YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - The Yuba Sutter Food Bank (YSFB) is participating in the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Program. This groundbreaking initiative, entitled Farms Together, supports the purchase of fresh, nutritious produce from small, very local, regenerative farmers and the subsequent distribution of that produce to food-insecure members of our community.

The design of the Farms Together program was developed by the California Association of Food Banks, Fresh Approach and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, with support from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and California Department of Social Services via the United States Department of Agriculture Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and is funded through September 2025.

The Yuba Sutter Food Bank was one of a handful of food banks from California to be awarded a pilot grant for this program, in February for $200,000. It used this money to access local produce through the local aggregator, Yubakami, and to distribute it through its established channels. Additionally, it launched a special distribution project with Harmony Health and the Yuba-Sutter Blue Zones Project, which has to date provided fresh fruits and vegetables to 403 families and 1,630 individuals.

The success of these efforts has led to the renewal, at an increased rate, of the Farms Together grant. Andy Ollove, Food Access program director at Fresh Approach, said of the work by the Yuba Sutter Food Bank and Yubakami, that “We are thrilled to see the impact of the Farms Together program in the Yuba-Sutter area. By partnering with local food banks and aggregators, and investing in small and BIPOC farms, we are creating sustainable food systems and reimagining long-term hunger relief models”.

Yubakami owner Steven Dambeck credits the program for helping a half-dozen local, mostly Hmong and Hispanic farmers, to make their operations more sustainable.

Maria Ball, Yuba Sutter Food Bank director, said, "We are proud to be part of this innovative program that supports both our local farmers and the families in our community who need fresh, healthy food."

As a member of this collaborative effort, Yuba Sutter Food Bank is committed to ensuring that the local community benefits from this innovative program. More details will be announced as the program progresses.

For more information, contact Ball at the Yuba Sutter Food Bank at 530-673-3834.