Arkansas Cities To Participate In Food Entrepreneurship Project

Three Arkansas cities were named Wednesday to participate in a federal program to provide support to integrate local food programs into community economic action plans.

Flippin, North Little Rock and Osceola were among seven communities in the Delta selected to participate in the “Local Foods, Local Places” program.

In the program, a team of agricultural, transportation, environmental, public health and regional economic experts will work directly with the communities to develop specifically identified local food projects.

Delta Regional Authority Federal Co-Chairman Christopher Masingill announced seven communities in four states that will be receiving “Local Foods, Local Places” technical support in the Delta region via conference call.

Projects in these communities will include efforts to create a local food network, establish a regional food innovation center and develop job training efforts around local food entrepreneurship.

In the program, the Flippin School District will receive technical assistance to transition an empty project near the high school parking lot into a farmers market.

In North Little Rock, the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub and the city of North Little Rock will create a Regional Food Innovation Center for a market for rural farmers.

Also, Osceola will receive technical assistance to help connect its downtown area with local food opportunities.

“As a region historically centered on agriculture, it is important to strengthen and grow the local food systems that have supported the Delta communities and this country for centuries,” Masingill said. “The Delta Regional Authority is proud to support this innovative program which is in an investment into community health and economic growth for workers, businesses and families in the Delta region.”

“The ‘Local Foods, Local Places’ initiative illustrates that communities are thinking about creative ways to integrate local food in their community economic development plans,” USDA Deputy Under Secretary Doug O’Brien said. “The projects developed via ‘Local Foods, Local Places’ will revitalize rural Main Streets and urban downtown areas, and create market opportunities for food producers and entrepreneurs.”

“We are very pleased and honored to receive this assistance to develop a Regional Food Innovation Center with our partners,” said Warwick Sabin, Executive Director of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub. “We look forward to creating more opportunities for food producers, entrepreneurs and others to build sustainable businesses, stimulate the economy, and further improve their communities.”