Long Beach urban farms and farmer markets vendors will soon place their homegrown produce in stores in low-income communities through the Produce to Market Project.
Long Beach Fresh, the collective of “feeders, eaters and seeders” has partnered with the City’s Health Department to connect more residents to healthy, organic produce at an affordable price. The two organizations are currently visiting grocery stores in Central, West and North Long Beach to choose the six locations that will become stocked with fresh, locally-grown produce.
“The Produce to Market program will knit together our local farms, corner stores and our community compost sites,” Long Beach Fresh co-director Ryan Smolar said in a public statement. “By buying from local producers and engaging with residents, we hope to create a new collaboration that makes healthy, cultural and seasonal food affordable and available in West, Central and North Long Beach.”
The chosen stores will receive a minimum of three months of free, culturally relevant produce and an accompanying “Health Shelf” display. The produce will be sold at or below the average cost of similar produce sold in larger markets.
The produce will come from local urban farms and markets such as the MAYE Center, Harbor Area Farmers Market and Grow 2 Zero.
Interested market owners can email healthyactiveLB@longbeach.gov or call 562.570.4364 to learn more about the program.
“Every Long Beach resident deserves access to fresh, affordable and culturally diverse foods,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “This initiative is about nourishing our communities, strengthening our local economy and fostering connection between community members and their local markets.”
The program is funded by the Long Beach Recovery Act, which are federal funds meant to help residents, workers and businesses critically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
When will Long Beach do something about the Food 4 Less on South Street and the Ralphs on Wardlow that the city forced both be closed? The city forced both of those stores into closure with their required pay increases for minimally profitable stores that served their communities exceptionally well for 50 or more years. Those two stores were valuable and city council promised to open up Regional grocery stores in both locations so that those locations would not become food deserts. Summer is Long Beach hurts businesses
The objective of this collaborative effort is to facilitate the provision of fresh vegetables inside low-income areas. The platform showcases constructive community endeavors and fosters active participation in the comments area.