How a $150,000 investment in Vegas' food system can help underserved communities

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — U.S. Department of Agriculture is partnering with Reinvestment Fund to invest $150,000 in the University of Nevada, Reno Extension to establish the first-ever Las Vegas food hub— a business or organization that manages the distribution, marketing and aggregation of food products from local and regional producers.

Food hubs can help local producers sell their products to a larger audience and help buyers find a consistent supply of local food. This investment is part of a nationwide announcement of nearly $6 million to improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities across the country.

The investments are being made through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Planning Grant Program, which provides grants to organizations for healthy food retail or food retail supply chain projects in early-stage planning and predevelopment phases.

Deputy Secretary Torres Small said through the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is working with farmers and ranchers, food retailers and other stakeholders to strengthen the local and regional food systems we all count on.

This investment will support the establishment of the first-ever Las Vegas food hub, based on preliminary research into exemplary food hubs backed by strong community engagement, which strongly advocates for the dire need for food security, high agricultural and consumer demand for access to fresh food and great economic benefits of a food hub.

Friday's announcement is part of USDA’s comprehensive set of efforts, bolstered by funding made available through the American Rescue Plan Act, to create more and better markets that benefit both producers and American consumers.

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