The FarmLink program is a ground-breaking initiative which seeks to connect LOCAL historically underserved Wisconsin farms to LOCAL Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin food pantries while working in community to build sustainable systems.
Our model ensures that freshly grown, culturally specific produce is distributed directly into the emergency food system throughout the growing season, minimizing shelf life and transportation time and ensuring the freshest and healthiest product for our neighbors in need.
How Did We Get Here?
FarmLink began as a joint effort between Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2016 with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of Wisconsin communities. The process of doing so involved increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables at pantries by building economically viable and socially responsible relationships with local farmers.
Looking Back To Last Year
Over the last year, we utilized FarmLink funding to partner with the NEW Hmong Professionals, an organization which specializes in providing occupational training to Hmong folks in the Appleton and Green Bay areas. With native Hmong speakers on staff, they were able to support Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin in connecting with 14 Hmong growers and facilitating purchasing as well as distributions to 13 network food pantries on a weekly basis throughout the growing season. The Hmong farmers had a wide range of experience from very new farmers on leased land, to highly experienced farmers looking for new markets. In addition to providing fresh fruits and vegetables to food pantries, this year’s funding also supported the pilot of a Hmong Elder Box program, LubKawm.
Steve Vue, pictured below, has been running his farm since 2002, primarily selling at local farmers’ markets. However, he finds this challenging due to unpredictable weather and fluctuating demand. In recent years, he’s been working to transition to wholesale markets for more stability through contract fulfillment. Without support from organizations like Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and NEW Hmong Professionals, overcoming language barriers and building necessary relationships would be difficult. Through FarmLink, Steve gained valuable experience in wholesale markets, learning how to properly pack, label, wash, and deliver produce. He is eager to continue growing in this new market setting and hopes for ongoing funding to support his efforts
