Vilsack visits Yolo County, announces plan to buy and distribute locally grown food

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited the Yolo County Food Bank to announce a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and California under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program. 

The program will provide $43 million to the California Department of Social Services, California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Department of Public Health, and the California Association of Food Banks to purchase and distribute locally grown food from underserved producers with the intention of reaching approximately 250,000 underserved California families. 

During his visit, Vilsack toured the Yolo County Food Bank and provided a brief speech to launch the program.

California Department of Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross and California Department of Social Services Director Kim Johnson also spoke at the event, highlighting the importance of this program to improve nutrition security and increase local procurement.  

MaryAnn Mills, nutrition program coordinator for the CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California Program, attended the event along with state and local government officials, policymakers, local farmers, board members and nonprofit leaders.

“The innovative LFPA program will increase access to local, healthy foods for vulnerable Californians and improve market opportunities for underrepresented farmers, while strengthening the resiliency of local food systems,” Mills said.

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