Ohio CAN (LFPA)
Ohio’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA) – known as Ohio CAN (Community + Agriculture + Nutrition) – is connecting producers with communities! Ohio CAN is funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and implemented in partnership with the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Farmers and producers whose products are grown and produced within 400 miles of the city of Columbus are eligible to participate. Ohio CAN will prioritize suppliers who identify as historically underrepresented, such as women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, veterans, and small, beginner, and disabled farmers, as well as those whose income is derived from a public assistance program.
Ohio CAN Producer Registration Form
This information is for suppliers/vendors that have signed up to participate in the Ohio CAN program. To view Ohio CAN’s official website, please visit: Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Ohio CAN website
Next Step After Registering with the Ohio Department of Agriculture: Product Forecast Form
We’re so glad you are interested in joining Ohio CAN as a supplier/vendor! To best determine how we can partner with you, we need you to provide additional information. After you have completed your vendor registration from the Ohio Department of Agriculture Ohio CAN website, follow the instructions below to send us your Product Forecast Form.
Next, download the Ohio CAN Product Forecast Form. This tool helps us plan orders that meet the needs and capacity of our partner foodbanks and hunger relief providers and the communities they serve. We will discuss all forecasts with you before placing an order. Please allow at least a 2-week window from when product is ready to an estimated delivery date. After completing your Product Forecast Form, please upload it using the Product Forecast Form upload tool.
You can continue to use this form to update your product availability throughout the program! When you have updated forecasting, new products, etc., make updates to your Ohio CAN Product Forecast Form and upload the newest Product Forecast Form from our upload tool.
Resources
Ohio CAN aims to purchase products at a fair market rate from local farmers and producers. This Price and Packing Guide is a tool for vendors to provide an idea about the typical prices we will pay. Prices will vary based on region, season, volume, and size of the supplier, the variety of the produce (organic vs. conventional, heirloom or niche varieties, etc.), and other factors. Additionally, there may be more competition for certain products than others. If you are selling a crop that is common to the state of Ohio, we will most likely be purchasing toward the lower end of the scale.
To ensure high quality, safe products for foodbank clients and full transparency and accountability to our state and federal partners, Ohio CAN has established guidelines for delivering product to foodbanks and food pantries.
To ensure consistency and clear expectations for vendors and foodbanks, Ohio CAN has established basic order and payment procedures.
If you would like to submit feedback at any point throughout this process or your participation in Ohio CAN, please fill out our Vendor Feedback form.
Need More Help?
Ohio CAN is intended to open opportunities to local, historically underrepresented suppliers, not add undue burden. If you have any questions about this program or need a translator, please contact:
Carrie Harshbarger
Director of Special Food Programs, Ohio Association of Foodbanks
charshbarger@ohiofoodbanks.org
614-301-6040
Ainsley Lightcap
Ohio CAN Program Manager, Ohio Department of Agriculture
Ainsley.Lightcap@agri.ohio.gov
614-395-6887