Nebraska Regional Food Systems Initiative

Vegetables at a stand at a farmers market.

Fresh. Affordable. Local.

Nebraska agriculture is more than feed, fuel, and fiber—it’s a network bringing fresh, healthy food to your table. Whether you want to grow traditional crops, connect with local producers for school lunches, expand a farmers market in your community, or improve local food options, the Nebraska Regional Food Systems Initiative (NERFSI) team has programs to help. From planting to plate, fresh, healthy, affordable food helps Nebraskans thrive. As a partner in the USDA’s Heartland Regional Food Business Center, NERFSI supports farmers and food producers in becoming key players in local and regional food markets, strengthening both communities and food security.

Resources

The Region's Hub

Heartland Regional Food Business Center

From startup through growth, the Heartland Regional Food Business Center helps food enterprises develop their local and regional businesses and markets.

Vegetables
Learn more about the Heartland Regional Food Business Center

Putting Pieces Together

AgVets Program

Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans (AgVets) offers workshops and demonstrations by three veteran-owned farms that share business and production skills.

Man plowing garden
Learn more about the AgVets program

By Locals, for Locals

Cottage Food Law

Nebraska law allows individuals to sell homemade foods directly to consumers from the producer’s home, fairs, festivals, other public events, or online.

Food preparation.
Learn more about Cottage Food Law

Two for One

Double Up Food Bucks

Double Up Food Bucks matches fruit and vegetable purchases dollar for dollar, up to $20 a day, so you and your family get twice the fresh fruits and veggies.

A shopping cart full of groceries.
Learn more about Double Up Food Bucks

Feed Our most Precious Resource

Farm to School

The Farm to School program embraces a three-part system—classroom, cafeteria, and community—from educating children to serving local food on their lunch trays.

Students get lunch.
Learn more about Farm to School

Strength in Numbers

Growing Together Nebraska

Growing Together Nebraska is a SNAP-Ed funded, donation garden project that increases food security and promotes healthy food access for families and individuals who are food insecure.

Shoppers buy vegetables at a farmers market.
Learn more about Growing Together Nebraska

Promoting Local Business and Community Health

Healthy Food Access

Healthy Food Access is the means to consistently finding, affording, choosing, and using nutritious and safe food for increased nutrition security.

Fruits and vegetables in a store
Learn more about Healthy Food Access

Find, Connect, and Build

MarketMaker

MarketMaker is the place to source local food, find customers for your food products, and connect Nebraska’s food chain, from farm to table.

Local farmers talk about regional foods.
Learn more about MarketMaker

Knowhow. Know Now.

Master Gardener

The Nebraska Extension Master Gardener Volunteer program provides volunteers with science-based horticulture education, sharing their knowledge with the Nebraskans.

People work in a community garden.
Learn more about Master Gardener

Tradition Meets Innovation

Nation Nourishment Program

The Nation Nourishment Program is a hands-on, classroom-based, food-growing experience for Umonhon Nation community members seeking to learn to grow food.

Squash grown by the Indiginous Youth Food Sovereignty program. Photo by Russell Shaffer
Learn more about the Nation Nourishment Program

Honoring the Past. Creating the Future.

Native American Coalition

The Native American Coalition builds bridges between tribal and non-tribal communities, facilitating community development and leadership in Native communities, and brings Native American traditional worldviews and cultures to greater Nebraska.

A woman points to the medicine wheel cycle.
Learn more about the Native American Coalition

Green Among the Gray

Urban Agriculture

The Urban Agriculture program assists urban farmers and home growers alike, while also engaging communities and organizations to collaborate in building the local food system.

Workers harvest vegetables at an urban farm.
Learn more about Urban Agriculture

Contact

BEN JEWELL

RPN Extension Educator
402-269-2301
bmcshane-jewell2@unl.edu