In 2024, Fairgrown Farm — a small vegetable farm with just a truck and some vans — distributed 500,000 pounds of Jersey Fresh produce to those in need. In a state where 1 in 10 residents struggle to put food on the table, this Hopewell farm is trying to make a change.
Despite New Jersey’s rich agricultural landscape, most of the food distributed through state food banks comes from outside the region. Fairgrown Farm has joined a statewide effort to strengthen local food banking and deliver Jersey Fresh produce directly to communities in need.
Early in 2024, Fairgrown embraced the fight against hunger by joining the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program, a federal initiative that funds the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) to purchase locally grown produce. The farm began by delivering weekly Jersey Fresh farm share boxes to the Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, ensuring families received fresh, high-quality fruits and vegetables — a program that quickly expanded to include additional food banks.
New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn emphasized the broader significance of the initiative: “The purpose of the LFPA program is to link local food producers with the emergency feeding network. Fairgrown has taken the extra step by becoming an aggregator, helping other smaller farms gain access to this critical food market. Continuing to fund federal programs like this and linking them to state food purchase initiatives will help strengthen not only emergency food supplies but New Jersey agriculture.”
Seeking to build an even stronger local food system, the Office of the Food Security Advocate (OFSA) and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) invited Fairgrown into a Central Jersey food security pilot program. This initiative connected small farms directly with food pantries and soup kitchens. Within two weeks, Fairgrown developed a specialized food security program and began trucking even more locally grown produce to organizations serving food-insecure communities.
Fairgrown’s strength lies in its network of 37 partner farms, which enables the scalable aggregation of fresh produce and efficient logistics — from sourcing and packaging to delivery. Over the past year, the combined efforts of the LFPA program, the pilot initiative, and private donations have resulted in the distribution of over 500,000 pounds of Jersey Fresh produce to families across New Jersey. This number only stands to increase, with Fairgrown now receiving a grant from Mercer Street Friends to purchase a new refrigerated van!
“Fairgrown Farm’s dedication to ensuring our neighbors benefit from fresh produce is commendable and we appreciate their partnership in the battle against food insecurity,” said Mercer Street Friends CEO Bernie Flynn.
James Klett, Fairgrown’s co-owner, credits the incredible collaboration between OFSA and NJDA, CFBNJ’s deeply dedicated team, and the state’s amazing food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens for making this possible. “The LFPA grant and the Central Jersey pilot program have created real, lasting connections between local farms and the communities that need them most. I’ve learned that us farmers and these food security folks have something in common… we just want to feed people. Getting to work with such a selfless community has changed my life”.
With continued collaboration, Fairgrown Farm is proving that local agriculture can play a major role in fighting hunger — one Jersey Fresh box at a time.
More information: www.fairgrownfarm.com.
