Produce to Pantries (P2P) is a partnership between the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE), the Hardwick Area Food Pantry (HAFP), and local farms. This project increases the availability of locally grown, high quality produce at area food pantries by bringing additional buying capacity to pantries and building relationships with small, local farms. Having participated in the USDA Farmers to Families food box program in 2020, CAE realized that we could leverage our existing relationships with area farmers and create a more localized and flexible program than what was offered through the USDA, and meet a need that persisted well before the pandemic. Through P2P, CAE facilitates an increase in the pantries’ purchasing power by providing grant support and handling much of the logistics, communications and administration of produce purchases - aspects for which the pantries don’t typically have capacity. The farmers are guaranteed a purchase, and then deliver their product to the pantries directly, or are supported by CAE’s delivery service, Farm Connex.


To read more about Produce to Pantries, please visit: https://hardwickagriculture.org/about/case-studies/local-farmers-feedin…

To see a complete list of the 5 projects that will receive funding, please visit: https://agriculture.vermont.gov/grants/local-food-purchase-assistance.