The initiative aims to connect farmers directly to public institutions like schools.
YOLO COUNTY, CA – Tucked between the rural towns of Esparto and Madison, the seeds of a transformative food initiative are taking root in western Yolo County. Spearheaded by organic farming pioneer Jim Durst and a coalition of nonprofit and agricultural partners, the Yolo Food Hub Network (YFHN) is poised to revolutionize how fresh, healthy, and locally grown food reaches the plates of schoolchildren, hospital patients, and underserved communities.
In an interview with the Vanguard, Durst, a longtime organic grower and board member of New Season Community Development Corporation, recounted how the vision for a regional food hub emerged more than a decade ago. In 2013, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments conducted a feasibility study to explore the possibility of a food hub for the five-county region, including Yolo, Sacramento, and Yuba Counties. The goals were twofold: to create a more resilient local food system and to support emerging farmers seeking access to nearby markets.
“For years, that vision sat on the shelf,” Durst explained. “It wasn’t until the pandemic that the urgency and funding came together.”
In 2021, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors allocated $2 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to launch the initiative, enabling the purchase of the historic Oakdale Ranch just off Highway 16. The coalition—consisting of groups like Capay Valley Farm Shop, Yolo Food Bank, Spork Food Hub, and Valley Vision—has since worked to develop plans for new infrastructure to aggregate, store, process, and distribute locally grown produce at scale.
At the heart of the Yolo Food Hub is a simple yet powerful idea: to build a local food supply chain that connects farmers directly to public institutions.
“That’s food justice. Every child should have access to fresh, healthy food—not just those who can afford it.”
Jim Durst, Yolo Food Hub
“This is about creating a system where small and mid-sized farmers can get their food into school cafeterias, hospital kitchens, jails—places that serve thousands of meals a day,” said Durst. “Right now, there’s no infrastructure that makes that easy.”
That’s where the food hub comes in. By acting as a regional aggregator and distributor, the hub will allow public institutions to source fresh food from local farms—an option that’s currently logistically out of reach for many.
“This project is really a bridge,” Durst added. “It connects institutional buyers to local producers who have been locked out of those markets due to scale, regulation, or distribution barriers.”
Among the hub’s primary goals is to improve school nutrition throughout Yolo County and beyond. Durst, whose farm has begun working with school districts in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, sees this effort as both a public health priority and a moral imperative.
“Why do we prioritize better food for the White House than we do for our kids in public schools?” Durst asked. “That’s food justice. Every child should have access to fresh, healthy food—not just those who can afford it.”
He noted that many schools still serve highly processed meals, often loaded with sugar, salt, and preservatives, which can have long-term health effects on children.
“Instead of feeding the growing brain with whole, nutritious foods, we’re setting our kids up for chronic disease,” Durst said. “That’s unacceptable.”
Some school districts are already targeting the most pesticide-intensive foods—like strawberries and potatoes—for replacement with organic alternatives. “Start where it matters most,” Durst said. “The goal is to build habits that nourish the next generation.”
Durst also clarified the distinction between the Yolo Food Bank and the Food Hub—two organizations that often get conflated.
“The Food Bank plays a vital role in emergency food distribution. They provide no-questions-asked support for families in need,” Durst said. “The Food Hub is different—it’s about long-term systemic change. It’s about reshaping how food flows from farm to institution.”
In fact, the Food Bank is a key partner in the Food Hub initiative, and some of its distribution capacity will be enhanced through the project. Still, the Hub’s primary function is market-facing: enabling sustainable economic pathways for farmers while feeding public institutions more efficiently.
Despite early momentum, Durst acknowledged that the future of the project hinges on funding.
“There’s no sugar-coating it—things were easier during the pandemic,” he said. “There was federal money for food systems, farm-to-school programs, infrastructure. That’s mostly dried up.”
Grants from the USDA and California Department of Food and Agriculture once supported similar efforts. Now, funding is more competitive, and inflation has raised the cost of capital improvements.
“We’re constantly asking: How can we stretch every dollar? What’s the next step we can take even if we don’t have everything we need?” Durst said. “We’ve got to keep the momentum going, even if it means moving incrementally.”
Durst emphasized that food security in the U.S.—particularly in California—can be deceptive.
“We walk into a grocery store in Davis and the shelves are piled high with fresh produce. But that abundance is fragile,” he warned. “It’s built on global logistics, thin margins, and vulnerable infrastructure. It doesn’t take much to disrupt it.”
Reflecting on the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Durst said many people experienced food insecurity for the first time when supply chains broke down. “That moment revealed just how dependent we are on systems we don’t control,” he said.
For rural or underserved areas, the effects can be even worse. “It’s not just about abundance—it’s about access,” Durst added.
Asked what message he’d most want to share with the community, Durst didn’t hesitate.
“Don’t take your food supply for granted,” he said. “It’s better to build resilience now than wait for the next crisis. The Yolo Food Hub is about proactive solutions—not just charity, but systems change.”
He continued: “We’re trying to create something that lasts. Something that feeds people, supports farmers, builds health, and creates jobs. That should matter to everyone.”
