AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 3 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE FARM TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on future operations or funding mechanisms for the program.

Delaware Farm to Community Program Act

This act makes the Delaware Farm and Food Council’s Farm to Community Program a state-led initiative called the Delaware Farm to Community Program, ensuring its continuation after federal funding ended.

What This Bill Does

• Codifies the Farm to Community Program as part of Delaware's laws as a state-run program.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local farmers
• Community outlets that distribute food
• People facing food insecurity in Delaware

Terms To Know

Farm to Community Program

A program that helps local farmers sell their produce directly to community groups, which then give the food to people who need it.

Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA)

A federal agreement that provided funding for programs like Farm to Community Program until 2025.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the program will be funded after it becomes a state initiative.
• It is unclear what specific changes will happen in the program's operations once it is codified into law.

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 3 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE FARM TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM.
This Act codifies the Delaware Farm and Food Council’s Farm to Community Program as a state-led initiative called the Delaware Farm to Community Program. The Farm to Community Program launched in 2023 under the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA). In 2 ½ growing seasons, the Farm to Community Program has effectively expanded the purchasing power of community outlets to procure local food products from local farmers and distribute the food products to individuals in need or facing food insecurity in Delaware’s urban and rural communities. Through this model, currently, 31 local farmers supply more than 100 varieties of fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products to 9 community outlets that serve 105 food distribution sites. The USDA canceled LFPA funding in 2025. Codifying the Farm to Community Program ensures continuity, strengthens Delaware’s food system infrastructure, increases availability of fresh and healthy seasonal foods, and increases the economic viability of local farmers, particularly small and medium-scale farmers.