The Common Market’s Farmer Champion Program

The Common Market's Farmer Champion Program recognizes institutions committed to supporting local farmers through consistent local food purchasing. By connecting food-service partners with regional farms, the program helps strengthen local food systems and create reliable markets for farmers.

20260806 Common Market Farmer Champion 185 — Pictured: Bartow County School System receives their Gold-Level Farmer Champion Award.

2025-2026 Farmer Champions

Gold-level Farmer Champions:

Arthur M. Blank Hospital
Baptist Health Montgomery
Bartow County School District
Bibb County School District
Dawson County School District
Emory University Hospital Midtown
Habersham County School District
Mercer University
Piedmont Augusta
White County School District
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Silver-level Farmer Champions:

Northside Hospital Forsyth
University of South Carolina

Partner-level Farmer Champions:

Atrium Health Union
Atrium Health Union West
Auburn University
Berry College
Clemson University
Emory University
Emory University Hospital
North Greenville University
Northside Hospital Atlanta
Northside Hospital Cherokee
Prisma Health Richland Hospital

How It Works

Building on the success of expanding Georgia Organics’ Farmer Champion Program to colleges and universities in 2024, The Common Market is proud to extend the Farmer Champion Award to institutions across all sectors—including K–12 schools (public and private), healthcare, corporate cafeterias, and higher education.

Eligible institutions will be awarded a Partner, Bronze, Silver or Gold level award based on purchases in September through May. In addition to prioritizing local purchasing, awardees may receive bonus recognition for:

Actively supporting the local farming community
Engaging their institutional community in building a local, sustainable food system
Promoting food and nutrition education for students
and more!

Become a Farmer Champion

20260806 Common Market Farmer Champion 71

Institutions will make regular, consistent purchases of local products through The Common Market. Each month, The Common Market will report the amount of local products purchased by each institution, and their progress towards a Farmer Champion Award.

Institutions that average at least $400/week in purchases from August through May will be eligible for a Farmer Champion Partner Award. Given their unique funding structure and recent federal cuts to support local sourcing, the purchasing requirement for K-12 public school district participation is at least $400/month.

Existing customers will use their previous year baseline data to determine award tiers. New customers who reach the purchasing threshold will be recognized at the Partner level.

Pictured: Kimberly Reeves, left, Executive Director at Agnes Scott College's Center for Sustainability, leads a local food tour on campus.

Welcome To The 2026 Farmer Champion Awards

Partner: $400 average weekly minimum order (except K-12 public school districts, $400 average monthly minimum order*)
Bronze: 25% increase in average weekly order compared to last year Silver: 50% increase in average weekly order compared to last year Gold: 75% increase in average weekly order compared to last year

To be considered for a 2027 Farmer Champion Award, please sign up here.

2024-2025 Farmer Champions

Agnes Scott College
Mercer University
Oglethorpe University
Spelman College

Learn more about our 2024 Farmer Champion program in a recent blog post here.

Members of the 2024 Farmer Champion pilot cohort, chefs from Oglethorpe University, Mercer University, and Agnes Scott College, participate in a celebratory photoshoot.

In the News

Agnes Scott College Farmer Champion Award