Agriculture Grants in Virginia Help Local Farmers and Allies Feed Families

In partnership with: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

The Commonwealth is at the forefront of food resiliency initiatives thanks, in part, to agriculture grants in Virginia. Comprehensive efforts in the Commonwealth – like that of 4P Foods, Radical Roots Farm and Lulus Local Food – illustrate how diverse approaches collectively support the region’s food system.

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Securing the Supply Chain

4P Foods strives to establish equitable food access with a hub-and-spoke distribution model.

“We buy food from hundreds of small- and mid-sized producers,” says Tom McDougall, 4P Foods founder and CEO. “That food comes into our warehouse, then is packed up and redistributed to one of three primary business channels.”

This incorporates the direct-to-consumer market via grocery delivery and wholesale operations, including restaurants, schools, universities and grocery stores, as well as community institutions such as food banks, hospitals and health clinics.

McDougall believes stacking grants – such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Regional Food System Partnerships and the Virginia Department of Education’s Centralized Local Procurement Pilot, a farm-to-school program – helps 4P Foods and its partners mitigate food system disruptions and supply chain vulnerabilities. Plus, it allows them the opportunity to simultaneously champion local farmers and sustainable agriculture.

Currently, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is working towards the Mid-Atlantic having a modern, regenerative infrastructure that seamlessly connects farmers, distributors, emergency feeding operators and consumers.

“This means that if and when one chain in the link breaks, the whole thing won’t fall apart,” says McDougall of securing the food system.

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Nutrition Partners

Because 4P Foods buys produce from like-minded ethical stewards, Radical Roots Farm is a natural partner. The certified organic farm focuses on regenerative agriculture – a concentrated effort focused on improving soil health and ecosystem vitality.

Lee O’Neill, who co-owns the 5-acre farm in Keezletown with her husband, David, says Radical Roots is likewise strategic about maximizing monetary awards. Funding, including the Mid-Atlantic Food Resilience and Access Coalition in 2020 and Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) funding beginning in 2022 with nonprofit Vine & Fig through the Fresh Veggies Series, allows the family farmers to efficiently meet customers where they are via intentional collaborations, including the Boys & Girls Club of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Church World Services, and Our Community Place, among others.

“By harvesting fresh and delivering to local families twice a week, we are giving people the healthiest, most nutrient-dense food available to those who need it most,” O’Neill says.

This effort reinforces Radical Roots’ efforts to help remove barriers to food access for marginalized residents by supplying harvested vegetables on a regular basis, paired with multilingual enrichment.

“By engaging households with recipes and bilingual cooking demonstrations and providing youth with kid-safe cooking utensils, this funded project creates a unique opportunity for local farmers to directly serve their diverse community and connect with their local food system,” O’Neill says.

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Improving Infrastructure

Molly Harris, who founded Lulus Local Food in 2008, says her company’s innovative e-commerce platform supports producers by diversifying revenue streams and reaching local underserved families.

Agriculture grants in Virginia allow Lulus to advance infrastructure, technology and capacity-building initiatives that bolster food security, particularly in times of disruption. During the pandemic, for example, Lulus worked with more than 800 Virginia farmers and small food business owners to sustain online food sales.

“By offering an online marketplace, Lulus Local Food provides a convenient option for Virginians to purchase locally grown food, especially in areas where accessibility may be limited,” Harris says.

Digital operations fill industry gaps with aid from the VDACS’ LFPA Cooperative Agreement Program.

“Today, Lulus Local Food has 124 farmers actively involved in the LFPA program, of which 82 are socially disadvantaged under USDA standards,” Harris says.

This is in addition to hundreds more farmers and producers relying on the company’s software for profitability.

Cooperation among government agencies, nonprofits and local businesses presents valuable opportunities to increase food resiliency in Virginia.

See more: Farmers, Schools, Markets and More Come Together to Expand Food Access in Virginia