As part of its ongoing support for local Georgia farmers, Royal Food Service along with its supply chain partner PRO*ACT, has announced winners of its second Cultivating Change farm grant initiative.
Among the 38 grant applicants, there were sixteen winners and Jaemor Farms was among eight chosen by a review panel, receiving $5,000.00. An additional eight winners were determined by popular votes cast through the Greener Fields Together website at www.greenerfieldstogether.org. In all, over $90,000.00 was awarded. This is the second year that local farmers have received grants through the Greener Fields Together™ sustainability and local produce initiative.
Jaemor Farms grows strawberries, blackberries, peaches, winter squashes and other Georgia crops for Royal which are then distributed to schools, universities, hospitals, and other dining establishments.
Jaemor intends to use the grant award to redevelop its online store and purchase gift boxes for its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program to further their sustainable agriculture goals.
"Our family is honored to be a recipient of the 2016 Cultivating Change Grant Program through Greener Fields Together," Caroline Lewallen of Jaemor said. "GFT has encouraged us to look into our business to find ways to further grow (and improve) areas of our organization that are already in place. As the demand for fresh, local produce increases, we feel that we are fortunately located in an area that will enable us to take produce to the consumer, in addition to having that same produce available at our family's two farm market locations. In 2017 we plan to establish a fresh produce box delivery service and the funds from the CC program will help us jump start this project in the new year."
