By Andi Anderson
Food hubs play an important role in helping communities access food produced within their region. These mission‑driven businesses or organizations focus on gathering, distributing, and marketing farm products so local residents can access fresh and locally grown food.
Food hubs also strengthen local economies, protect public health, and support environmental resilience. Because of their growing impact, the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems has been conducting the National Food Hub Survey since 2012 to better understand how these organizations operate and evolve.
The 2025 National Food Hub Survey is the sixth edition of this ongoing project and was completed with support from the University of Michigan Program Evaluation Group.
The survey gathered information from 100 food hubs across 27 states and Washington, D.C., collecting data from the 2024 calendar year. The results show how food hubs influence farmers, markets, finances, and community engagement.
One major takeaway is that food hubs strongly support farmers. Surveyed hubs purchased from an average of 49 farms, and 85 percent of these purchases came from small or mid‑sized farms.
Because they gather products from many local growers, food hubs help supply institutions such as schools and hospitals with fresh food and create dependable market channels for farmers.
The survey also shows that food hubs care deeply about their mission. Many hubs prioritize local sourcing, long‑term farmer success, and stronger regional food systems. These values set them apart from other distributors and highlight their commitment to serving communities, not just selling products.
Institutional sales have also grown significantly. Between the 2021 and 2025 surveys, average gross sales to schools more than tripled, while sales to food banks nearly doubled. Many hubs rely on grant funding to support this work, especially when partnering with institutions.
Food hubs also help improve food access by accepting SNAP benefits. Twenty hubs reported a combined total of $386,214 in SNAP redemptions in 2024, helping families purchase locally grown food while supporting local farmers.
Food hubs contribute to job creation as well. While some hubs employ only one worker and others employ more than 300, the average number of employees is 14. These jobs help strengthen regional food and farm economies.
Community investment is another key priority. Many hubs involve local residents in decision‑making, reinvest profits back into the community, and hire local workers. These actions help build strong and inclusive food systems.
Looking ahead, hubs see strong growth potential. Nearly 60 percent expect increased direct‑to‑consumer sales in 2026, along with expansion in restaurant, school, small retail, and college markets.
The survey findings were also shared with the National Food Hub Network Community of Practice, helping organizations learn from one another and explore new ways to support food systems nationwide.
For a deeper look at survey trends, readers can visit the interactive National Food Hub Survey Data Dashboard.
Photo Credit: pexels-julia-m-cameron
Categories: Michigan, General