Marion County farmers are among those the Kansas Rural Center hopes to include in a new local food program being developed with a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Common Ground Producers and Growers, Kansas Wesleyan University, and St. John’s Baptist Church of Salina are working to create a “food corridor” along I-135 from Wichita to Salina.

Ryan Goertzen-Regier, farmer engagement coordinator for Kansas Rural Center, said the organization would help farmers scale up production and market their products.

“I hope to see the barriers to entering farming reduced for young and beginning farmers as well, who otherwise may have an extremely difficult time getting their farm businesses up and running,” Goertzen-Regier said.

The program also is expected to help provide fresh produce and local foods to food “deserts” and other areas with low access to healthy foods.

Kansas Rural Center staff will assess farmer interest and capacity for the formation of the food hub and what structure it might have.

More information is available at kansasruralcenter.org.