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New Indiana University program helping farmers connect with local buyers

A new program from Indiana University is helping the state’s farmers connect with larger wholesale buyers to increase local food sales.

Founder and resilient food systems manager Jodee Smith says FARMWISE Indiana is focused on growing demand for agricultural products in rural communities.

“Every rural community has an institutional buyer,” she says. “They all have a school system. The idea is that we’re providing access to healthy food and trying to integrate those connections to agriculture in those rural places.”

She tells Brownfield the group has partnered with public health organizations to also improve consumer nutrition.

“Those that are food insecure are often the ones that are receiving food boxes and addressing their diet related disease or combat that disease at the same time,” she says. “We have tried to make sure that local food is going into those boxes.”

Smith says by increasing local food access, farmers are helping support their rural communities and regional food network systems.

FARMWISE Indiana is funded by a grant through IU’s Environmental Resilience Institute and partners with the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana State Department of Health, Indiana State Department of Education, Purdue Extension, Sustainable Agriculture, USDA Research and Education, Northwest Indiana Food Council, Northeast Indiana Local Food Network, Food and Growers Association, Urban Seeds, Fischer Farms LLC, and Partners in Food and Farming.

AUDIO: Jodee Smith, FARMWISE Indiana