LOCAL FOOD HUB

-A new population of eaters connected to where their food comes from
-Reductions in diet-related diseases and improvements in public health
-New markets for the very smallest of this region’s family farms
-A system where farmers, customers, and the community are connected to one another and to the source of their food
-The efficient movement of food from small farms to the wholesale marketplace, and to those who need it most
-Sustainable land stewardship, enhanced public health, and a vibrant local economy
-Financial sustainability for Virginia’s small family farms
-Adoption of best practices and sustainable farming techniques
-Greater safety, transparency, nutrition, and taste in the region’s food supply

-Partnership: Local Food Hub works with every farm on production planning, marketing, food safety, product development, and more.
-Planning: Local Food Hub works year-round with its partner farms to help them plan crop selection, quantities, and price ranges so that they can maximize their investments and feel secure about their place in the market.
-Health: Partnering with area health clinics, Local Food Hub supplies free produce “prescriptions” to patients who are at risk for certain diet-related illnesses, along with recipes and cooking classes.
-Schools: Local Food Hub works with City Schoolyard Garden and Charlottesville City Schools on a monthly fresh snack program. It also works with nutrition directors in eight regional school districts, as well as private schools and universities, on local sourcing for their cafeterias.
-Hunger: Local Food Hub donates or supplies thousands of pounds of produce each year to area food banks and hunger relief organizations so that fresh, local food makes its way into feeding programs for those most in need.
-Safety: Local Food Hub has assisted 15 of its partner farms to achieve Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification, a government- and industry-recognized standard in food safety that is among the highest regarded credentials available.
-Quality: Local Food Hub has developed an internal Quality Assurance Program to help farmers navigate changes in food regulation and the demands of the wholesale marketplace.
-Quality: Local Food Hub maintains Good Handling Practices certification for its warehouse, an industry- and government-recognized standard in food safety that is among the highest regarded credentials available.

Local Food Hub has a well-qualified and experienced staff, as well as 10 years experience working with small farms and wholesale buyers. Due to our position in the food system, we are uniquely situated to work with all key groups to increase access to local food and support small family farmers.

Since our founding in 2009, we have:

-reinvested approximately 10M in the local economy
-partnered with 75+ local farmers and producers
-distributed food to hundreds of schools, grocery stores, restaurants, and more, throughout Virginia and into DC and Maryland
-worked with 7 health clinics to provide food access and education to hundreds of vulnerable community members and their families
-provided local food to thousands of Virginia schoolchildren through Farm to School and Harvest of the Month
-assisted 15 farms in attaining Good Agricultural Practices through technical support and cost-share
-provided farms throughout Virginia with critical food safety, technical, and planning support
-As of June 2019, merged distribution operations with a mission-aligned food hub in Northern Virginia, 4P Foods, promoting the development of a more efficient and sustainable food distribution network.