U.S. EPA Provides Assistance for Community Revitalization, Local Food Economy in Redding, Calif.
REDDING, Calif. - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, is announcing assistance to Redding and 15 other communities nationwide to boost economic opportunities for their local farmers, while promoting clean air, safe water, open space, and healthy food choices.
“The Trump Administration is committed to helping communities develop and strengthen their local food economy by investing in opportunity zones,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Support for local food initiatives will improve access to fresh foods, support our local farmers, and grow new businesses, all of which lead to happier and healthier communities.”
“Through the Healthy Shasta collaborative we are supporting public and private efforts to revitalize downtown Redding,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator John Busterud. “This technical assistance will help further these goals and create a more vibrant downtown.”
Nearly all communities selected include Opportunity Zones, in support of President Trump’s Executive Order 13853. The assistance is provided through the Local Foods, Local Places (LFLP) program, a federal initiative that helps communities reinvest in existing neighborhoods and improve quality of life through the sustainable development of their local food economy.
“There is a great opportunity for growth in Redding, and I’m thankful to both the EPA and USDA for their attention to this need. Strengthening the local economy through this initiative will greatly increase the quality of life for those who call Redding home,” said Congressman Doug LaMalfa. “I look forward to the seeing the impact that Local Foods, Local Places has on the area.”
The selected communities will get access to a team of federal, state, and regional agricultural, environmental, public health, architectural and economic development experts to help develop an action plan, set goals, and identify local assets that can support the local food economy and contribute to downtown and neighborhood revitalization.
“Healthy Shasta is excited about this opportunity to make the ‘healthy choice the easy choice’ in downtown Redding by bringing people together to focus on the local food systems, better access to healthier food options, and economic development around local foods,” said Mary Messier, Public Health Nutritionist with Healthy Shasta.
In Redding, Healthy Shasta’s vision – to create greater access to healthy food and invigorate its business district with successful food-related destinations - will be aided by EPA’s LFLP program. The federal assistance will culminate in a workshop which will help the community identify barriers in the local food system and develop strategies to overcome them. The overall goal of the effort is to pursue the vision of an energetic downtown Redding destination where people can easily find healthy, local, fresh food options.
For more information on Local Food Local Places and to see a list of winners nationwide, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/local-foods-local-places
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