CDA hires manager to launch Community Food Access Program

Denver, Colo. — The Colorado Department of Agriculture has hired Mickey Davis to lead the new Community Food Access Program in their Markets Division. In her position, she will oversee the creation of the new program that aims to improve availability and affordability of healthy food in communities across Colorado that struggle with food access.

“Mickey is a fantastic addition to the CDA team, bringing with her the passion and experience needed to build and administer the Community Food Access Program,” said Tom Lipetzky, director of the department’s Markets Division. “This program will help CDA make connections between producers and communities that need access to healthy, nutritious, Colorado Proud food to build a more resilient food system. Mickey’s experience working with food access organizations will lay a solid foundation for her work to develop this new program.”

As the program manager, Davis will oversee the creation and administration of the Community Food Access Program, which will create an up-to $8 million grant program to assist small grocery retailers and Colorado farmers in expanding their infrastructure to provide healthy food in communities across Colorado. The program was created under House Bill 22-1380 to support small retailers and establish a community food consortium for small food retailers, and Colorado-owned and Colorado-operated farms.

“I’m looking forward to the challenges and opportunities of managing the Community Food Access Program in Colorado to ensure communities across the state have reliable and affordable access to fresh, nutritious, Colorado Proud food,” Davis said. “My experience in managing food access programs will allow me to build on my previous relationships while establishing new connections throughout Colorado.”

Persistent food deserts, the rising cost of food, supply chain issues and economic difficulties initiated by the coronavirus pandemic have exacerbated food access and security challenges in Colorado. In April 2021, Hunger Free Colorado surveyed Colorado residents and found that one in three Coloradans reported some degree of food insecurity, up from fewer than one in 10 before the pandemic. Additionally, small food retailers tend to have higher prices for fresh and perishable foods compared to large food retailers because they face pallet break fees and lack cold storage to store higher quantities of perishable foods.

The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.