JEFFERSON CO., N.Y. — Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Jefferson County (CCE) was awarded $65,996 as part of the USDA’s initiative to support growing local and regional food systems. The Local Food Promotion Grant, entitled Charting the Course: Food Hub Asset Mapping, will develop a detailed, map-able database of the Food System in Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego and St. Lawrence counties. This database will serve the planning, pilot and implementation needs of a four county food hub.
CCE is working with the Development Authority of the North Country’s ArcGIS mapping database system and Cornell’s recently formed Regional Food Systems team to develop a replicable, successful food hub implementation process model. By mapping detailed farm data, transportation systems, and markets, locally grown foods can be overlaid and aligned with distribution options and appropriate markets. This will help CCE and project partners understand the specific unique food system of our area.
The ultimate goal, according to Cathy Moore, Agriculture Issue Leader, is to “understand what agricultural resources are available and to make logical and creative connections that result in a stronger and more prosperous food system and greater access to healthy, local food by the consumer.”
For more information contact Cathy Moore, Agriculture Issue Leader, by calling 315-788-8450 or emailing cmm17@cornell.edu.
–Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County
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