F3 LOCAL
Empowering Small Farms, Fostering Innovation,
& Growing Communities
F3 Local (Local Farms & Food Innovation) sparks economic growth for farmers and food entrepreneurs in California’s Central Valley by embracing technology and fostering enterprise development.
F3 Local empowers small-scale farmers and producers especially from Black, Indigenous, and communities of color, with support, guidance, and access to resources. Our focus on technology adoption and production opportunities aims to elevate profitability and sustainability. This is accomplished by offering capacity-building support, technical guidance, market access, innovation, and access to capital.
F3 Local is anchored by the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources and is partnering with community-based organizations such as Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Cultiva La Salud, and Fresno Metro Ministry. F3 Local seeks to stimulate job growth in small businesses, involve producers in technology development to enhance profitability and sustainability, expedite the increase of new exports, and cultivate a robust local food economy that bolsters small-scale producers while boosting community well-being and public health.
By stimulating job growth, fostering innovation, and amplifying local food economies, we're not just cultivating farms—we're nurturing communities and enhancing public health.
Deliverables & Outcomes
San Joaquin Valley Agroecology Hub
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Support 3,000 local, small-scale, and BIPOC agrifood business owners in the food industry cluster
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Achieve a 40% adoption rate of new sustainable technologies to 1,000 growers/ranchers
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Increase regional profitability by 30% across farm types, crops and scale
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Host annual small farm tech expo/innovation challenge
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Create a tool sharing collection at KARE and obtain 60 tools to lend/demonstrate to >1,000 farmers over the four-year period.
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Diverse participation – 50% of local underserved growers engaging in programming & services
Alliance of small farmers, researchers and NGO partners working to expand agroecological practices.
Del Valle
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Develop regional branding and market demand for local farm and food products, reaching 1 million residents annually
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Facilitate $2.5m in new sales annually, building capacity for 300 farmers, 75% BIPOC
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Marketing and training services delivered to 1,000 local small farmers, producers and entrepreneurs
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1,000 new jobs and 300 new small scale, BIPOC agrifood businesses
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Create the launch plan for the Del Valle Local Food Center that finalizes the design, site selection, operational plan, partnerships, activities, and sustainability plan for this signature facility
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Develop Cultiva La Salud (CSL) launch plan that includes kitchen, equipment, operational requirements and site selection for mobile food vendor support
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Saint Rest Food Entrepreneurship launch plan and food academy delivered
Develop a viable “food hub” business (like a farmer’s market) that provides space and support for small-scale and underserved producers to sell their products and grow their businesses; develop similar facilities that support mobile food vendors and provide food distribution and food entrepreneurship training; develop a regional brand and identity for small farms from the Valley (del Valle) to promote buying local.