Yuba County Community Supported Food System Needs Assessment

The County of Yuba wishes to retain a professional consultant to assess the needs of the Yuba County Foothill based farmers related to transportation, post-harvest handling, food aggregation, food processing, food storage, and food distribution facilities; capacity building and technical assistance needs for food and farm entrepreneurs and relevant partners; and marketing, financing, capital, and infrastructure sustainability needs in order to create a robust community supported food system in Yuba County; herein referred to as the Project. The County is committed to supporting a diversified, equitable, vibrant food and farm economy by supporting both large and small food producers and artisan makers. To enhance a resilient and productive local food system, accessibility to infrastructure, comprehensive technical assistance, capacity building, and education must be available to food and farm entrepreneurs, interested community members and partners. The Project will bring a heightened focus on supporting new and existing small/medium size farmers and their needs in order to serve larger markets in the region. It will also compile a comprehensive overview of food production and demand, identifying market opportunities. In regard to facilities, an asset inventory and investment needs assessment will provide direction for future potential capital investments in a community food hub. And, a summary of educational programing and enhanced resources will be brought to life through the Project.