Last Friday, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture sent out a press release announcing the publication of the latest Food Hub Resource Guide. I thought it might be a good time to talk about what a regional food hub is and where one might find a hub in Ohio.
What is a Regional Food Hub?
The USDA defines a food hub as:
… businesses or organizations that connect producers with buyers by offering a suite of production, distribution, and marketing services. It’s an innovative business model that allows farmers of all sizes to meet the growing consumer demand for fresh, local food by gaining entry into commercial and larger volume markets such as grocery stores, hospitals and schools.
In other words, if you’re a farmer or someone who produces an agricultural-related product, these are the people who can help you get what you produce into a local market. Yes, there is marketing help out there if you want to produce for and participate in the growing local and regional food market.
