The County Farm to Food Bank program strengthens our local food economy by supporting Montgomery County farmers and provides better access to fresh, local, nutritious food for residents experiencing food insecurity. Manna Food Center purchases produce, eggs, meat and other products from local farms thanks to grant funding from Montgomery County and the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Your products are then donated to hunger relief organizations through Manna’s Community Food Rescue program. Volunteer food runners will pick up and deliver for you.
Resources for Montgomery County Farmers
If you are a Montgomery County farmer who wants to sell your products, use the resources below to get started. For more information, contact Annarose Kennedy, Local Food Resource Specialist.
Learn About Foods that Assistance Providers Want
We asked CFR network food assistance providers to rank the types of produce, meat, and eggs their clients most desire. Click here to view the results of a survey that might guide your planting and products you offer to the County Farm to Food Bank program in 2022.
Montgomery County Farm to Food Bank Guide
This step-by-step guide details how to sell your Montgomery County grown products to Manna Food Center and includes links to the Pricing Spreadsheet, the ChowMatch tool, and important contact information. Note that you can only make offers using the ChowMatch web-based tool (you can not use the ChowMatch mobile app).
Price Sheet
Prices on this Price Sheet are based on a survey conducted by the Montgomery County Food Council and Office of Ag staff of various local farms including conventional, certified naturally grown, and organic growers. If you have a product to sell that is not yet on the sheet or want to negotiate existing pricing, please contact Jenna Umbriac and she will work with you. Our goal is to find a price that is between wholesale and retail.
Invoice Template
Once you’ve sold your products to Manna, use this Invoice Template to bill Manna Food Center. You don’t need to use the template but please include all the same information when you invoice. Payment will be made 30 days upon receipt of invoice.
Montgomery County Farm to Food Bank Video
This presentation walks you through the important steps on how to use the ChowMatch application to make sale offers to Manna Food Center. The video also shows you how to donate your products through Community Food Rescue. If you don’t know what ChowMatch is or you don’t know there is a different process for purchase vs. donation, this video is for you! You can download the presentation slides here.
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Donate your Products
For any products that you are unable to sell you can donate them through Community Food Rescue. Click here to learn more.
For Maryland-grown farm products that you donate through CFR, you are eligible to receive a Maryland State Tax Credit. In 2023 the Farmers Feeding Families Bill (HB0584) was signed into law. This is a tax credit for Maryland Farmers who donate their Maryland grown food to non-profit organizations. After several years as a pilot program, this new law removes the sunset provision, so this tax credit is now available without expiration. Also, farmers will now receive tax credit for 100% of the value of their food donations’ value, as determined by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. This 100% value is for all Maryland grown food regardless of growing practice. Complete this form, and make sure to itemize each product, amounts donated and date of donation. Print, sign, and scan the completed form and send it to foodresources@mannafood.org. She will verify your donation and then submit the form to the Maryland Department of Agriculture. You will receive a letter with donation values that you can submit with your taxes.
Contact Information
Montgomery County Farm to Food Bank Program
General Questions: Annarose Kennedy, Local Food Resource Specialist
Pricing and Invoicing: Jenna Umbriac, Manna Food Center Program Director
Community Food Rescue
Food Donations: Contact foodresources@mannafood.org
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