"At a time of rising food costs and shrinking farm margins, Farms Together has been a lifeline,"
"With each passing month, farmers lose the ability to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to hungry families-not because the program doesn't work, but because federal funding was cut,"
"Thanks to the program, my business was able to strengthen itself by purchasing machinery, paying salaries to my employees and transitioning to new land. It also allowed me to earn a salary,"
The Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (Farms Together) pays farmers fair market prices to supply fresh foods directly to local food banks. The program launched in January 2024, supported 800 farms statewide, fed more than 2 million Californians, and brought an estimated $88 million into the California economy. Federal cuts eliminated more than $48 million in funding slated to sustain the program through 2027, causing over 500 farms to lose funding and an estimated 5.4 million fewer meals in five months. State action is needed to prevent the program from shuttering in July.
Read at The Mercury News
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