New Orleans’ infamous label as the “Worst Food Desert in the U.S.” was superseded by a new – and much more flattering – claim to fame: home to important “food hubs”. Yesterday, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary of Agriculture announced a new report about food hubs across the United States. It’s a way to support the local food movement, highlighting what works to get food from small farmers to a public increasingly wanting to eat food from their own area.
Food hubs are businesses or organizations that offer infrastructure, support and marketing to build regional food systems. The USDA’s new report highlights best practices in the 223 food hubs identified across the country, including in New Orleans! Hollygrove Market & Farm made the list. It is a popular site that is home to a community garden, aquaponic recirculating farm demonstration system (it grows plants with fish in an innovative soil-less system), community supported agriculture program and much more.
Bravo to the many new urban farms and farmers, food activists, community coalitions, educators and many others making a positive change in the way we grow and eat! Read more here.