FARMWISE Indiana

Integrating social responsibility into food procurement

FARMWISE Indiana is strengthening the ties between Indiana farmers and institutional and wholesale buyers to grow regional food networks, improve institutional food quality, and support local economies.

Through the hiring of five value chain professionals and leveraging the Indiana Value Chain Network, the FARMWISE Indiana team is working to understand buyer needs and connect buyers to regional growers across the state.

The goals of FARMWISE Indiana are three-fold:

Expand values-based food procurement strategies of institutional partners
Increase coordination between Hoosier farmers and institutional buyers
Integrate social responsibility into food purchasing strategies

How institutional buyers influence food systems

Institutions, such as schools, hospitals, and senior centers, play a key role in the dietary choices of some of Indiana’s most vulnerable populations. Oftentimes, these institutions make food purchases from a “lowest cost” mindset, which favors ultra-processed foods sold by large-scale distributors. These purchase decisions can have a negative impact on the diets of children, elderly, and others, as well as the bottom line of farmers and the health of the environment.

Working with buyers, suppliers, distributors, and agencies, the FARMWISE Indiana team is developing food procurment frameworks that prioritize:

good health
climate-friendly agriculture
fair worker wages
farm viability
animal welfare

75%share of food distribution captured by two U.S. companies

$522Mamount of food purchased by just 200 food service directors in Indiana

45%share of institutional food service managed by three companies nationwide

Strengthening connections along the food chain

FARMWISE Indiana's value chain professionals (VCPs) serve as a central point of contact for food system stakeholders in the regions throughout the state. Working with both food suppliers (farmers and food businesses) and buyers (chefs, food distributors), they lay the foundation for long-term business relationships critical to local and rural economies.

In addition to building market ties, VCPs work to:

educate institutional food providers about the benefits of a best-value model rather than a cheapest-price model
collect data from farmers, buyers, and other value chain food businesses to assess needs, challenges, and motivations
generate case studies demonstrating the successes, challenges, and timelines for shifting institutional procurement behavior

FARMWISE Indiana VCPs are engaging elected officials, agricultural groups, technical service organizations, and state agencies on integrating the values-based purchasing story into a broader agricultural mindset for Indiana.

Environmental Resilience Institute

FARMWISE Indiana

Integrating social responsibility into food procurement

How institutional buyers influence food systems

Strengthening connections along the food chain

Additional links and resources

FARMWISE Indiana

Integrating social responsibility into food procurement

How institutional buyers influence food systems

Strengthening connections along the food chain

Environmental Resilience Institute resources

Additional links and resources