The USDA just expanded their “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Compass, an online database of resources for farmers, now including resources from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Labor, EPA and many other federal agencies.
The Compass is a searchable map of projects that have received some form of support for food work from the federal government. The goal is to show the resources that the USDA – and now other federal agencies – provide and to see how they affect specific communities. The map is viewable at the USDA website here.
The “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” project began in 2009 as a way of raising awareness of and supporting businesses and communities that are focused on local food systems. Earlier this year, we reported on this blog about the introduction of the “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Compass, a searchable map of USDA programs and the communities they support. Has a group or business you work with got federal support? You may be on the map already! Check it out here: “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” Compass.