce also goes a long way to providing healthy food to those in need all year long. We donate the majority of the fruits and vegetables to the Sacramento Food Bank. In 2016, Cal Expo donated 12,788 pounds of produce. Through June of this year, we have already donated 7,082 pounds. The Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services provides free emergency goods and services to 135,000 men, women and children each month. A fraction of the produce is used as for students to taste on the school tours and in cooking demonstrations at the California Kitchen during the CA State Fair.

    The Farm does more than grow food; it grows knowledge and enriches the lives of area youth and even peaks the students’ interest to pursue careers in California’s number one industry: Agriculture.

    “My students still talk about The Farm. We actually extended our farm unit by planting wild flowers to try and attract the bees, because they found out that the bee population was disseminating so they wanted to help out. And that was something they thought of on their own”, said Peavy.

    Please consider supporting events like the Blue Ribbon Brunch to make California State Fair Kaiser Permanente Farm School Farm Tours available to all students.