Biden Administration to Support Local Food Initiative, Environmental Protection, and Community

CONTACT: mcbay.stephen@epa.gov Biden Administration to Support Local Food Initiative, Environmental Protection, and Community Revitalization in Jersey City, New Jersey NEW YORK (June 2, 2021) – The Biden Administration has announced that Jersey City, New Jersey 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, a team of agricultural, environmental, public health and regional economic development experts will work directly with residents of the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood and other community leaders to establish a "food value chain" in the community. The goal is to increase demand for healthy local food and support the local economy by highlighting healthy food businesses and connecting unemployed residents with jobs in food production, aggregation, distribution, service, and disposal. Communities that partner with EPA under the Local Foods, Local Places program receive technical assistance needed for healthier, locally produced food," said Acting Regional Administrator Walter Mugdan. "EPA is proud to partner with Jersey City and the residents of the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood to support local food initiatives that improve access to fresh foods, support and grow new business and protect the environment." "We are excited to have the opportunity to bring together key Jersey City stakeholders to focus on healthy food access and economic revitalization in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood. The establishment of a 'food value chain' will help bring nutritious food and good jobs into one of our most unserved communities," said Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop. "Throughout my tenure, we have made significant investments of City resources into the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood, and the Local Foods Local Places program will allow us to continue to make important connections between our local economy, food security, and job creation." 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. For more information about Local Foods, Local Places, visit: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/eparegion2   21-038

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