In partnership with the New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative, the Pinelands Alliance has announced that the South Jersey Farmers, Equity and Sustainability Team (SJ FEAST) project is transitioning from the planning stages into implementation.
Supported by a $946,505 grant received in early 2025, the initiative represents a total project amount of $1,185,763, with a match of $239,258, and is designed to significantly increase the capacity and connectivity of regional food systems in South Jersey.
SJ FEAST exists because the farmers who provide fresh, local food face the same economic pressures, low pay, rising costs and market barriers that keep many neighbors in underserved communities from accessing their produce. By strengthening local food systems and removing cost and distribution obstacles, SJ FEAST connects growers and residents so everyone can afford and benefit from fresh, nutritious food.
Over the past year, the team convened a steering committee of farmers and key stakeholders and conducted an intensive due diligence and research phase interviewing dozens of regional producers, buyers and logistics partners. Today, SJ FEAST is formalizing strategic partnerships that connect local producers directly with institutional consumers, including hospitals and schools, while developing actionable plans to support these relationships.
“Our goal is to make it easier and more profitable for local farmers to sell directly to the institutions that feed our communities,” explained Carleton Montgomery, director of strategic initiatives at the Pinelands Alliance. “By removing barriers to market access, we’re strengthening both our food system and our regional economy.”
The initiative will deliver three critical components: new and improved distribution systems designed to increase efficiency and reduce costs; a comprehensive project website as a hub for information on local farms, farmers markets, and stakeholder engagement; and direct technical assistance that will included shared logistics, aggregation support and storage solutions.
In the coming months, SJ FEAST will also launch additional technical help like training opportunities for stakeholders focused on food processing, distribution and storage strategies. The project is projected to generate about $900,000 in non-federal financial resources through increased sales and grants, while building a sustainable network of partnerships across the region.
For more information, visit https://www.njfooddemocracy.org/sjfeast
