Every Monday, The Common Market delivers dozens of boxes of fresh, local produce to Neighbors Serving Neighbors pantry. The produce varies depending on what’s in season, but the need for fresh fruits and vegetables remains the same.
“I have one lady who is almost in tears every week because she’s so excited over her produce box,” Stephanie said. “Today, she got watermelon and peaches. She was ecstatic to have two different fruits.”
As federal support for key USDA programs winds down, small-scale Texas farmers warn of the damaging effects on local agriculture, community health and school nutrition across the state.
Jesus Lozano, founder of Triple J Organics in Mission, TX, said these cuts threaten hard-earned progress that has made locally grown produce more accessible to families and students alike.
“It’s frustrating to see fresh, nutritious fruit left behind while families in our communities go hungry,” Lozano said. “We grow high-quality produce, but without the right buyers, it’s wasted — and so is all the work that went into it.”
Lozano has harvested 10 acres of citrus near Mission since the mid-1990s. Over the years, Lozano has had national chains such as H-E-B and Whole Foods Market buying up his organic oranges. Lozano saw a boost in business thanks to two federal programs.
The Local Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement and the Local Food For Schools Programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture allowed Lozano and other small farmers to sell their fruits and vegetables to schools and hospitals, thanks to over $1 billion in federal funding. Those programs are now ending.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture abruptly canceled a federal program that brought fresh, locally-sourced food to Austin school cafeterias last month — a move that gutted funding for the Austin Independent School District and severed revenue streams for Texas farmers who supplied public school districts.
“With this program, we’re able to bring produce directly from farmers to the student community at UTSA,” said Hallie Casey, director of partnerships for The Common Market, in a statement. “By knowing your farmer and where your food comes from, we can guarantee you're getting the freshest food possible and the food that's going to be the most nutritious for you. It’s been a pleasure partnering with UTSA and Aramark to make this happen.”
In an effort to alleviate food insecurity within the community, Harris County Precinct 4 (Precinct 4) has partnered with The Common Market, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit regional food distributor, to offer Harris County residents access to fresh produce at designated community centers. Funded under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), this one-year partnership, commencing this month, forms part of a broader initiative to address nutritional needs within communities exhibiting higher rates of food insecurity.
This school year, the district began partnering with the Central Texas Food Bank through its newly established Food Hub Program and is continuing to work with The Common Market Texas to receive chicken, fruits, and vegetables. These organizations gather products from multiple farms in the area and deliver them to LTISD campuses.
“We saw that opportunity to harness our infrastructure that already exists to uplift small-scale producers while increasing access to nutritious food to our next generation of community members."
In a groundbreaking collaboration, UTSA Dining has partnered with The Common Market Texas, a nonprofit food distributor, and UTSA’s Roadrunner Pantry to launch the Farm-Fresh Box Program. This initiative brings fresh, locally-sourced produce boxes to the campus community, providing critical support for those facing food insecurity while also supporting local farmers and underutilized farms.
This event will also help support socially disadvantaged farmers across Texas. CMTX is a nonprofit food distributor and has given out 1.8 million pounds of local food this year throughout Texas. Over 200,000 pounds of healthy foods have been distributed to hundreds right here in Houston.
The Common Market Texas (CMTX), a leading nonprofit food distributor, announced that it has distributed 1.8 million pounds of local food this year throughout Texas. Over 200,000 pounds of fresh and healthy food have been distributed to hundreds of seniors and families facing food insecurity in Houston alone thanks to community partner, BakerRipley. To help commemorate this milestone, CMTX hosted a momentous Farm-Fresh Box distribution to residents enrolled in BakerRipley’s Senior Health and Wellness program on Thursday, October 19 at the Alief Neighborhood Center.
Our friendly and educated team is here to partner with you every step of the way. Connect today to learn of all the ways to partner with The Common Market.
We value our relationship with the Common Market and their services to source local, fresh, and quality produce and food to GT Dining Services. Doing this allows us to contribute to the economic development of communities and sustainable farms in the Southeast.
— Jonathan M Elwell, Campus Executive Chef, Georgia Institute of Technology