Indiana Grown Provides Funding to Food Councils
(photo courtesy of The Food and Growers Association)
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowFive organizations have been awarded a Food Council Development Grant from Indiana Grown. The statewide initiative says work being done by the organizations will benefit farmers and producers throughout Indiana.
Indiana Grown says its goal with the grants is to help regional food councils develop their infrastructure so Indiana farmers and producers have a better market for their products. The organization also hopes the grants will help processors utilize more of the state’s grown products and educate consumers on the importance of buying Indiana grown products.
“The awards announced today will help with the future success of food councils and the work they do for their communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch. “The Indiana Grown program has come so far in five years and its ability and willingness to give back to Hoosier communities speaks volumes. I cannot wait to see the tremendous impact made by these food councils.”
The award recipients are listed below:
- Food and Growers Association – $14,720, Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Jackson, Ripley, Rush, Shelby and Union counties
- Indy Food Council – $25,000, Marion County
- Johnson County Food Council – $10,342, Johnson County
- Northeast Indiana Local Food Network Inc. – $24,938, Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties
- NWI Food Council – $25,000, Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski and Starke counties
According to Heather Tallman, Indiana Grown’s program director, the grant program was made possible due to the cancellation of many annual Indiana Grown events because of COVID-19, which allowed for the redistribution of the program’s funds.
“Working with communities to increase access to the locally grown food market is one of my passions and something the Indiana Grown program does so well,” said Tallman. “I am excited to support these councils in their regional food systems to increase their outreach and growth for years to come.”
You can view a map of the selected Food Council Development Grants by clicking here.