A food hub is a businesses or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution and marketing of source-identified food, primarily from local and regional producers to strengthen their ability to satisfy wholesale, retail and institutional demand. Though they come in many forms, from coops to multi-farm CSAs to big, bustling warehouses, they are a critical component of a viable thriving local food economy.
You can find a library of recent and featured food hub resources here!
Featured Resources
| Title | Author | Description | Year | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LFM NWFHN Case Study | LFM NWFHN | How can we create a more vibrant and resilient food system? One emerging idea is … | 2023 | Food Hubs |
| Interoperability In Regional Food Systems: A Solution in a Public Blockchain | Tony Coble, Cullen Naumoff | Interoperability in Regional Food Systems | 2023 | Food Hubs |
| Data’s Role In Regional Food Systems: A Practitioner’s Guide | Cullen Naumoff | Data’s Role in Regional Food Systems | 2023 | Food Hubs |
| A Practioner’s Guide to Developing and Growing a Food Hub Network | Farm Fare | Developing and sustaining a food hub network | 2023 | Food Hubs |
| Value Chain Guidebook | Value Chain Initiative | 2005 | Collaboration, Community Economic Development, Distribution, Value Chain Coordination | |
| The Value Chain Link | The Value Chain Initiative | 2006 | Collaboration, Distribution, Value Chain Coordination | |
| Institutional Investment in Praxis | Elliott Smith, Kitchen Sync Strategies | Institutional Investment in Praxis Learn more about examples of institutional investment including stories from a … | 2021 | Community Economic Development, Distribution, Farm To Institution, Finance |
| Delivering More Than Food: Understanding and Operationalizing Racial Equity in Food Hubs | Michigan State University | This report is a look at a how U.S.-based food hubs understand engagement in racial … | 2020 | Food Hubs, Racial Equity |
| From Food Hubs to CSAs | Wallace Center | When COVID-19 upended markets in the spring of 2020, many hubs borrowed elements of a … | 2020 | COVID Response, Distribution, Farm to Food Assistance, Food Hubs, Value Chain Coordination |
| USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program Wallace Center Research Findings and Final Report | Wallace Center | This report examines how a group of food hubs and local distributors were able to … | 2020 | COVID Response, Farm to Food Assistance, Food Access, Food Hubs, Value Chain Coordination |
| Findings of the 2019 National Food Hub Survey Report | Michigan State University, Wallace Center | Since 2012, Michigan State University’s Center for Regional Food Systems and the Wallace Center at … | 2020 | Food Hubs |
| Running a Food Hub Volume 4: Learning from Food Hub Closures | USDA Rural Development | The goal of this study is to examine factors that have led food hubs to … | 2016 | Enterprise Development, Food Hubs |
| Food Hub Common Chart of Accounts | Farm Credit East | This is a sample chart of accounts for a food hub to help you ensure … | 2017 | Finance, Food Hubs |
| Running a Food Hub Volume 3: Assessing Financial Viability | USDA Rural Development | This is the third volume in a series on the fundamentals of running a food … | 2016 | Finance, Food Hubs |
| Financial Management for Food Hub Success – The 2018 Food Hub Finanical Benchmark Study Findings | Wallace Center | Findings From the 2018 Food Hub Financial Benchmarking Study | 2019 | Finance, Food Hubs |
| A Manager’s Guide to Food Hub Finances – Companion Resource | Iowa State University | A Manager's Guide to Food Hub Finances - Companion Resource Companion Resource to the Manager’s … | 2017 | Food Hubs |
| A Manager’s Guide to Food Hub Finances | Iowa State University | Finances for food hubs | 2017 | Food Hubs |
| Overcoming Obstacles to Frozen Local Produce | Common Market | This case study traces Common Market’s exploratory process, product trials, and relationship building that ultimately … | 2014 | Business Operations, Distribution, Enterprise Development |
| Moving Food Along the Value Chain | USDA Agricultural Marketing Service | This report examines the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of eight diverse food value chains to … | 2012 | Distribution, Food Hubs, Value Chain Coordination |
| Managing Cash Flow for a Low-Capital Food Hub Start-up | USDA | Managing Cash Flow for a Low-Capital Food Hub Start-up For food hubs, or businesses that … | 2015 | Business Operations, Food Hubs |
| Running a Food Hub Volume 1: Lessons Learned from the Field | USDA Rural Development | Running a Food Hub Volume 1: Lessons Learned from the Field The first in a … | 2015 | Food Hubs |
| Running a Food Hub Volume 2: Business Operations Guide | USDA Rural Development | Running a Food Hub Volume 2: Business Operations Guide The report’s main focus is on … | 2015 | Food Hubs |
| Findings of the 2017 National Food Hub Survey | Michigan State University, Wallace Center | Findings of the 2017 National Food Hub Survey Findings of the third biennial National Food … | 2018 | Distribution, Food Hubs |
| Value Chain Strategies for Source-Identified Minimally Processed Produce for the School Market | Washington State Department of Agriculture | Value Chain Strategies for Source-Identified Minimally Processed Produce for the School Market WSDA analyzed minimally … | 2018 | Distribution, Enterprise Development, Farm To Institution, Processing, Supply Chain Logistics, Value Chain Coordination, Wholesale |
| Reframing Food Hubs – Food Hubs, Racial Equity, and Self-Determination in the South | Center for Social Inclusion | Reframing Food Hubs - Food Hubs, Racial Equity, and Self-Determination in the South This paper … | 2018 | Food Hubs, Racial Equity |