Province III assists 80th GC to support regional farmers and local food

The Episcopal Church is taking the lead among faith institutions to intentionally support regional farmers during next year’s 80th General Convention in Baltimore by featuring farm fresh regional and local food during the week-long event. With the assistance of Province III's Environmental Stewardship ministry, which serves 1,149 parishes across Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C., it is connecting regional farmers with Convention caterers, signaling alignment and support for those small to mid-scale farms which pivoted and played a significant role in keeping food flowing in 2020. Small to midscale food producers have, on average, a higher regional economic impact as their income circulates more within their respective communities. At a granular level, they strengthen natural systems leading to increases in soil and water quality, sequestering more carbon and supporting high quality crops for communities. These local farmers have played, in many instances, an unsung role in community resilience which has and continues to produce a ripple-effect, which underscores the church’s Creation Care and Environmental Justice ministry and Province III’s Environmental Stewardship mission.