Jersey City has been selected by the Biden Administration as one of 13 cities across America to participate in Local Foods, Local Places (LFLP), a federal partnership program. The initiative will support efforts on the community level to use the local food economy to improve quality of life, protect the environment, and reinvest in existing neighborhoods.
In Jersey City, the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood is establishing a “food value chain” under the federal program. The focus will be on supporting local healthy food businesses, increasing demand for local food, and job placement in food production, aggregation, distribution, service, and disposal.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to bring together key Jersey City stakeholders to focus on healthy food access and economic revitalization in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood,” said Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop. “Throughout my administration, we have focused a significant amount of city resources into Bergen-Lafayette, and these community convenings will allow us to make important connections to help bring good food and good jobs into one of our most unserved communities.”
Along with the other chosen cities, Jersey City will work with a team of federal, state, and regional experts to community-led action plan to strengthen the local food system, while addressing agricultural, environmental, public health, economic development, and equity issues.
“Local Foods, Local Places is a great example of how federal and local partners can come together to support community efforts that build food systems, improve equitable access to healthy food, create job opportunities, and enhance environmental protection efforts,” said EPA administrator Michael S. Regan. “I am excited to see how these communities thrive over the next several years and become models for other locations across the nation.”
LFLP launched in 2014 and has helped to develop local food enterprises, including farmers’ markets, community gardens, and cooperative grocery stores in more than 120 communities.
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