During the COVID-19 emergency, ASAP is monitoring the situation closely and adapting our efforts with the goals of supporting farmers, providing the community with healthy, local food, and teaching kids about food and farms. You can support ASAP’s work during this time by donating. Here is what we’re working on right now:
Keeping farmers markets safe and operational and opening new market models where needed.
- The ASAP Farmers Market, an outdoor farmers market on the campus of A-B Tech, is designed to protect shoppers and vendors.
- We’re working with the health department to determine best practices for farmers markets to reduce risks.
- We’re convening market managers throughout the region to share support, strategies, alternative models, and best practices. Contact david@asapconnections.org for details.
Connecting customers with farmers and local food producers.
- ASAP’s online Local Food Guide lets users search for farms, CSAs, farm stands, specific products, and more. We are working to add new search functions for farms offering online ordering, delivery, or safe pickup options.
- We have compiled a temporary list of farms and market vendors who are offering alternate methods in order to get product safely to customers. Farms and market vendors, please share updates here.
- We are helping existing distribution systems expand capacity and work with more farmers, in particular those that have depended on sales to restaurants.
- We are connecting farmers with training in setting up online markets and best practices for delivery systems.
Advocating for direct relief for farmers.
- We are coordinating with other agriculture support agencies and local and state governments to connect farmers with assistance.
- Our Local Food Research Center is working to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on farmers in order to communicate with legislators.
Supporting teachers and families dealing with school closures and shifts to online learning.
- We’re adapting and sharing our free Growing Minds Farm to School lesson plans and activities to keep kids learning about healthy food and farms while at home.
- No Kid Hungry NC has compiled a list of schools and organizations offering meals across the state.
Listening to our community.
- We are surveying farmers and partners in the region to find out what your needs are right now.
- We are providing forums for farmers, market managers, and agricultural support agencies to share experiences and know we are all there for one another in this time of crisis.
