Food System Financing Strategy – Phase II of the Sacramento Region Food System Action Plan
This report undertaken by Grassroots Globe and Valley Vision with the generous support of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation (SRCF) comprises Phase II of the 2021 Sacramento Region Food System Action Plan (Regional Action Plan) process and identifies strategies to meet the funding needs for a resilient, sustainable, and equitable food system. The development of targeted food system financing strategies has been a long-term priority for the region, as identified in the 2015 Sacramento Region Food System Action Plan and echoed across further reporting and initiatives completed over the years, including the research findings of a national landscape scan on governance and funding models undertaken by Grassroots Globe at the request of Soil Born Farms and the Healthy Food For All Collaborative. The region, part of the Great Central Valley, experiences chronic underinvestment in the food system, including from the philanthropic sector at the regional, state, and national levels. Most recently, the end of The California Endowment’s ten-year investment in the Building Healthy Communities initiative left a further gap in our funding infrastructure, particularly for the non-profit sector.
As America’s Farm to Fork Capital, strategic investments in the regional food system have the power to address pervasive, collective challenges connected to food and nutrition insecurity and food-related health crises; leverage the strong assets of our food and agriculture economy, including as a pathway for inclusive economic and community development; and accelerate the many innovative partnerships and activities, deepening their impact and surfacing best practices for replication. This is more important than ever given the increasing need for resilience in the wake of a changing climate and other systemic shocks, such as COVID-19.
The report focuses on three inter-related categories of funding pathways which provide orientation for the findings of this report: municipal finance tools, federal and state grants, and philanthropic fund models. While the latter two are familiar revenue sources for food systems partners, municipal finance tools represent an under-utilized pathway. As the field and framing of local economic development is increasingly being leveraged to bolster food systems revitalization in the post-COVID landscape, particularly in federal initiatives, municipal finance tools represent a unique opportunity for generating resources.
As such, this report takes a closer look at the range of tools available to local governments who were
called upon to play a more active and systematic role in the food system, as their investments can
improve community health and wellbeing while driving economic growth and opportunity.
USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center
The Southwest Regional Food Business Center is a five-year $35 million program funded by the USDA Regional Food Business Centers Program, connecting Food and Agriculture Initiatives across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. As part of the network of USDA Regional Food Business Centers, the Southwest Center is a hub for the region’s small and mid-tier food and farm businesses and local and regional food sector development initiatives.
In May 2022, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) was awarded by USDA to serve as the Southwest Center lead. Valley Vision, alongside UC ANR and UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology, serve on the Southwest Center Management Team. As part of the management team, Valley Vision leads communications, partnership development and coordination across the four states.
The Southwest Regional Food Business Center supports a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system by providing localized assistance to access local and regional supply chains, including linking producers to wholesalers and distributors. The Center provides capacity building, technical assistance, and coordination to assist in access to new markets, access to federal, state, and local resources, and overcoming barriers to market access, with a focus on underserved farmers, ranchers, and food businesses.
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Contact the Southwest Center: info@swfoodbiz.org
Sacramento Region CROP Profile
As part of the Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan (CROP), this profile identifies priority areas for infrastructure investments and programs to strengthen the Sacramento Region’s food and agricultural cluster. The Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan provides county and regional leaders the opportunity to address infrastructure investment challenges and collectively come together on solutions, including policies and investments, that will support the region’s agricultural sustainability and long-term economic health and resiliency. This profile summarizes key highlights from the county profiles and includes examples of innovative models that can be leveraged across the region for shared solutions and potential resources to meet vital infrastructure needs.
El Dorado County CROP Profile
As part of the Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan (CROP), this profile identifies priority areas for infrastructure investments and programs to strengthen El Dorado County’s food and agricultural cluster. The Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan provides county and regional leaders the opportunity to address infrastructure investment challenges and collectively come together on solutions, including policies and investments, that will support the region’s agricultural sustainability and long-term economic health and resiliency. This profile includes examples of innovative models that can be leveraged across the region for shared solutions and potential resources to meet vital infrastructure needs. CROP also includes a Regional Profile that summarizes key highlights from the county profiles.
