food&drink Farms of the Future Impact Idaho Fund supports regional food systems
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he Sun Valley Institute for Resilience has been raising awareness about the importance of regional food systems through the Local Food Alliance since 2016. Early last year, the Institute launched the Impact Idaho Fund as a tool to take regional food systems to the next level. “Local food systems touch every area of our economy,” says Amy Mattias, program director for the Institute. “With the Fund, we reach beyond the farmer/buyer connection and invest in projects that cross
the boundaries of impact, addressing food, water, land, energy, and community at once.” In the food sector, this means providing capital to strengthen and shorten the food supply chain, increase opportunities for farming families and regenerate natural resources. “When a borrower repays their recoverable grant, funds are recycled. With the same donor dollars, we can help multiple
resilience projects,” says Amy. “We also provide technical support, setting businesses up for success, whether or not their project is funded.” To date, funds have been deployed to Itty Bitty Farms, Lookout Farm and Wild Spaces Farm, who all serve the Wood River Valley region.
IT T Y BIT T Y FARMS (THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE PAGE): MIKE GORDON
TEX T AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE GORDON
Brooke Methaney and Victor Ortiz cultivate a bed for planting at Lookout Farm.
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