Greener Fields Together, the sustainability and local produce initiative created by PRO*ACT, has announced winners of the first Cultivating Change grant program. Cultivating Change is committed to supporting local farms financially to improve their ability to produce, market and distribute fresh produce.  

Twelve grants were awarded to eleven local farms in amounts ranging from $3,000 to $10,000. Grants for $10,000 were bestowed by a panel of industry leaders. Farms winning awards of $3,000 and $5,000 were selected by peer review and online voting. One farm, Jaemor Farms in Alto, GA, won both a panel judge and peer review grant.

The winning local farms are Jaemor Farms of Alto, GA; Central Texas Specialty Growers LLC of Plano, TX; Poche Family Farm of Independence, LA; Hunt Family Farm of San Luis Obispo, CA; Fullei Fresh of Miami; J&C Farms & Groves of Miami; Sage Farms of Tulsa, OK; DLF International of Ft. Pierce, FL; R. Pontano Produce of Lake Worth, FL; Rendleman Orchards of Alto Pass, IL; and StoneCreek Hydroponics of Hartwell, GA.

The industry review panel included Nova Sayers, NSF’s Business Development - Global Food Division; Johnna Hepner, PMA’s director food safety and technology; James Barham from USDA rural development and agricultural economist; Jim Ebersold, purchasing manager at Ted’s Montana Grill; JoAnne Berkenkamp, president of Tomorrow’s Table LLC; and Glenda Yoder, Farm Aid’s associate director.

“We are extremely proud of the winning farms,” Max Yeater, president of PRO*ACT, said in a press release. “Greener Fields Together was developed to achieve measurable sustainability improvements in the fresh produce supply chain and this program supports that mission. The grants will be a boon to the winners’ ability to produce high-quality, local produce. We look to them as leaders in the future of our industry.”

Cultivating Change grants will be funded on an annual basis to qualifying growers. Applications for the next round of awards will be accepted between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31.