The USDA’s Regional Food Hub Resource Guide grew out of the “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Initiative, which sought to strengthen connections between farmers and consumers while building resilient local and regional food systems. Recognizing distribution as a critical bottleneck for producers trying to access larger markets like schools, hospitals, and grocery stores, USDA convened the National Food Hub Collaboration in 2010 with partners such as the Wallace Center, Project for Public Spaces, and the National Good Food Network. Their efforts have included mapping food hubs, surveying operators, and assessing wholesale infrastructure to better understand both the promise and the challenges of food hubs in expanding access to healthy food, including in underserved areas. By sharing lessons learned and data-driven insights, the Guide provides practical strategies to advance food hub development nationwide—an approach that resonates with Aspen CSG’s focus on rural development hubs, where local leadership and cross-sector partnerships are mobilized to connect assets, address systemic barriers, and build stronger regional economies.
REGIONAL FOOD HUB RESOURCE GUIDE
