A Food Success

               Livingston County ANR and EFNEP teamed up with Livingston County Judge Executive to participate in the USDA’s Farmers to Families giveaway program. This USDA program helps farming operations and families that have been affected by the COVID 19 pandemic. This program purchases fruits and vegetables that would not have otherwise been sold to viable markets and redistribute them to families that are in need.

               On August the 20, 2020 the Livingston County Judge Executive contacted Livingston County Extension about wanting to participate in the USDA Farm to Families program.  Livingston County Extension offered their services to help with the process. After a brief meeting with our Judge to learn more about the program, our Extension team began to work out all of the details.  First we offered our Extension facilities as a delivery and distribution center. Extension offered this due to our central location in the county. Second we began to contact volunteers to help with the unloading and distribution of the produce. Thirdly, we began to advertise the program, by using Extensions social media sites, and local radio to get the word out about the program that was to take place on the 24^th of the month.

               Early on the morning of the 24^th of August a semi-truck load of fruits and vegetables was delivered at Livingston County Extension facilities. Due to COVID 19 restrictions, precautions were taken. A drive through line was set up at the Livingston County Extension Fair barn parking lot. With volunteers from Extension, Livingston Central high School FFA Chapter, local business, and County workers. Cases of produce were loaded into cars as they pulled up, keeping contact limited. In total 1700 cases of fresh produce were distributed among five hundred and sixty seven households in Livingston County. Livingston County Judge Executive Garret Gruber was quoted as saying “We as a County would not have been able to accomplish the distribution of over 1,700 boxes of fruit and vegetables out to the community if it wasn’t for the volunteers that stepped into help. They include Adam Barnes, Detra Coley and the entire UK Extension office family, the Livingston County FFA program, Doug Barnes with Barnes Outdoor Equipment, and many others who came out to help hand out boxes.”