First food delivery for Nevadans in need made through Home Feeds Nevada

Home Feeds Nevada purchases local food to fight food insecurity


LAS VEGAS, Nev. - September 26, 2022

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) marked the first food delivery of the Home Feeds Nevada program on Wednesday, Sept. 21, with 600 pounds of locally grown tomatoes from Blue Lizard Farms in Caliente to Three Square Food Bank in Las Vegas. Home Feeds Nevada is a program through which the NDA purchases food grown and produced in Nevada for distribution to those in need.
“Ensuring every Nevadan has food on their plate is something the NDA works towards every day,” said NDA Director Jennifer Ott. “This first delivery through the Home Feeds Nevada program marks a huge success for us in the fight for food security and the support we’re able to offer our food and agriculture industries in the state.”
In an effort to support Nevada agriculture and improve food security for Nevadans in need, the Home Feeds Nevada Agriculture Food Purchase program was established through Senate Bill 370 and passed during the 81st Legislative Session in 2021. Through this program, the NDA is purchasing foods that are grown, produced or processed in Nevada and distributing them through designated food banks to populations in need.
“No one should wonder where their next meal will come from. The Home Feeds Nevada program is helping put food on the table for Nevadans,” said Governor Steve Sisolak. “As we continue pandemic recovery efforts, it’s important now more than ever to offer support and economic opportunity to our local businesses. Through this program, we can do both. The NDA has done an incredible job getting this program up and running in nine months and I look forward to the positive impact this will bring to Nevada.”
"The Home Feeds Nevada program is giving my farm some much needed stability, and at the same time, feeding Nevadans in need with highly nutritious produce,” said Rodney Mehring of Blue Lizard Farms. “We are honored to be a part of the Home Feed Nevada program. I started farming so I could provide nutritious food to my children, now that they are grown my farm can provide produce to other families in Nevada."
The NDA is accepting applications from local farmers, ranchers, food producers and processors interested in selling food to be used to fight food insecurity, and from storage and transportation providers to help aggregate and transport food. Learn more about Home Feeds Nevada and the application process at agri.nv.gov/HFN.

About the Nevada Department of Agriculture

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) mission is to preserve, protect and promote Nevada’s agriculture. The department has 225 dedicated employees providing services in its five divisions, Administrative Services, Animal Industry, Measurement Standards, Food and Nutrition, and Plant Health and Compliance. The department’s $288 million budget facilitates regulatory and administrative work in agriculture and food manufacturing industries, protecting public and environmental health and worker safety, and providing food distribution and oversight for the United States Department of Agriculture’s school and community nutrition programs.