North Dakota Rural Electric Cooperatives Foundation (NDRECF), along with Warehouses4Good and other community partners, are seeking to establish a statewide network of food warehouses serving both first mile (farming, ranching, value added processing) and last mile (distribution, farm-to-school, and pantry support) supply chain needs. NDRECF identified Minot, ND as the first pilot facility to build in this network of food hubs across North Dakota. From this site, we can assess the impact of adding supply chain infrastructure on communities in distress, affluent areas, and Tribal nations – a cross-section representing North Dakota.
The project has significant support among leading foundations, non-profits, and community organizers in the region. This statewide network of food warehouses will:
- Increase community access to healthy, local food.
- Promote food sovereignty for families and community members in need.
- Establish a food supply chain that directly links local and statewide farmers and ranchers to buyers in north central and northwest North Dakota and beyond.
- Establish a model for organizing food-related businesses that can be replicated throughout rural North Dakota.