Big Tex Urban Farms donates more than 295 servings of fresh produce to Fair Park Community

The State Fair of Texas announced that in 2020, Big Tex Urban Farms harvested and donated more than 26,000 pounds of food, which equates to more than 295,000 servings of fresh produce donated to nine organizations in the Fair Park and South Dallas communities. Since the inception of the farms in 2016, the State Fair has donated more than 688,000 total servings – bringing us nearly 70% of the way to meeting our million servings mission goal announced in the fall of 2018.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the farms never stopped operating in 2020. In response to the global crisis, it adjusted their harvest and donation procedures to include proper safety protocols so the State Fair could continue to serve the community in this dire time of need. These safety protocols include workers wearing masks and gloves, socially distancing at all times, updating donation procedures to be contactless and shifting tours of the Farms to be virtual rather than in-person.

“Even with the challenges from the pandemic, our team was able to harvest and donate even more food to the community – up 25% from prior the year,” said Drew Demler, director of horticulture at the State Fair of Texas. “Early on when the pandemic began and everyone was asked to stay at home, grocery stores and pantries were at a loss, so we knew our contributions were more important than ever.”

The farms are an urban agriculture project located on the State Fair of Texas Midway in Fair Park and is comprised of hydroponic growing systems and outdoor planting beds. Operated and tended to by State Fair staff, 100% of the produce grown at Big Tex Urban Farms is donated to organizations in the local community, such as Baylor Scott & White Health and Wellness Institute at the Juanita J. Craft Community Center, Jubilee Park Community Center, TR Hoover Community Development Corporation and CitySquare.

“The Big Tex Urban Farms initiative has brought valuable opportunities to the South Dallas area,” said Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew, vice president of community affairs and strategic alliances for the State Fair of Texas. “Not only are the Farms providing food for a community located in a food desert, the cooking classes and educational opportunities accompanying the Farms help lay the foundation for creating access for South Dallas residents. These partnerships are critical to ensure that the community has the opportunity for healthier food options.”

In addition to serving the local community, the farm’s impact spans across the global agricultural community. Seen as an innovator in the field of urban agriculture, it has become a destination for organizations to visit from around the world to learn how to help produce high-yielding fruits and vegetables in urban environments. The farmers have also been asked to speak as industry leaders at various conferences, including the Oxford Farming Conference in Oxford, England.

A portion of every ticket bought to the State Fair of Texas benefits the farms. For more information, visit https://www. bigtex.com/supporting-texans/big-tex-urban-farms.