Farmers’ markets are booming in popularity around the country. They are popular with consumers seeking fresh, local food. They are popular with farmers moving toward direct marketing of their products. And they are popular with beginning farmers and...

Linking development finance and food systems can be a daunting undertaking for any community. Research on the current ecosystem of food systems finance has positioned CDFA to identify key strategies for the path ahead in this work. The Food Systems...

Regenerative farms rely on small-to-mid scale, aligned infrastructure to process, transport, and market their products. These middle infrastructure businesses help to improve farm income and bolster regional food economies while providing...

Food and agriculture-related businesses are often perceived as too risky for traditional lending approaches, yet CDFA research tells a different story. This report, with loan-level data from over a thousand funds nationwide, demonstrates that food...

The Global Alliance for the Future of Food and Transformational Investing in Food Systems Initiative (TIFS) released a comprehensive new report that gives investors a roadmap of creative finance strategies that support entrepreneurs, farmers,...

Co-sponsored by the Center for Innovative Food Technology and JobsOhio, “Ohio’s Food Industry,” a series of four new white papers highlight that Ohio has been a leader in research and innovation in the food industry, which is a primary economic...

A critical review of the current and future realities of Ohio's food industry.

A report on the high value of Ohio's food and agribusiness industry as a key economic driver.

An informative report on the technologies transforming Ohio's food and agribusiness industry.

This report explores the concepts, practices, challenges, and promise of regional food systems, focusing on the Northeast U.S. as a laboratory for regional food systems thinking and action, but it also describes and gives examples of regional food...

The purpose of the report is to equip value chain actors with innovative financial mechanisms and incentive strategies that can be employed in agricultural sustainability projects to support producers in scaling conservation adoption.

This report describes how three CDFIs drive economic growth in low-income and historically marginalized communities through a model defined by the EFOD Collaborative as Equitable Food Oriented Development (EFOD). EFOD is a development approach that...

During this installment of the CDFA Food Systems Finance Webinar Series, we explored how investing in food-centered redevelopment can restore local food systems infrastructure, catalyze additional neighborhood development, and protect healthy,...

The Plan estimates that additional public and philanthropic investment is needed over the next ten years: approximately $9.7 million in one-time funding and $23.3 million in recurring funding. This level of funding will ensure sufficient land access...

Food Forward NYC is the City’s first ever 10-year food policy plan, laying out an ambitious interagency policy framework to reach a more equitable, sustainable, and healthy food system by 2031. The success of this plan depends on the partnership of...

CDFA released the final publication of the CDFA Food Finance White Paper Series, Advancing Local Food Systems Through Development Finance. This webinar provides an overview of this publication as we review CDFA's framework for expanding traditional...

An investment in food infrastructure will ensure that Native producers have access to reliable markets and the wraparound support services that are so critical to robust food systems. By approaching infrastructure from a new model and linking...

This is the sixth and final white paper in a series examining the potential creation of a food systems asset class that supports the market growth of local and regional food systems. This paper presents three replicable strategies for restoring...

Traditional sources of capital ranging from philanthropy to private equity to banking institutions have demonstrated a strong interest in investing in a more diversified, resilient food system. To better understand and capture the capital needs of...

There are several existing agricultural lender initiatives that can inform the development of lending programs or products for resilient agriculture. This report derives five key lessons from these initiatives, including the need to understand the...

Cultivating Development explores the mutually beneficial relationship between food-based amenities—such as working farms, community gardens, food halls, restaurants, and grocery stores—and real estate. Developers, owners, property managers,...

COVID-19 disrupted nations around the world in 2019 and 2020. It continues to cause death and economic damage in many countries. The changes in lifestyle and measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have significantly altered economic activity,...

The Columbus & Franklin County Local Food Action Plan provides a framework of common goals and actions that serve to unify residents, schools, community organizations, businesses, and local government in supporting a healthy, strong, and resilient...

This paper continues a white paper series demonstrating the ways in which traditional development financing is already supporting food systems, with a focus on finance tools that help to stimulate investment. An overview of investment tools, such as...

Equitable Food Oriented Development (EFOD) is a framework, and growing movement, to reap the powerful benefits of food projects and enterprises as vehicles for community development and health, while investing deeply in the self-determination and...

Other systems, including our energy, water, and transportation systems, also fell in line with that ethos; but unlike the food system, these sectors are undertaking 21st-century upgrades that comport better with our modern norms and realities by...

