Farms are part of the Hudson Valley’s DNA. Many of the region’s Indigenous peoples like the Munsee Lenape, the Mohican, the Wappinger, the Schaghticoke, and the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) grew corn, beans and squash; during the American Revolution, the region emerged as the breadbasket of the 13 colonies. Today, more than 3,500 Hudson Valley farms are part of a vast foodshed network that provide fresh produce for the region, New York City, and beyond. Hudson Valley farms also provide thousands of jobs and contribute millions of dollars to the local economy each year.

But farms, and farming, face many challenges. Over 50,000 acres of farmland and 124 farms have been lost in the region since 2017. The impacts from climate change, combined with economic challenges mean that the business of farming is under unprecedented pressure.  And despite the region’s bounty, access to healthy, sustainably-grown food isn’t shared equally. It is estimated that one in ten people in the Hudson Valley are food insecure, and one third of children in the region are eligible for free or reduced lunches.