Yolo, Sacramento, and the surrounding areas are severely underserved in terms of their ability of regional farms to meet the demand for healthy, local food access - of the 950 farms in Yolo county, 750 farms were forced to distribute their food outside of the region despite the growing demand from local institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened the region’s situation by exposing the cracks in the regional food system.

The Yolo Food Hub Network is a solution in the making to ensure that the region has access to reliable, healthy food. The Food Hub Network is a collaborative project between Spork Food Hub, Capay Valley Farm Shop (CVFS), Durst Organic Growers, Esparto Train Station, New Season Community Development Corporation (NSCDC), Valley Vision, Yolo Food Bank, local farmer representatives, and Kitchen Table Advisors. The hub would create an Esparto-based facility and regional networks that local farmers need to better serve regional markets by providing services such as processing, distribution, storage, and packing. The existence of the hub would increase consumer and buyer access to healthy and diverse local foods, improve farmer and market sales, and strengthen relationships between farmers and local communities. With $2.175M in secured funding from USDA and Yolo County, the Yolo Food Hub Network is a highly promising opportunity to strengthen local farms and contribute to a healthier Sacramento regional food and farming ecosystem.