This white paper is part of a series examining the potential creation of a food systems asset class which supports the market growth of local and regional food systems. This paper focuses specifically on targeted financing tools that can be used to...

This Toolkit is intended for everyone from kitchen entrepreneurs to startup nonprofits, from economic development agencies to producer networks, from food system groups to real estate developers. We hope this Toolkit also provides helpful guidance...

Local food procurement in New England institutions has the potential to improve the health of citizens, support the New England agricultural economy and other area businesses, and reduce the environmental impact of transporting food to New England...

This information summarizes Farm Credit System 2018 lending activity to young, beginning, and small (YBS) farmers, ranchers, and producers or harvesters of aquatic products. For total System loans, the number of new loans made in 2018 declined by...

In 43 metropolitan areas and 160 smaller markets, Walmart captures 50 percent or more of grocery sales, our analysis of 2018 spending data found. In 38 of these regions, Walmart’s share of the grocery market is 70 percent or more. Our findings...

The Fair Food Fund was designed to meet these entrepreneurs where they are and take them where they want to go. Since 2013, we have invested more than $3 million in 13 food businesses. Just as important is supporting these businesses on the road to...

Can women and minorities get the loans they need to buy and operate farms? According to USDA survey data, these "socially disadvantaged" farmers and ranchers get a disproportionately small share of farm loans. More detailed information isn’t...

This brief highlights the many ways and scales at which local governments can invest in aggregation, processing, and distribution infrastructure to support local and regional food systems, from commissioning assessment studies and food hub business...

As the investment community in the United States, particularly within the fields of sustainable, responsible, and impact investing, shows an increasing appetite for investing in sustainable agriculture and food systems across asset classes, a subset...

Researched and written by CDFA, this is the third white paper in a series examining the potential creation of a food systems asset class that supports the market growth of local and regional food systems. This paper focuses specifically on bond...

The State Farm to School Policy Handbook: 2002-2018 is a tool for those working to advance the farm to school movement, whose core elements include local food procurement, school gardens, and food and agriculture education. The Handbook summarizes...

As interest in sustainable food systems and agricultural value chains grows, increasing numbers of investors are beginning to explore high-impact investing opportunities in food, farming, and forestry across asset classes.

Cities and towns across the country are undertaking new initiatives and strengthening current programs that support development and growth of local food systems while reinvesting in downtowns and existing neighborhoods. Strong interest from...

Every five years, Congress reauthorizes this sweeping piece of legislation in an effort to prevent hunger, bring fresh foods to communities lacking access, and add vibrancy and diversity to the local food system. However, funding for critical...

Research and written by CDFA, this white paper is part of a series examining the potential creation of a food systems asset class which supports the market growth of local and regional food systems which meet the economic, social, environmental, and...

The resulting lack of access to healthy, affordable food undermines the health and well-being of children and families, and further harms communities that are already struggling economically. The report led to a series of convenings of key...

The objectives of the Puget Sound Food Infrastructure Exploration were: to assess and clarify the need for local food system infrastructure in the Puget Sound region, facilitate a collaborative review that aligns with existing civic programs,...

Since the inception of the modern food industry and the period marking the post-world war period, there has never been a time when consumers have been so far in front of the food industry’s directions. The InCity Farm can bring year-round, locally...

This report focuses on market-based, consumer-driven solutions to overcoming difficult food access and food equity issues. The market based approach to food access and equity merges two powerful forces: first, the need and desire to make a financial...

Environmental stewardship is becoming increasingly key to our economic vitality. As a result, investors are financing businesses that make a profit because of environmental sustainability, rather than in spite of it. The financial returns are real,...

How Bread and Butter Farm worked with a patchwork quilt of financing sources to keep land conserved for agriculture.

Many food-related initiatives, projects, and businesses have lacked sufficient resources and financing for economic and community development, largely because the food system as a whole has not been formally defined as an asset class. As the first...

Ohio State aims to increase the amount of local and sustainable food options it provides across its dining facilities to equal at least 40% of its food offerings by 2025. A panel comprised of Ohio State faculty, students, staff and external...

Traditionally, Development Finance and the Food System have not collaborated in any significant fashion. However, food systems can be brought into coordination with public finance in order to bring capital to the system as a whole. Brian Estabrook...