This award provides funding to Union County to support the new Union County Food Innovation Center and expanded Food Hub. The Food Innovation Center will serve as an economic development engine that will fill a current gap in the regional food system that supports farmers and producers. The center will provide additional marketplaces to sell goods, opportunities to create value-added products, and educational training and activities. The Food Hub, which will be relocated to the site of the Food Innovation Center, will shift toward servicing larger wholesale accounts, food service providers, and production companies while simultaneously serving small farmers and producers and increasing public access to local food. These efforts will solidify the Food Hub’s role as a central, sustainable food distribution network within the region. The Food Hub serves 30-35 agricultural producers in its current facility and the projected number of producers to be served in the expanded Food Hub is 100-105. Golden LEAF funds will be used for kitchen equipment and coolers and freezers at the Food Hub.
