Access to nutritious food can be hard to come by for underserved populations.
A Wisconsin program that relies on contributions from locally based producers serves as a go-between, with the added bonus of a smaller climate impact.
The state's Local Food Purchase Assistance Program is closing in on its second anniversary.
Under the initiative, farmers around Wisconsin are awarded grants to set aside some of their fresh produce and other items that get picked up and distributed to hunger relief sites.
The Wisconsin Farmers Union helps lead the effort, and the organization's Local Foods Organizer Forrest Humphrey said one of the benefits is helping smaller farms expand their markets.
"This guaranteed income has allowed farms to invest in their operations, and do things that they otherwise wouldn't be able to do," said Humphrey, "because we've been able to provide some stability through some unpredictable growing seasons."
And for people seeking help from hunger-fighting groups, their outcomes might improve if food insecurity becomes one less thing to worry about.
Meanwhile, agriculture and the food-production system are under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint.
Humphrey said the program allows sites to order food in bulk that doesn't have to travel from other regions or states, potentially reducing transportation emissions linked to supply chains.
Researchers say there's debate over just how effective locally grown food is in reducing emissions, when focusing on how products are delivered.
Still, Humphrey pointed out that a number of the small farms signed up for the program prioritize climate-friendly practices.
"We have producers, for example, who are providing some really, really high-quality grass-fed beef into the program," said Humphrey. "And the reason that they're able to do that is because they have a really sophisticated managed grazing setup on their farms."
The exact climate impact of the program is unclear - but officials say, so far, it has served 70 counties across Wisconsin, with nearly $3 million worth of food delivered.
Organizers are hosting several events this fall to provide technical guidance and other resources as local partners try to sustain these newer, more efficient supply chains.
