Poudre Valley Producers x Morning Fresh Dairy

In Summer of 2023, Morning Fresh Dairy x Poudre Valley Producers have partnered to pilot the Poudre Valley Producers Farmers’ Pick program. This is a monumental partnership as it bridges the gaps between local food production and local distribution. As a part of an initiative to improve local food access, the Poudre Food Partnership helped organize this local collaboration from its Market + Infrastructure Support and Producer Support working groups.

Why is this significant? Well, from a 2018 USDA study, it found that only 1% of products grown in Larimer County are actually sold within the County. This data is supported by a lack of market access, distribution constraints, and promotion to locally grown foods. As an organization, we’ve been trying to change that.

As one of the most successful producers within Northern Colorado, Morning Fresh Dairy isn’t just your normal dairy. They are the primary supplier for Noosa Yogurt, a common milk product you’d find in a Colorado grocery store, and have their own local milk delivery service that includes an array of products. While they’ve attempted to carry local produce before, the perishability, logistics, and ability to aggregate has been a challenge - as with any local food system. However, through the collaborations of our working group members, they helped create a model that streamlines the aggregation and variety of producers without the breakdown of logistics.

Collaborations like this don’t just happen. It takes a lot of thought, care, and intention to help make a local food system thrive. Now, local farmers have another wholesale customer, and our local dairy has more variety in their milk delivery service. To learn more about this program, visit MFD’s Moo News for more details! Below are the farmers that are representing the Poudre Valley Producers Farmers’ Pick program.