Cultivate Change: Cast your vote for 3 Arizona Farms to win funds to grow!
Voting is in full swing for a national farm grant program and two local farms in Tucson and one in Phoenix are in the running! It is possible that they could all win funds to help their efforts in the Arizona community – but they need your help.
Cultivating Change is a grant program that gives local farms funds to upgrade operations, invest in food safety, implement sustainable technology, and continue doing what they do best: grow.
Arizona’s farms need community support to keep votes going. You may vote for multiple farms once each day, and you can cast votes every day until the end of January.
Arizona farms in the running are:
Sonoran Mushroom Company in Tucson which is looking to expand the growth of their bacon-flavored mushrooms. Vote here: http://wshe.es/qBTEAO9P
Merchant's Garden in Tucson which has been working with the Tucson Unified School District on nutrition and agriculture trips. They also built their first greenhouse on a former school football field. Vote here: http://wshe.es/7nmForgZ
Arizona Microgreens in Phoenix which grows and distributes microgreens to schools and restaurants throughout Arizona. Vote here: http://wshe.es/PZw7V0wD
Cultivating Change is part of Greener Fields Together’s mission to create a sustainable supply chain from seed-to-fork. The program is funded by Greener Fields Together’s network of fresh produce distributors throughout North America who want to invest in the farms that have been the backbone of their communities for generations. Here in Arizona, Stern Produce leads the charge in purchases though this program. They source from 31 Arizona farms, ranches, and food artisans through their Arizona Fresh Together Program, helping get fresh local food on the menus at restaurants, and put dollars in the pockets of local producers.
Every time a distributor within the Greener Fields Together network purchases a package from one of the recognized local farm partners, they donate 5 cents to the Cultivating Change fund. This year, GFT distributors purchased over 1,400,000 packages from partner local farms, resulting in $75,000 in total grant awards available through the program this year.
And find other farms, CSAs, markets, and local food sources on Good Food Finder.
