Provecho Collective, in collaboration with Nourish Colorado, is developing a Wholesale Local Producer Directory. This tool will identify and connect local farmers and food producers with institutions—such as public schools, hospitals, and food pantries—to improve the flow of nutritious, local food while strengthening local agricultural economies.
Local purchasing can support food sovereignty for Colorado communities in several ways:
- Environmental Benefits
Sourcing food locally significantly reduces the distance products travel from farm to fork, cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use. Fewer transportation miles mean a smaller carbon footprint and fresher, more nutritious food for consumers. - Stronger Colorado Economy
Buying from Colorado farmers and food producers helps keep money circulating within the state. This is what economists call the local multiplier effect—when locally-owned businesses reinvest in nearby services, hire local workers, and support local wealth building. Studies estimate that every dollar spent on local food generates between $1.32 and $1.90 in total economic activity. As the Union of Concerned Scientists notes, “Shifting even a small portion of food purchases to local sources can create real economic benefits, supporting jobs and small business growth in the region.” - Stronger Communities
Local purchasing fosters direct relationships between producers and consumers. Whether it’s a school buying from a nearby farm or a hospital sourcing fresh produce from local food hubs, these connections strengthen trust, build social capital, and help communities become more self-reliant. Knowing where your food comes from—and who grew it—encourages stewardship, civic pride, and a shared sense of responsibility.
Wholesale customers such as school districts, food pantries, hospitals, and early childhood education centers consistently report challenges in finding producers who can meet the specific requirements tied to state or federal funding. These include detailed compliance reporting, which many farmers are unfamiliar with or unable to accommodate without support.
While some producer data is already collected through government programs, it is scattered across agencies, not standardized, and not made accessible in ways that serve institutional buyers. This project proposes to collect, clean, and aggregate that information into a centralized, user-friendly interface. The result will be a public-facing wholesale producer directory, allowing institutional buyers to:
- Identify local growers with experience or interest in selling to institutional markets;
- Align their purchases with grant eligibility and equity goals.
The Colorado Wholesale Producer Directory will advance Provecho Collective’s vision to create a Colorado where everyone has access to the food they need by closing gaps in local food infrastructure, creating market opportunities for producers, and ensuring Colorado’s families have access to fresh, healthy food grown close to home.
If you’d like to learn more, fill out our interest form.