Placer County CROP Profile
As part of the Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan (CROP), this profile identifies priority areas for infrastructure investments and programs to strengthen Placer County’s food and agricultural cluster. The Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan provides county and regional leaders the opportunity to address infrastructure investment challenges and collectively come together on solutions, including policies and investments, that will support the region’s agricultural sustainability and long-term economic health and resiliency. This profile includes examples of innovative models that can be leveraged across the region for shared solutions and potential resources to meet vital infrastructure needs. CROP also includes a Regional Profile that summarizes key highlights from the county profiles.
Sacramento County CROP Profile
As part of the Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan (CROP), this profile identifies priority areas for infrastructure investments and programs to strengthen Sacramento County’s food and agricultural cluster. The Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan provides county and regional leaders the opportunity to address infrastructure investment challenges and collectively come together on solutions, including policies and investments, that will support the region’s agricultural sustainability and long-term economic health and resiliency. This profile includes examples of innovative models that can be leveraged across the region for shared solutions and potential resources to meet vital infrastructure needs. CROP also includes a Regional Profile that summarizes key highlights from the county profiles.
Sutter County CROP Profile
As part of the Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan (CROP), this profile identifies priority areas for infrastructure investments and programs to strengthen Sutter County’s food and agricultural cluster. The Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan provides county and regional leaders the opportunity to address infrastructure investment challenges and collectively come together on solutions, including policies and investments, that will support the region’s agricultural sustainability and long-term economic health and resiliency. This profile includes examples of innovative models that can be leveraged across the region for shared solutions and potential resources to meet vital infrastructure needs. CROP also includes a Regional Profile that summarizes key highlights from the county profiles.
Yuba County CROP Profile
As part of the Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan (CROP), this profile identifies priority areas for infrastructure investments and programs to strengthen Yuba County’s food and agricultural cluster. The Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan provides county and regional leaders the opportunity to address infrastructure investment challenges and collectively come together on solutions, including policies and investments, that will support the region’s agricultural sustainability and long-term economic health and resiliency. This profile includes examples of innovative models that can be leveraged across the region for shared solutions and potential resources to meet vital infrastructure needs. CROP also includes a Regional Profile that summarizes key highlights from the county profiles.
Yolo County CROP Profile
As part of the Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan (CROP), this profile identifies priority areas for infrastructure investments and programs to strengthen Yolo County’s food and agricultural cluster. The Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan provides county and regional leaders the opportunity to address infrastructure investment challenges and collectively come together on solutions, including policies and investments, that will support the region’s agricultural sustainability and long-term economic health and resiliency. This profile includes examples of innovative models that can be leveraged across the region for shared solutions and potential resources to meet vital infrastructure needs. CROP also includes a Regional Profile that summarizes key highlights from the county profiles.
We Are Farm to Fork
A collaborative approach to solving local, regional, national, and global food challenges
We Are Farm To Fork encourages the use of local food in the greater Sacramento region to make a positive impact on health, economy, the environment and our community. We pioneer solutions that address the same challenges being faced worldwide.
The Sacramento region is geographically situated at the heart of one of the world’s largest agricultural economies. With 1.5 million acres of farmland, we produce an enviable variety of high-quality crops and food products shipped around the globe—making food and agriculture one of our most prized economic sectors. Our region has long served as a global innovator and leader in sustainable agriculture, food, health, and research.
Featured We Are Farm to Fork Projects
Sacramento Region Food System Action Plan
The Sacramento Region Food System Action Plan identifies prevailing challenges, opportunities, best practices, priorities, and recommendations to advance the region’s food system. The goal of the plan is to increase the vitality of the region’s food system.
The Lab@AgStart is the largest wetland startup incubator in California’s Central Valley region. The facility helps lower costs for startup companies by providing shared and fully-stocked facilities.
Alchemist Public Market will assist under-served entrepreneurs with unique opportunities to launch their businesses and will create a community gathering place, and provide low-income neighbors with access to quality food and produce from local sellers.
