Food Hub Ready Incentive

NEW INCENTIVE PROGRAM!

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NEW INCENTIVE PROGRAM! ✅

What is Food Hub Ready Verified?

At the San Diego Food Hub, managing and coordinating funding opportunities for our farm network is a core part of what we do, and we are California awardees of Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP); a federally funded program through the USDA, which replaced the terminated Climate Smart Commodities program. We have created an Incentive Program, and Foodshed is enrolling our existing producers to improve compliance and food safety for our Food Hub.

We see this as an opportunity to partner with other regional Food Hubs:

  • 1. to give incentive payments to your producers, while

  • 2. Support your hub’s operation with up-to-date compliance documentation.

Through this program, farmers will complete and upload the standard documentation required by food hubs in order to access more stringent food safety markets. Participants will receive two years of access to Heavy Connect, a platform that supports food safety practices, verification, and traceability, along with a $2,500 annual stipend (for up to two years) upon completion of required documentation.

Food Hub Ready is designed to compensate farmers in order to make that transition achievable.

Our Documentation requirements:

Phase 1: For the first year of participation, the first $1,000 will be awarded once the following are received: 

  • Copy of a Certificate of Liability Insurance with Food Hub as an additional insured

  • Signed W9

  • FSA ID # from the USDA (only required to receive incentive payments)

Phase 2: The remaining $1,500 will be awarded when we receive: 

  • A basic Food Safety Plan

  • A signed copy of our Vendor Handbook

  • Recent water testing results

We would love to learn more about the requirements you have for your producers to access larger markets and whether this incentive program would be a good fit for your hub.

Track Enrollment Eligibility:

  • FSA ID # from the USDA to receive the incentive funding

  • Open to producers across California, with priority for Southern California farmers

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Food Hubs FAQ

  • Funding from this program comes from the USDA, as part of the federal grant AMP Advancing Markets for Producers, program available until September 2028.

  • Enrollment is on a rolling basis, those enrolled before September 2026 are eligible for 2 years of funding, or enroll before September 2027 to access at least 1 year of funding; or until we reach our maximum capacity (225 farms for Food Hub Ready Verified).

  • To qualify for incentives and receive payments, a Farm ID # from the USDA FSA office is required. 

    Applying to obtain your FSA Farm ID #:

    Email your local FSA Office Program

    Email subject line: County Name - AMP/Foodshed Incentive Program

    Documentation Needed / FSA ID Requirements:

    • Download and complete the AD-2047 Customer Data worksheet for the person or entity operating the farm. One for each owner if there is more than one. (If the land is leased, one is needed for the lessee and one from the owners as well. No need to submit the lessee tax ID number).

    • Current property tax or Grant Deed to the land (If the land is leased, you’ll submit a valid lease.)

    • A Google map image with the land/property boundaries delineated.

    Turnaround is about 4-6 weeks

  • We see this Incentive Program as an opportunity to partner with other regional Food Hubs:

    1. To give incentive payments to your producers, while 2. Support your hub’s operation with up to date compliance documentation.

    Our process is very simple, we enroll our existing producers to improve compliance and food safety for our Food Hub. In exchange for a $2,500 incentive, we’re asking producers for: 

    • A Signed W9;

    • A copy of general liability insurance with Foodshed as an additional insured; 

    • A basic Food Safety Plan; 

    • Recent water test results;

    • A signed copy of our vendor handbook and attestation form.

    We would love to discuss this more in depth with you and learn about what requirements you have for your producers to access larger markets, and if this incentive program would be a good fit for your hub.

    Let’s chat more!, reach out to our Farmer Resource Hub team via email to resourcehub at foodshedcoop dot com

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