FRANKFORD, Del. - Delaware's Governor, Matt Meyer, signed legislation today establishing the Delaware Farm to Community Program in state law, preserving the state-funded effort to connect farmers with local markets and bring fresh food to Delawareans.
Meyer signed Senate Bill 53 at Bennett Orchards in Frankford alongside state Senator Gerald Hocker, local farmers, the Delaware Farm & Food Council and Delaware Farm Bureau.
The legislation comes after the federal government ended funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance program in 2025. Now, the Meyer administration continued the Delaware program with state funding. Senate Bill 53 codifies Farm to Community as a state initiative and requires the state to pursue future federal funding opportunities for local food procurement, should they become available.
"We are investing in local businesses, jobs, public health, land preservation, rural communities, and a more resilient Delaware," Governor Meyer said.
The Farm to Community program allows food pantries, senior centers, non-profits and other organizations to use dedicated funds towards purchasing locally grown food directly from farmers.
Unlike traditional food donation programs, the initiative operates as a market-based system in which farmers are paid for the food they produce.