Scan the QR code to learn more or visit WeAreFarmToFork.org
Email FoodAndAg@ValleyVision.org to join us as we can continue to support projects aimed at making the Sacramento Region’s food system more accessible, sustainable, and prosperous.
We Are Farm to Fork is managed by Valley Vision.
Yolo Food Hub Buyer Survey – Executive Summary
As part of the Yolo Food Hub project, this survey collected specific information from institutional buyers in the region. The results will allow the Yolo Food Hub Network to create a facility that is equitable, sustainable, and offers a wide range of valuable services to consumers and producers. The results will also inform the feasibility study of the Yolo Food Hub as well as the business plan.
Coordinated Rural Opportunity Plan
The Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan (CROP) is funded by the Department of Conservation’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program. CROP is a joint effort between the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) and Valley Vision. CROP is the next phase of SACOG’s groundbreaking Rural-Urban Connections Strategy (RUCS) to enhance rural economies and the natural assets that drive them across the six-county Sacramento region: El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties.
The Coordinated Rural Opportunities Plan provides county and regional leaders the opportunity to address infrastructure investment challenges and collectively come together on solutions, including policies and investments, that will support the region’s agricultural sustainability and long-term economic health and resiliency
CROP includes a comprehensive profile of each county that identifies priority areas for infrastructure investments and programs to strengthen the region’s food and agricultural cluster. The profiles include examples of innovative models that can be leveraged across the region for shared solutions and potential resources to meet vital infrastructure needs. CROP also includes a Regional Profile that summarizes key highlights from the county profiles.
CROP Profiles
Sacramento Region CROP Profile
CROP has defined needed food and agriculture infrastructure as physical investments, policy recommendations, and promising models in four interrelated areas: water, land use and housing, transportation and broadband, and food system and governance.
Food System Infrastructure
CROP Thematic Areas
CROP Map
Collectively, the six-county region has a rich agricultural history that provides a treasured legacy for residents and a strong regional identity. CROP has shown agriculture continues to have a bright future in the region: we have some of the most productive farmland in the world, highly skilled and knowledgeable farmers, water, and climate assets, supporting institutions, and a wide diversity of high-value crops. Through these models, policy, and recommendations, CROP aims to promote public and private sector investment in infrastructure and programs that strengthen the economic, social, and environmental contributions of the region’s food system, preserving the central role agriculture plays in the future.
Background
Agriculture Has Deep Roots in the Sacramento Region
The counties of El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba have a rich history in agriculture that provides a treasured legacy for residents and a strong regional identity. As the foundation of a food and agricultural economy valued at more than $12 billion, agriculture can have a bright future given that we have some of the most productive farmland in the world, highly skilled farmers, water and climate assets, a wide diversity of high-value crops, and UC Davis, one of the world’s premier agricultural institutions.
Agriculture is an Economic Driver
The region’s Prosperity Strategy outlines a strategic framework and bridge to action for the six-county region that prioritizes our core economic initiatives, aimed at advancing a more aligned, prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Sacramento region. The Prosperity Strategy includes initiatives to support the region’s tradeable industries – groups of related industries that support economic output through exporting goods or services. These industries are critical for local prosperity because of their ability to improve productivity and bring in wealth from outside the region through competitive economic advantage.
Agriculture is the foundation of our region’s most distinct tradeable industry – the food and agriculture cluster – comprised of crop production; packaging and processing; distribution; and support industries. Together, this cluster provides more than 55,000 direct jobs, putting the Sacramento region in the top fifth of large metropolitan areas in the country when it comes to sustaining a robust agricultural economy. The supply chain that generates our food and ag economy is deep, with its own unique networks and dependent sectors. As America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital, the Sacramento Region is both fertile and productive, with $2 billion in farm gate output value, more than 7,200 farms, and more than 1.5 million acres of harvested farmland. The overall cluster has an economic impact of more than $12 billion.
CROP is funded by the Department of Conservation’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program. List of references and CROP stakeholders can be found here.
Should you have any questions, or if you want to get involved, please reach out to Grace Kaufman at Grace.Kaufman@ValleyVision.org