The Common Market in the News

Marietta City Schools elevating dining, cultural experience for students

Atlanta News First

For seemingly forever, cafeteria food has gotten a bad “wrap.” But school districts are trying to change with the times, promoting healthier and more varied options for students. The school district's pilot program recently received $40,000, through the Georgia ACRE Collective, allowing it to further its locally sourced food options for students. Chef David Garcia with Marietta City Schools (MCS) knows all about the change.“If I’m going to make any change to the school system, this is the way to do it,” Garcia said.

Georgia farm provides 2,000 pounds of sweet potatoes for holiday meals

Atlanta Journal Constitution

The initiative is made possible through support from the Georgia ACRE Collective’s Local Food Incentive Pilot, a program facilitated by The Common Market Southeast and other Georgia-based organizations that aim to support an equitable regional food system. The pilot program has been instrumental in helping RCPS integrate more locally sourced ingredients into its menus providing students with fresh, high-quality food.

Cherokee Schools Nutrition Program Earns State Award

Cherokee Tribune and Cherokee Ledger-News

The Cherokee County School District’s School Nutrition program has earned a statewide honor for serving locally grown food.

The Georgia Public School Local Food Procurement Champion Award, which was accepted by CCSD School Nutrition Executive Director Tina Farmer on behalf of the department, recognizes the Georgia school district with the most purchases from local farmers through The Common Market, a nonprofit regional food distributor.

Celebrating Suppliers and Unique Partners During Black Business Month

Aramark Newsroom

To commemorate National Black Business Month in August, Aramark highlights some unique partnerships the company values and nurtures below.

Chefs at several Aramark Collegiate Hospitality accounts in the southeast have been working with Arkansas River Rice, the largest Black-owned rice mill in the U.S., which offers several types of rice grown from local farms.

Aramark first began working with Arkansas River Rice through a partnership with The Common Market, a nonprofit regional wholesale food distributor that connects communities to food grown by local farms.

Georgia Farms Fund Crosses 1,000-acre Milestone

Saporta Report

The Conservation Fund’s latest farm acquisition in Chattahoochee Hills pushes the total acreage conserved over the 1,000-acre milestone and is a great example of all that the Farms Fund has to offer to farmers and the community. Along with cropland, pastures and room to expand for our next two farm owners, the 154-acre property also includes forests and wildlife habitat. This work aligns with The Conservation Fund’s role as a member of the Georgia ACRE Collective, a coalition including The Common Market Southeast.

Farm to School Program a Win-Win-Win for Georgia Students, Farmers and Community

The Citizens

Something fresh is growing at Rockdale County Public Schools. The district is prepped to launch a new local foods pilot program supporting small farms led by people of color, women and others historically excluded from market opportunities while exposing students to more locally grown, nutritious food. The program recently kicked off with new recipe development and nutrition training workshops held Jan. 17-18 at C.J. Hicks Elementary and J.H. House Elementary, celebrating Georgia-sourced fruits, vegetables and meats.

Rockdale County Public Schools launches farm-to-school pilot to expose students to more fresh foods, expands opportunities to minority farmers

On Common Ground News

“We are so excited to support innovation within the RCPS school nutrition department and to honor our state’s small, sustainable growers in the process,” said Emily Hennessee, program manager of The Georgia ACRE Collective. “Through this work, we hope to build the case for statewide adoption of a local food incentive program for school meals across Georgia.”

Black, Family-Owned Georgia Farm, Local Lands, Nabs Funding And Aims To Support 'The Southern Side Of Metro Atlanta'

Blavity

[The Common Market] aims to help local farms provide food to essential institutions such as schools, hospitals, universities, and large-scale government contracts.

“This past year has been very, very good for us,” Asa Ysrael, head farmer at Local Lands, said. “The LFPA (Local Food Purchase Assistance) program has allowed us to scale up. It gives us security, so we don’t have to worry about if the product gets sold. We can focus on other variables that aren’t controllable. I’m happy about that.”

Local Lands, A Black-Owned Farm, Widens Reach For Georgia Residents To Combat Food Deserts

Black Enterpise

“Historically underserved farmers have long been excluded from wholesale opportunities,” explained The Common Market Southeast Executive Director Bill Green.

“This program builds on the work begun during the USDA’s pandemic-era contracts to engage historically underserved producers, promoting sustainability and equity in local food systems while delivering fresh, ecologically responsible produce to communities.”

How this East Point nonprofit is helping BIPOC, women-owned farmers grow

11Alive

New numbers show a local nonprofit has distributed more than $2 million since 2022. It's money helping Black, Indigenous and female farmers grow in Georgia. Local Lands, a Black-owned and family-operated poultry farm in Lamar County has benefited from the state funds distributed by The Common Market Southeast. Right now, the East Point nonprofit is helping farms like Local Lands through the state's Local Food Purchase Assistance Program.