Miss., La. food economy assistance

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, announced assistance May 15 to 16 communities in order to boost economic opportunities for local farmers, while promoting clean air, safe water, open space, and healthy food choices. Among the recipients are the Southwest Louisiana Center for Health Services in North Lake Charles and the Opelousas General Health System Foundation both in Louisiana; and Shape Up Mississippi in Vicksburg. The Southwest Louisiana Center is launching a community food policy work-group to build a vision for the local food system to include community gardens, outreach to schools, pocket gardens, and education on the value of planting fruit trees, especially in unused blighted neighborhoods. The Opelousas foundation will build upon a recent brownfields assessment of downtown to explore how a cultural tourism hub can bridge gaps between revitalization and healthier cultural eating alternatives. Shape Up Mississippi wants to create an educational and economical food hub combining a farmers’ market, community garden, demonstration kitchen, educational center, and the Catfish Row Museum that explains the local culture and its relationship to the Mississippi River. Nearly all communities selected include Opportunity Zones. The selected communities will get access to a team of federal, state, and regional agricultural, environmental, public health, architectural and economic development experts to help develop plans, goals, and identify local assets to support the local food economy and contribute to downtown and neighborhood revitalization. For more information on LFLP 2020 communities: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places#2020 (Source: EPA 05/15/20)