SFC Transforming the Food System
How is SFC Transforming the Food System?
At Sustainable Food Center (SFC), our mission is simple yet powerful: we transform the food system, improving access to fresh, nutritious food. To make a lasting impact, we engage across the food system from growing food to enjoying it. Let’s dive into how SFC works every day to support an equitable and inclusive Texas food system where people and the environment thrive.
How Do Healthy Food Systems Support Thriving People?
In our modern food system, the people behind food production often remain unseen. From farmers to grocery store employees to consumers, people are involved and affected at every step of the food system.
Farmers & Consumers Are Part of Thriving Land and Food Systems
Small-scale farmers and ranchers are crucial to a just and resilient food system because they supply food close to where it’s grown. It’s important to have thriving local agriculture because during times of supply disruption, like the pandemic, extreme weather events, or even high transportation costs, small farms are able to continue supplying food locally.
To support small-scale farmers and ranchers selling their products directly to consumers, SFC supports a large network of farmers’ markets across Texas, including our own markets in Austin, SFC Farmers’ Market Downtown and SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley, every Saturday, rain or shine. These markets are a key part of how SFC is transforming the food system by providing a space for small-scale producers to increase their income and connect with their community.
As an alternative to selling directly to consumers, we connect producers to wholesale markets like schools and grocery stores through the Market Matchmaking program. Producers taking part in our Market Matching program saw a nearly 37% average increase in farm revenue as documented in our 2023 annual report. If farmers aren’t quite ready to scale up their business through wholesale, we offer a Wholesale Readiness course to give producers a head start on success in wholesale markets.
We see HUGE potential for schools and grocery stores to buy fresh produce and protein from local producers. Serving and stocking local food increases farm revenue and strengthens regional food security. The SFC Farm to School Learning Collaborative is one way we create knowledge-sharing spaces to connect schools to local food. An example comes from our latest SFC Farm to School Learning Collaborative session. In the video you’ll see our partners at Texas Tribal Buffalo Project answer questions about opportunities like the Florence ISD pilot program which is making bison meat available through school lunches.
Food Access Program Participants Support the Economy
Farmers rely on consumers to buy their products, but too often only high-income groups can afford and access fresh-farm food. SFC is the statewide leader of Double Up Food Bucks Texas (Double Up Texas), our signature food access program. Double Up Texas increases fair access to local produce by doubling SNAP participants’ benefits to spend on more fruits and vegetables.
From its start at a single farmers’ market in Austin ten years ago, Double Up Texas has grown to nearly 60 sites statewide. In 2023, the program served more than 34,000 families, circulating $788,744 in local economies.
We also offer seasonal food access programs like the WIC Voucher Program, which gives WIC recipients $30 for summer and fall produce.
Cooks & Family Nutritionists
Access to fresh produce is just the start of how SFC is transforming the food system. The Happy Kitchen / La Cocina Alegre® (THK / LCA) teaches families and communities how to cook and enjoy nutritious meals, using the Happy Plate — half fruits and vegetables, one quarter grains, and one quarter protein, and THK / LCA®’s cookbook Fresh & Seasonal Recipes. This free, bilingual class series helps families cook affordable, nutritious meals with confidence and provides free groceries after each class to practice at home.
Informed Communities
It’s important for families and communities to know accessible food options exist. SFC raises awareness about market options, Double Up Texas, and THK / LCA® through in-person events and virtual promotions in both English and Spanish. Our bilingual SFC Help Desk, run by our expert team of promotoras (community advocates), answers questions and provides resources about nutrition incentive programs.
THRIVING ENVIRONMENT
How is SFC Transforming the Food System for a Thriving Environment?
Regenerative Farming & Environmental Sustainability
We support small-scale farms that use sustainable farming practices. Unlike industrial farms that grow one type of crop and exhaust soil nutrients, regenerative farms improve soil health and reduce chemical use. Regenerative agriculture leads to a more sustainable and resilient food system with:
- Less fertilizer runoff polluting waterways
- Less chemical pesticides
- Fewer disruptions in the supply chain
- More food and food dollars stay local, cutting transportation emissions
Each farm and ranch vendor at SFC Farmers’ Markets is visited by SFC staff to ensure products sold are produced ethically and sustainably. By giving farmers a platform to sell, we support their success and help build a more sustainable food system and healthier planet.
Our work also promotes environmental sustainability. By encouraging local food sales through Double Up Texas and farmers’ markets, there is a reduced need for long-distance transportation and refrigeration, cutting down emissions and energy usage. By helping more people access locally produced food, small-scale farmers can earn a better income that allows them to stay in farming, while the community enjoys fresh, nutritious food.
That’s how SFC is transforming the food system, but you may be wondering: why does the food system need to be transformed?
Why Is SFC Transforming The Food System?
Expanding Food Access and Supporting Small-Farm Viability
Sustainable Food Center (SFC) is dedicated to creating a just and inclusive food system because the industrial food system limits access to fresh, local food, carries unfair risks for underserved producers, and harms our environment.
Fair Food Access Supports Thriving People
Why Is SFC Transforming the Food System for Consumers?
Texans face the second-highest level of food insecurity in the US, with 1 in 8 Texans experiencing food insecurity according to Feeding Texas. Even more Texas children – 1 in 5 – experience food insecurity, even though Texas is one of the top four food producing states in the nation. With 20% of Texas children experiencing food insecurity, schools play an important role in improving food access and supporting Texas farmers through local food purchasing. That’s why our Farm to School initiative connects local farmers to Texas school districts looking to make wholesale purchases for school meals.
