Production, Processing, and Distribution Models

Connecting with agricultural organizations and implementing policies that encourage local food production in rural areas is one approach to addressing healthy food access. Rural areas are losing farmland at a rapid pace, which can have long-term consequences on the availability of healthy food. Creating, preserving, and continuing the sustainability of agricultural lands are key steps to maintaining a local food system that supplies healthy food to the area and can be addressed by:

• Land Use Policies, which can ease the burden of starting and maintaining farmland by offering financial credits to food producers
• Food Hubs, processors and/or distributors for small farms, which can help them make a profit without expanding their production or land size
• Community Gardens, which provide residents with a space to grow food.