This Organic Resource Guide provides an overview of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and services available to the public that either directly or indirectly support organic agriculture. Some programs have the specific...

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...

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,...

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 Local Food Facility hopes to become a pivotal hub in the King County local food network, helping to grow businesses and connect local food partners. ECONorthwest's analysis led to conclude that this food facility concept could be financially...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

CALED knows from its work supporting economic development throughout California that infrastructure financing is a challenge for many rural communities. CALED collaborated with CDFA to develop this guidebook to meet the need for a resource to help...

Localized food systems are being developed in communities across the country in order to strengthen local economies, increase entrepreneurship, address social issues, and lessen environmental impacts. At the same time, many places are expanding...

Localized food systems are being developed in communities across the country in order to strengthen local economies, increase entrepreneurship, address social issues, and lessen environmental impacts. At the same time, many places are expanding...

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...

HUD issued this report in October 2019 to identify opportunities and challenges for Federal, State, and local governments to partner with nonprofit organizations to complete community development, revitalization, and rehabilitation projects using...

An overview of how New Markets Tax Credits work featuring Commonwealth Kitchen as a case study.

U.S. farmers are currently facing the most difficult agricultural economy since the 1980s. At the same time, many states are wrestling with the necessity of addressing environmental challenges. This report expounds upon the excellent work states are...

Food Commons Fresno is operationalizing the model with wholesale, food box, hub, commissary, and farming businesses managed through a linked for-benefit corporation and a community trust. The lessons from TFC suggest the need for rapid development...

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...

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...

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...

On April 25, 2017, the President of the United States established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity through Executive Order 13790. The purpose and function of the Task Force was to identify legislative, regulatory, and...

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...

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...

The first County-Township parcel TIF (tax increment financing) enacted by Franklin County for a new location and expansion of a regional ethnic grocer: La Plaza Tapatia (the Developer), in Franklin Township.

Local Food, Local Places helps communities create walkable, healthy, economically thriving downtowns and neighborhoods through the development of local food systems.

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 Hatchery Chicago is a non-profit food business incubator that enables local entrepreneurs to build and grow successful businesses. Accion, the area’s largest microlender, and ICNC, which runs one of the largest business incubators in the...

5 Spoke Creamery, a Hudson Valley-based artisanal cheese making business, installed a 53kW solar system that will provide 108% of the farm’s electricity needs. The farm used PACE financing, offered by the Energize NYtm Finance program, to pay for...

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...

During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Webcast Series, Barry Kukovich with Peoples Gas, Glenn Ford with InCity Farms and Rick Terrien with Artisan Food Networks, thought outside the silo and recognized the food system as an economic...

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...

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. Toby Rittner with...

For partners in the $17.5 million L.A. Prep project, the recipe for a successful food business accelerator calls for equal parts social philanthropy, economic development and collaborative synergy. L.A. Prep was financed using $16 million in NMTC...

Mike Lufkin and Bea Covington discuss the local food systems in WA and how it's become a growing challenge. Mike and Bea discuss changes to the way food is reaching consumers and addressing social issues.

Debra Tropp from the USDA introduces a new publication from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and USDA entitled Harvesting Opportunities: The Power of Regional Food Systems Investments to...

This Crossroads Resource Center report, written by Ken Meter and Megan Philips Goldenberg, examines the food system of Hawaii with special attention to low-income access to food.