A nonprofit in East Point, GA, has distributed a grant to Black-Owned Georgia Farm, Local Lands, to expand local food production.
“This past year has been very, very good for us,” Asa Ysrael, head farmer at Local Lands, told the outlet. “The LFPA (Local Food Purchase Assistance) program has allowed us to scale up. It gives us security, so we don’t have to worry about if the product gets sold. We can focus on other variables that aren’t controllable. I’m happy about that.”
By receiving this grant, Local Lands has increased production of pasture-raised eggs fivefold and their sales opportunities. According to the Local Land farmers, there have also been over $80,000 in purchase commitments for the farm.
Raphaela Ysrael, a Local Lands farmer, indicated that the grant has enabled the farm to reduce the cost of eggs for consumers. These savings are essential for the family-owned farm, which usually faces limited financial resources.
“Historically underserved farmers have long been excluded from wholesale opportunities,” Bill Green, the nonprofit’s executive director, told 11Alive. “This program builds on the work begun during the USDA’s pandemic-era contracts to engage historically underserved producers, promoting sustainability and equity in local food systems while delivering fresh, ecologically responsible produce to communities.”
Asa explains that Local Lands’ mission is to help residents in the southern side of metro Atlanta, GA, gain access to organic, local, and fresh food.
In addition to Local Lands, other farms and pastures have also benefited.
The funding program has helped Starlit Roots Farms, Snapfinger Farms, and Green Box Mushrooms in Georgia.
“As farmers, not just farmers, but Black farmers, we’re pillars of the community, and people really look up to us and the way that we function,” said EliYahu Ben Asa of Local Lands and head farmer at Atlanta Harvest, another counterpart institution of the family’s agricultural business, per 11Alive.
