since 2011

Working for you

OUR HISTORY

Before the formation of the Valley Food Partnership, the Western Colorado Food and Agriculture Council (WCFAC) was established in 2007 in the North Fork Valley of Colorado to work on agricultural issues and support the local farmers of the Western Slope.

Valley Food Partnership (VFP) formed in 2011 under the Montrose Community Foundation. Then in 2012, we merged with WCFAC into a non-profit doing business as Valley Food Partnership. Since then, our work has strengthened the regional food system and community well-being through education, access to quality local foods, and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices.

2007

  • Western Colorado Food and Agriculture Council (WCFAC) was formed in 2007 in the North Fork Valley of Colorado initiating work on agricultural issues and supporting the local farmers on the Western Slope of Colorado.

2008

  • WCFAC initiates Delta School District local meat underwriting.  

2009

  • WCFAC initiates Teens on Farms program.

2011

  • Valley Food Partnership forms as a steering committee and becomes a component fund of the Montrose Community Foundation

  • Hosts the first Food and Farm Forum at Montrose Methodist Church

2013

  • Receives 3 years of funding support as a LiveWell Community

  • Expands Community and School Gardens program

  • Hosts first Gardens that Thrive workshop in partnership with Denver Urban Gardens

  • Initiates first annual Savor the San Juans (STSJ) capstone fundraiser, featuring local homes tour with local foods and local restaurateurs

  • Becomes Fiscal Sponsor for the Montrose Farmers’ Market (MFM) 

  • Continues WC Food and Farm Forum, Community/Schools Gardens, Teens on Farms, DMEA Newsletter

2014

  • Becomes a 501(C)3 organization by merging with the Western Colorado Food and Agriculture Council

  • Hosts the first annual Western Colorado Food and Farm Forum (WCFFF) in Montrose in partnership with Colorado State University and Rocky Mountain Farmers Union

  • Receives 1-year LiveWell Colorado Planning Grant; forms the Growing Healthy Communities Coalition and conducts PhotoVoice within the community

  • Initiates a monthly local foods recipe project that reaches 14,000 people through the Delta Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) Newsletter

  • Adopts Teens on Farms (TOF) Program

  • Initiates community and school garden programs 

  • Opens online Farmers Market

  • Hosts Harvest Barn at Olathe Corn Festival

  • Leaves Montrose Community Foundation to function as a stand-alone non-profit

  • Receives Colorado Trust funds for health equity initiative; forms the Health Equity Advocacy Team (HEAT)

  • Opens Produce for Pantries in partnership with Sharing Ministries

  • Receives Food Hub Planning grant from Colorado Department of Agriculture

  • Continues WC Food and Farm Forum, Savor the San Juans, Community/Schools Gardens, Local Farmacy Rx, Teens on Farms, DMEA Newsletter, Montrose Farmers Market sponsorship

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Publishes first Lovin’ Local: Guide to Western Colorado Bounty. In the next years, we will print 6 editions, distribute more than 20,000 copies and create a searchable online food guide to better connect local farms to forks.

2012

2015

  • Launches Eat Local, Eat Healthy (ELEH) restaurant program with 7 local restaurants and local farming partners

  • Conducts Holistic Management Financial Planning with 3 weekend sessions filled to capacity

  • Spearheads the City of Montrose’s adoption of Healthy Cities and Towns resolution to support local food

  • Forms the School and Community Garden Network to coordinate local gardens

  • Continues WC Food and Farm Forum, Savor the San Juans, Community/Schools Gardens, Local Farmacy Rx, Teens on Farms, DMEA Newsletter, Montrose Farmers’ Market sponsorship, HEAT, Lovin’ Local Guide

2016

  • Receives 3 years of funding from Colorado Health Foundation to continue VFP’s LiveWell work with Growing Healthy Communities

  • Continues WC Food and Farm Forum, Savor the San Juans, Community/Schools Gardens, Local Farmacy Rx, Montrose Farmers’ Market sponsorship, HEAT, Lovin’ Local Guide, Eat Local Eat Healthy, Holistic Management Financial Planning 3-week course

2017

  • Initiates Health Equity Learning Series (HELS) as part of HEAT work

  • Initiates the Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) Program at the MFM

  • Continues WC Food and Farm Forum, Savor the San Juans, Community/Schools Gardens, Local Farmacy Rx, HEAT, Lovin’ Local Guide, Eat Healthy Eat Local

After four years of supporting the Montrose Farmers’ Markets as its fiscal sponsor, VFP adopts the Market as a program. The Market’s mission is to support local producers both large and small, to help keep healthy local food accessible to everyone!

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2018

2019

2020

  • Receives USDA/AMS Regional Food System Partnership Planning Grant

  • Initiates Food Box Program at the MFM in response to COVID-19 emergency food needs

  • Continues WC Food and Farm Forum, Community/Schools Gardens, Local Farmacy Rx, Montrose Farmers’ Market Program, Lovin’ Local Guide, Double up Food Bucks

2021

  • Received USDA-AMS Farmers Market Promotion Program grant to increase customers and vendors at the Montrose Farmers Market, as well as create a business plan with an eye towards sustainability

  • Partnered with Montrose Recreation District to provide nutrition and garden education

  • Partnered with Welcome Home Alliance for Veterans to provide local fruit and vegetables to veterans in need

  • Received USDA-NIFA Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program grant to support the development and resiliency of new producers

2022

  • Inaugural cohort of the Cultivating Farmers and Ranchers that Thrive, a beginning farmer, rancher development program.  This program provides education, in partnership with Holistic Management International, mentorship/internship opportunities, land access.  The program is informed by the Farmer and Rancher Advisory Team.  We are also partnering with CSU as a 3rd party evaluator of the program

  • Brought together various food system stakeholders across the region to identify our strengths and priority areas of need. This was in preparation for the statewide Food Summit, of which VFP was a sponsor, intended to bring together food and agriculture stakeholders from across the state to help build shared understanding of the complex opportunities and challenges facing our food and agriculture systems

  • Held a new fundraising event, the Crop Duster, a road bike ride through agricultural areas, ending with an after-party at the new Montrose Rotary Amphitheatre

  • Continued WC Food and Farm Forum, Local Farmacy Rx, and Montrose Farmers’ Market

  • Receives funds to support Farm-to-School (FTS) program; brokers local produce into school food services in Montrose, Ouray, Delta Counties

  • Continues WC Food and Farm Forum, Savor the San Juans, Community/Schools Gardens, Local Farmacy Rx, Montrose Farmers’ Market Program, HEAT, Lovin’ Local Guide, Eat Local Eat Healthy, Double up Food Bucks, Health Equity Learning Series