Economic inequality is the largest driver of food insecurity in the current food system. Poverty and food insecurity are worse for groups who have been discriminated against historically. According to Feeding Texas, Black Texans are more than twice as likely to experience food insecurity as white Texans, and 18% of Hispanic children in Texas experience food insecurity, compared to 12% of white children. That’s why SFC is transforming the food system to make local food accessible to a wider range of income levels by accepting and doubling SNAP and WIC benefits at SFC Farmers’ Markets. We also advocate for and support other markets and grocery stores across the state in accepting and doubling benefits, resulting in more equitable access to nutritious food. Increasing food access for consumers at multiple income levels also means increased sales opportunities for local food producers and local economic activity. In 2023 alone, Double Up Food Bucks Texas sales circulated $788,744 in local economies, as documented in SFC’s 2023 Impact Report.
Why Is SFC Transforming the Food System for Producers?
On the producer side of the equation, underserved producers like BIPOC and beginning farmers lack the safety nets that industrial agriculture receives through government subsidies and crop insurance options. That’s why SFC is transforming the food system to address these barriers and promote equitable risk sharing through policy and advocacy, and by supporting farmer livelihood.
Small-scale farmers are critical players in regional food security and local economic activity, but policy doesn’t always reflect their perspectives or best interests. That’s why a throughline of our policy advocacy work is gathering farmer feedback. We host regular farmer listening sessions to better understand small-scale producers’ perspectives on issues like land access, water resources, and crop insurance. We use what we learn at these sessions to inform our policy and advocacy priorities and the direction of our farmer support work.
Reliable and diversified income streams are critical for farm viability. We support small-scale farmers’ livelihoods through two revenue-generating platforms: direct sales at SFC Farmers’ Market Downtown and SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley and wholesale in commercial markets. We value our weekly community markets because they allow farmers to build face-to-face relationships with customers and educate them about how their products and practices support local, sustainable food production. On the other hand, wholesale opportunities allow farmers to sell food in bulk to grocery stores, restaurants, and schools, providing predictable product demand and income. Farmers who participated in SFC Market Matchmaking program, which connects farmers to wholesale buyers, saw revenue increase by more than 30% in 2023!
Thriving Environment
Why is SFC Transforming the Food System for the Environment?
Policy
Government support for industrial agriculture unfairly advantages large-scale, unsustainable producers over small-scale, regenerative producers. That means when crop loss or unexpected expenses arise, small-scale farmers are more likely to struggle to recover financially.
For example, $38 million is allocated annually for agricultural subsidies, but only about .4% of these subsidies go to fruit, vegetable, and nut production. That’s why SFC is transforming the food system by advocating for policies that level the playing field for small-scale producers who are more likely to grow a diversified range of crops. The lack of policy safety nets in the form of government subsidies and affordable, comprehensive crop insurance makes small farms unfairly vulnerable to extreme weather events, which are increasing because of climate change. Without policy safety nets, natural disasters like drought, flooding, hard freezes, or wildfires that damage and destroy crops hit small-scale farms harder.
SFC is creating an agricultural landscape that promotes equity for small-scale, regenerative farms to thrive. We know that policy and advocacy is a long game, so while we work toward systemic transformation, we also provide more immediate support for small-scale producers to transition to sustainable practices. This includes advocating for access to land and capital to enhance farm sustainability and profitability, especially for those with limited resources and from underrepresented communities.
Local Economy & Land Stewardship
We support small-scale, regenerative farmers because a hyper-local, regenerative food economy conserves natural resources and builds more resilient supply chains for the next generation.
Over time, farmland that is managed regeneratively not only enhances soil health – holding more water, carbon, and nutrients – but also requires fewer costly chemical inputs to produce more sustainable local food. That’s good for the environment and for farmers’ bottom line. According to the Texas Environmental Almanac, Texas is one of the 8 states with the highest soil erosion, with 40% of Texas soil classified as highly erodible. Regenerative practices like cover cropping slow and reverse soil erosion by holding soil in place and inputting organic material, protecting soil resources for the next generation. SFC advocates for transforming the food system so that small-scale, regenerative farmers receive support to stay competitive against industrial producers prioritizing short-term, high-yield practices that degrade the environment.
When the food supply chain receives a shock, whether from unexpected shutdowns like the Covid-19 pandemic, conflicts around the world, or extreme weather, the flow of food products can slow down or even stop. This puts pressure on food trade, increasing food prices and limiting food access. By supporting the livelihoods of local, small-scale producers, we are ensuring that Texas communities continue to have affordable and consistent food access. That’s why SFC Farmers’ Markets Downtown and at Sunset Valley are local food access points that are both deeply connected to the community and independent from industrial food systems. Local food also stays closer to the place it was produced, reducing energy costs and greenhouse emissions to refrigerate and transport goods.
Why SFC Transforms the Food System: Stronger Together
So, now you know why SFC is transforming the food system and how we are making a lasting impact. Sustainable Food Center is leading the charge in Texas to create a food system that’s just, equitable, and sustainable. We’re pushing for policies that support local farmers, increase food access, and build resilient food systems. Our mission is powered by community support and collaboration. Together, we can build a future where everyone has access to healthy food and thriving people flourish in a thriving environment. Join us on their journey toward a more sustainable food future. Join us on our journey toward a more sustainable food future.
