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News ReleaseState And Local Efforts L ink Eastern Farmers To Address Hunger ,

Nutr ition And Economic Development As Part Of SOAR and the Promise Zone

L e t c h e r C o u n t y c o m p l e t e s p i l o t p r o j e c t a s fi r s t K e n t u c k y f a r m e r s m a r k e t t o b e a U S D A S u m m e r F e e d i n g P r o g r a m s i t e

Whitesburg, KY. (July 26, 2014) - Community Farm Alliance (CFA) and a broad partnership of local, state and federal agencies, along with non-profits and philanthropists, will celebrate the success of the Letcher County Farmers Market as the first farmers market in Kentucky to be a USDA Summer Feeding Program site – simultaneously feeding Kentucky children, improving community health and providing new economic opportunities through Kentucky Agriculture.

Governor Steve Beshear and Congressman Hal Rogers created the Shaping Our Appalachian Region Initiative (SOAR), which subsequently resulted in the USDA designating 73 Kentucky Counties as part of its StrikeForce and the White House adding eight Eastern Kentucky counties to its Promise Zone. Three of the 10 SOAR workgroups listed food systems as a top priority. The SOAR Initiative has now created a separate Agriculture Committee and the Kentucky USDA field office has also created the Local Food Economies Initiative.

“Letcher County farmers are proving that several needs in eastern Kentucky can be addressed through improvements in agriculture – healthy eating, economic vitality, poverty, and in some cases, tourism,” said Congressman Rogers. “This program is a great example of what SOAR was designed to do. We are collecting new ideas, creating new partnerships, and developing programs that make sense in our region. As a result, we are investing in healthy children and a healthy economy – the true future of eastern Kentucky."

“Through collaborations like SOAR, The Kentucky Food Policy Network (KFPN), the UDSA-KY’s Local Food Economies, and Eastern Kentucky Food Systems Collaborative (EKYFSC), there has been a growing awareness of the connections between poverty, nutrition, community economics and agriculture; and a willingness for everyone to work together. Sustainable agriculture and local food systems can be a gateway for economic vitality, better health, and the creation of community wealth,” said Martin Richards, Executive Director of CFA.

Cyndi Willmarth, Kentucky Department of Education added, “The Summer Feeding Site at the Farmer’s Market in Letcher County is an example of what happens when people think out of the box, and “in” towards the community. Everyone wins!”

“I am delighted we were able to establish a collaborative link of partners to feed children in eastern Kentucky,” said Thomas G. Fern, State Director for USDA Rural Development.

Through the KFPN, CFA learned of the Program and that Kentucky currently ranks 45th for Summer Feeding Program participation – meaning that many Kentucky children are going hungry in the summer, at the height of Kentucky’s growing season!

The potential of farmers markets as summer feeding program sites was introduced to the EKYFSC and the idea was taken back to the Letcher Co. Farmers Market, a participant in CFA’s Farmers Market Support Program. Working with the Letcher Co. School System Food Service Director, the local Health Department, the Kentucky Department of Ag and the Kentucky Department of Education (the SFP administering agency), the farmers market began serving children fresh local meals in June. Additionally, it is THE ONLY Saturday feeding site in Letcher Co. and has been feeding between 20 – 30 children each week items such as fresh eggs and fruit smoothies from local farmers.

CFA, the Dept. of Education and the Kentucky Department of Health will this fall work to establish state policies and procedures to enable farmers markets all across Kentucky to become Summer Feeding Program sites – benefiting both Kentucky’s children and its farmers.For more information and interviews please contact Heather Hyden, 615-975-5459, heather@cfaky.org