Western Washington Food Center Breaks Ground

Local farmers on Washington’s Lopez Island are getting a new boost, with construction underway on a food center designed to strengthen the island’s agricultural economy.

The 6,000 square-foot Lopez Food Center will include farm stands, storage, a commercial kitchen, business incubation space and job training — giving farmers and food businesses more infrastructure and direct access to local markets.  The project also aims to address food insecurity.  The Lopez Food Share currently serves more than 1,100 low-income adults and children in San Juan County each month.

The new facility is expected to double that capacity and allow for hot meals and expanded prepared-food offerings.  A $1 million federal grant, secured by Senator Maria Cantwell and Congressman Rick Larsen, helped fund the project.

This Will Connect Families In Need & Local Farmers

'Too many families on Lopez Island struggle with food insecurity while San Juan County farms need access to markets, employees, and infrastructure which are all harder to find on the islands than on the mainland," Cantwell said.  "This 6,000-square-foot community space will connect families in need, local farmers, and community organizations and create new opportunities for workers and businesses.  The Lopez Food Center is exactly the kind of grassroots solution we should be investing in, and that’s why Congressman Larsen and I worked to secure $1 million in federal funds toward this groundbreaking."

Supporters said the center will connect local farms, workers and families while creating new opportunities for the island’s food economy.

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