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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri EATs welcomes Dade, Barry, Lawrence and Harrison counties to the program’s 2025-2026 cohort. The Missouri EATs initiative, a program of University of Missouri Extension, is part of the Missouri Rural Food Access Partnership, a statewide collaboration dedicated to creating resilient and thriving food systems across Missouri. These new counties join Nodaway and Mississippi counties from the 2024-2025 cohort.
Communities involved in Missouri EATs (Engage, Act, Transform) collaborate with MU Extension on a comprehensive food system planning process, starting by assembling a team of leaders from within the community who identify key opportunities, such as supporting new food and farm businesses, expanding retail markets for local food, enhancing nutrition and cooking education or reducing food waste, said Bill McKelvey, senior project coordinator in community development.
“Hunger is a cause for concern in every community, affecting one in seven Missourians,” McKelvey said. “With Missouri EATs, people can explore best practices for addressing hunger and put a plan in place to take action.”
The initiative emphasizes community engagement, assessment of local strengths and opportunities, and actionable solutions to improve food access, support local agriculture and drive economic growth, he said.
Counties participating in Missouri EATs gain access to resources to:
- Engage the community through surveys, focus groups and planning sessions.
- Identify barriers to food access and opportunities to enhance local food production.
- Build partnerships among farmers, businesses and community organizations.
- Develop and implement plans for sustainable food system improvements.
Jasmin Le Blanc, founder of the Roots and Harvest Community Market in Ash Grove, says having Dade County selected with Lawrence and Barry counties is a step toward developing a collaborative regional food system. “By engaging with all sectors of our community, we aim to create a sustainable model that can inspire other regions in southwest Missouri and across the state.”
Lainey Harvick of Harvick Farms said, “We’re honored for Barry and Lawrence counties to be selected as a MO EATs community. Through this process, we hope to develop a clear, community-driven action plan to improve food access, support local farmers and create the infrastructure and partnerships needed to build a stronger, more resilient local food system.”
According to Sarah Massengale, MU Extension state specialist in community development, “The Missouri EATs community food system program supports communities to really dive into what it means to be a food secure community, what is working well already and where opportunities are to grow food and farming businesses, enhance food access strategies and bring new partners into the conversation to create locally led strategies.”
Funding for this cohort is provided through the Missouri Rural Food Access Partnership and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Anyone working improve community food systems is welcome to participate in free virtual community roundtables. Register online for the Sept. 9 session.
For more information about Missouri EATs or to get involved in the planning process, visit the Missouri EATs website.
About the Missouri Rural Food Access Partnership
Missouri EATs is part of the Missouri Rural Food Access Partnership, a statewide collaboration focused on building resilient and thriving food systems across Missouri. Formed in November 2023 by Empower Missouri, University of Missouri Extension, IFF and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, the partnership launched in the summer 2024 with the support of a three-year, $1 million grant from America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative Partnerships Program. For more information on the partnership, visit Empower Missouri’s website.