NEWS: “Supporting Regional Healthy Food Systems Planning in the Hudson Valley"

August 9, 2021

NYHEALTH

In 2021, NYHealth awarded Newburgh Urban Farm and Food Initiative a grant to develop a formal local healthy food plan tailored to the Hudson Valley.

Developing and implementing local food systems plans is recognized as a vital strategy to enhance health and food security by addressing regional circumstances, strengths, and deficits. As exemplified by the Newburgh Urban Farm and Food Initiative (NUFFI), these plans aim to tackle multifaceted issues. This includes engaging healthcare systems to advocate for healthier institutional food, establishing new farmer’s markets and urban farms, modifying zoning to facilitate new supermarkets, strengthening farm-to-school programs, expanding nutrition assistance initiatives, establishing or scaling local food hubs, and fostering community education about the significance of the food system. Recognizing the need for dedicated staff and organizational structure, NYHealth awarded NUFFI a grant in 2021 to develop a formal local healthy food plan tailored to the Hudson Valley, focusing on advocacy for policy changes to make healthy, local, and affordable food more accessible to New Yorkers. This initiative involves creating community stakeholder partnerships, conducting a comprehensive food access audit in Newburgh, and formulating action plans to address food insecurity, waste, and other gaps in the local food system.

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