Context Matters: Visioning a Food Hub in Yolo and Solano Counties

Abstract

This report was prepared by a team of students at UC Davis for the Yolo Ag and Food Alliance (AFA). The objective was to examine the plausibility of creating a food hub in Yolo and Solano Counties. To achieve this, the UC Davis research team explored recent trends in food hubs across the country and conducted a food system assessment of the two counties. The food system assessment tracks historical trends and data in Yolo and Solano Counties for five sectors of the food system: production, processing, distribution, retail, and consumption. By analyzing these sectors, the report provides a context to better understand the viability of a possible food hub in the region and includes exercises and recommendations to help guide the AFA through a planning process. We designed this report to help the AFA understand the context of the local food system, create a common vision for a food hub, compile background information for future funding applications, and facilitate partnerships for the next stage in the design process for a food hub.