CISA’s Institutional Buying Program was created to help build institutional markets for local farmers. Through this program we work to bring local food into hospitals, workplace cafeterias, and other institutional settings as well as school and college cafeterias. Local institutions can demonstrate their commitment to the health and well-being of their staff and clients and to the economic and environmental health of the Valley by offering high quality, fresh, local food in their cafeteria. CISA is dedicated to helping institutions do this by:

• Facilitating one-on-one relationships between farmers and institutional buyers;
• Developing a Wholesale Farm Products Guide for use by institutional buyers;
• Assessing the barriers to institutional buying;
• Proposing strategic changes to delivery, ordering, and packaging systems that will allow for expanded institutional sales in the future;
• Working with existing distributors to increase their labeling and promotion of local food;
• Helping institutions gain positive media exposure for their participation in our Institutional buying program.

NEW for Food Service Buyers of all sizes!

Want to know who to buy apples from? Honey? Meat? CISA can connect you with farms that are interested in working with you. Just give us a call for a list of interested farmers: 413-665-7100 and speak with Claire or Kelly.