Our History

In 2016, the Wells County Economic Development and the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership brought together a regional steering committee of economic development leaders and local food system stakeholders to develop an action plan to strengthen local food networks across the eleven county region in Northeast Indiana. 

In 2017, that committee launched the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network to promote and support the development of a resilient  local food economy in the region by strengthening connections between local food farms, food and beverage businesses and local consumers. 

In January 2018, the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the State of Indiana. At that time, the organization received tax-exempt status under fiscal sponsorship from Wells County Revitalization.  Several members of the original regional steering committee became members of the initial Board of Directors, and Janet Katz was appointed as the volunteer Founding Director of the organization. In 2018, the organization hosted the first Local Food Forum to provide educational and networking opportunities for local food farms, businesses, organizations and advocates.

In 2019, the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network was a consultant for Parkview Health for a USDA Farm to School Planning Grant which led to the formation of the NE Indiana Farm to School Team.  The organization hosted an expanded Local Food Forum with over 200 participants. 

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network created a searchable online Local Food Guide on their website, NEIfood.org, to help connect local food farms, markets, businesses, and organizations with consumers and supporters.  The organization also launched Local Food Week in 2020 to organize farm tours and build relationships within the local food community during this challenging time.

In March 2021, Northeast Indiana Local Food Network received a grant from Indiana Grown to expand outreach to local food farms and businesses, create a targeted marketing campaign to raise awareness about local food and Indiana Grown products, and build relationships between local farms and local schools by launching the Harvest of the Month program in collaboration with Parkview Health. 

In July 2021, Wells County Revitalization was awarded a USDA Farm to School Implementation grant on behalf of Northeast Indiana Local Food Network, Parkview Health and Purdue Extension. This grant funded the expansion of the Harvest of the Month taste test program, creation of the Harvest of the Month farm videos and development of farm to school classroom curriculum.

In October 2021, the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network joined other organizations and nonprofits from across Indiana working to strengthen local food systems and value chain coordination across the state. This partnership was led by the Northwest Indiana Food Council, who was awarded a Regional Food System Partnerships grant to fund this collaborative effort.

Finally in 2021, the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network organized their first fundraising event, the Local Food Throwdown, a friendly competition between Northeast Indiana’s finest chefs and bartenders who each highlighted  local ingredients from regional farms in the dishes and cocktails they prepared for the event.

In 2022, the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network received its own 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service. In 2022 and 2023 the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network focused their work on expanding regional Farm to School programs, as well as organizing the annual Local Food Week celebration. The organization hosted a second Local Food Throwdown in 2022. In 2023, the organization hosted a Local Food Networking event and collaborated with Purdue Fort Wayne to organize a Farm to School Summit.  

In 2024, the Northeast Indiana Local Food Network hired the Sturtz Public Management Group as a consultant to conduct a Local Food Needs Assessment across the entire 11 county Northeast Indiana region, and to lead the organization through the development of a comprehensive strategic plan. This important work was funded in part through the Regional Food System Partnerships Grant, as well as a generous Capacity Building Initiative grant from the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation. 

The information and insights for the needs assessment were gathered through public engagement sessions, surveys, focus groups and personal interviews conducted over several months that engaged over 500 individuals.  The organization hosted its 5th Annual Local Food Week in 2024 with over 40 farms, businesses and organizations hosting over 110 different events throughout the 10-day celebration.