Ohio Department of Agriculture Helps Out Again!

From a press release by the Ohio Department of Agriculture:

On October 28, Ohio Agriculture Director Robert Boggs joined members of the Wooster Local Foods Cooperative to announce that Local Roots Market and Cafe in Wooster will receive a $29,500 grant from the department.

The grant, provided by the Ohio Department of Agriculture's rural rehab fund, will help Local Roots to make improvements for their producers and begin renovations for a commercial kitchen that will create jobs, encourage entrepreneurship and provide a place for Ohioans to learn new job skills.

"Local Roots is an exceptional, local food co-op that supports its neighborhood, connects the community back to agriculture and provides access to one of our most basic needs -- fresh, local, affordable food," said Boggs. "Today, I am proud to announce that, on behalf of Governor Ted Strickland and the State of Ohio, Local Roots will receive funding to continue the good work of this local market."

Local co-ops and farmers markets are a vital part of Gov. Ted Strickland's Ohio Neighborhood Harvest Initiative, which was created to improve access to Ohio-grown products, ensure that people in every neighborhood have access to affordable, healthy food and help boost our rural and urban economies.

Local Roots Market & Cafe is a year-round market place that helps connect consumers with producers of locally grown foods and other agricultural products to encourage healthy eating, expand local economic development, and promote community involvement and sustainable agriculture.

For more information about the Ohio Neighborhood Harvest Initiative and sustainable agriculture, visit www.agri.ohio.gov.