(02/02/16) Local Foods, Local Places Empowers Creative Economic Development in Rural and Urban Communities in 22 states
SAN FRANCISCO - On behalf of the White House Rural Council, 6 federal agencies joined to
declare 27 communities selected to participate in
Local Foods, Local Places, a federal initiative that helps communities increase economic opportunities for local farmers and related businesses, create vibrant places, and promote childhood wellness by improving access to healthy local food.
"Local Foods, Local Places helps people access healthy local food and supports new businesses in neighborhoods that need investment," said E.P.A. Administrator Gina McCarthy. "The plan is good for the environment, public health and the economy. By helping bring healthy local food to market and offering new walking and biking options, Local Foods, Local Places can help enhance air quality, support local economies, and protect undeveloped green space."
The communities selected for 2016 from EPA's Pacific Southwest Region are in:
Fresno, California - The City of Fresno will use Local Foods, Local Places technical assistance to establish the Downtown Fresno Public Market; leveraging existing resources to provide local food access and attract residents and visitors. The new Public Market will be located at the Fulton Pedestrian Mall, the city's historical main street, and will serve as a downtown anchor. These efforts will build upon the city's progress in revitalizing its downtown, which was advanced during the White House
Strong Cities, Strong Communities initiative in Fresno.
Henderson, Nevada - The City of Henderson will gain technical assistance to develop a food access project that connects key community areas and offers residents healthy, convenient alternatives for accessing food, work, school, and play throughout the downtown area. This work will support EPA's Making a Visible Difference in Communities effort in the Las Vegas Valley, which is focused on advancing the region's new Southern Nevada Strong plan.
Honolulu, Hawaii - The Hawaii Community Development Authority will focus their Local Foods, Local Places efforts on projects to identify food-based plans that will spur greater investment and stewardship in the Kakaako Makai community; enhance local food production; integrate food security initiatives with community and transit-oriented development planning; and reduce stormwater runoff and vulnerability to sea level rise.
The selected communities were chosen from in excess of 300 applicants. Each Local Foods, Local Places partner community works with a team of experts who help community members recognize local assets and opportunities, set goals for revitalizing downtowns and neighborhoods, develop an implementation plan, and identify targeted resources from the participating federal agencies to help implement those plans.
Local Foods, Local Places is a partnership among the E.P.A., U.S.D.A., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Transportation, the Appalachian Regional Commission, and the Delta Regional Authority. The initiative was launched in 2014 and has already helped 26 communities make a difference in people's lives.
Local Food, Local Places is one of the administration's community-based initiatives in action across the country. In these places federal experts are working side by side with residents and local leaders to create customized solutions; bolstering coordination across agencies and improving how we interact with communities as a 'one Government' partner; and relying on valuable data to help inform solutions and evaluate what is working and what is not.
A complete list of communities participating in the Local Food, Local Places Initiative can be found at http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places-summary-reports
