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Regional Food Hub Resource Guide

USDARegionalFood HubRegional Food Hub Resource Guide

United States Department of Agriculture
James Barham, Debra Tropp, Kathleen Enterline, Jeff Farbman, John Fisk, and Stacia Kiraly

First published April 2012

The target audiences for this guide are food entrepreneurs and their supporters who are interested in starting food hubs and operators of food hubs who are interested in expanding. This guide will also help philanthropic foundations, public agencies, lending institutions, and economic development organizations understand the nature, function, and operating models of food hubs, helping them to engage hubs in their areas. Both newly established and more seasoned regional food hubs have expressed certain needs as they start or grow their business. This guide addresses some of those needs by answering a number of frequently asked questions, including:

What is a regional food hub?

What kind of impacts are regional food hubs having in their communities?

What are some of the barriers impeding regional food hub growth and how might they be addressed?

What financial resources are available to support regional food hub development?

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