news fare

The JOBS Act, aka The Jumpstart Our Business Start-ups Act, was officially signed into law by President Obama on April 5th. The most noteworthy part of the Act is the legalization of crowdfunding as a means to gather investment for start-up businesses. Until this development, crowdfunding sites could only fund projects and not business operations. We at FarmPlate plan to write about this topic much more in the coming months, particularly as new start-up crowdfunding platforms enter the food space.  Before we turn to the new entrants in the space, we thought now would be a great time to salute one of the pioneers: Kickstarter. Kickstarter has been helping fund local and artisanal food...

A few months ago, we wrote a brief blog post about Bright Farms, a New York-based company that produces a system of hydroponic greenhouse farms for supermarkets. They had just raised an initial round of funding for the system, which helps eliminate most of the costs and negative byproducts of food transport by growing produce for sale on-site.  Now, The New York Times reports that the company is scheduled to begin construction on the largest rooftop farm in the U.S., and possibly the world. The company is in talks with grocery stores in the five boroughs, who will agree to purchase lettuce, tomatoes, and other produce from the farm. Set to be perched above a former Navy warehouse...

The Virginia Department of Agriculture promises a $1.65 billion bump to the local economy—that’s if every household in Virginia spends at least $10 per week on locally grown foods.  What a remarkably simple proposition! And unlike many government programs, the math actually checks out: a total state population of just over eight million (according to the U.S. Census) divided by the average household size of 2.5 people, times 52 weeks a year, times $10 would indeed bring in just over $1.65 billion. The “$10 Buy Local Challenge” appears to have gained support among a group of key players in Virginia’s agriculture industry, and it’s great that the VA Department of Ag. has gone to such...

When does backyard gardening turn into backyard farming? Around the time when well-meaning folks decide to supplement their vegetable patch with some laying hens, or else maybe some chickens or a goat or two. Though that kind of arrangement undoubtedly works well for some, others are finding that their urban or suburban locale doesn’t make for very convenient animal husbandry. According to a recent piece in E – The Environmental Magazine, that’s resulted in a growing incidence of animal abandonment, with sanctuaries from Upstate New York to Oregon overburdened with chickens and goats. Municipal animal shelters typically aren’t equipped to care for livestock, so these well-meaning animal...

For the past several years, the celebration for National Future Farmers of America Week has included an event designed to show solidarity for our country’s farmers. It’s called “Drive Your Tractor to School Day” and is about as self-explanatory an event as they come. Students who work on family farms have been encouraged to drive their tractors to school for a day of lighthearted celebration of today's modern agricultural community. But, at least in one Pennsylvania town, that tradition will come to an end on Wednesday, according to a story in The Herald Mail. Nearly ten years on, it seems that local law enforcement realized that driving tractors on certain roads is illegal. It’s not so...

As those who have lived in The Big Apple know, you can get just about anything delivered right to your door. Soon, that ever-growing proliferation of convenience will include local, sustainable baby food. That’s thanks to a new company called Farm to Baby, which will soon offer a subscription-based service in Brooklyn and Manhattan. As far as we know, the menu will not include pureed pizza. A recent interview on PSFK.com with co-founder Lauren Utvich explores the genesis of the company and its plans for launch. Read on for more. “Eating locally has restored the link between the farm and the table, an ideal pioneered by Chef Alice Waters at her Berkeley, California restaurant, Chez Panisse...