Biden Administration to Support Local Food Initiative, Environmental Protection, and Community Revitalization in Tennessee
CHATTANOOGA. Tenn. (June 2, 2021) - The Biden Administration has announced that Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga, is one of 13 communities selected to participate in Local Foods, Local Places (LFLP), a federal partnership program that supports community-led efforts to reinvest in existing neighborhoods, protects the environment, and improves residents’ health and quality of life through the development of the local food economy. Through LFLP, Crabtree Farms, a non-profit educational urban farm, will partner with the BLVD Project and ELLA Library to improve the Rossville Blvd corridor and the neighborhoods it ties together.
“EPA is excited to provide the technical assistance necessary to help spur this revitalization effort in the Rossville community,” said EPA Region 4 Acting Regional Administrator John Blevins. “Improving access to healthy food not only supports local businesses, farmers, and developing local economies, but it improves quality of life for participating communities.”
“Crabtree Farms is pleased to announce that in partnership with The Blvd Project and ELLA Library we will be working with the EPA Local Food, Local Places program to determine how local food and increasing access to healthy food can bolster economic opportunity, community revitalization and placemaking along the Rossville Blvd. corridor and its adjacent neighborhoods including Clifton Hills and East Lake,” said Melonie Lusk, Executive Director, Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga.
This year, LFLP is sponsored jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service, with multiple federal agencies planning to participate. The 13 LFLP communities selected in 2021 were chosen from among 97 applicants. Since its launch in 2014, LFLP has helped more than 120 communities across the country develop local food enterprises, such as farmers markets, community gardens and cooperative grocery stores, using a place-based approach that improves environmental, economic, and health outcomes in downtowns and neighborhoods. The program pays special attention to overcoming economic challenges, improving equity, and tackling climate change and other factors that can hinder revitalization efforts and residents’ access to more affordable healthy food.
Crabtree Farms and its partners will use creative placemaking concepts, this partnership will improve area neighbors’ access to the farm and its products to help address food instability in the community. They will look at opportunities to leverage the farm as a catalyst for food access, economic development, and community building along the corridor
For more information about Local Foods, Local Places, visit: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places
For more information about LFLP communities selected in 2021, visit: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places#2021
