Real-world examples of institutions putting values-based purchasing into practice.

The Emory News Center routinely releases news articles detailing recent events, partnerships, and progress on the journey to achieving Emory’s sustainability goals. In one, Emory features the Office of Sustainability Initiatives and the Turner Environmental Law Clinic. Also detailed in the article are updates on Emory’s Oxford College Organic Farm and the ways in which Emory incorporates locally sourced produce in its dining programs.

This video series provides an overview of the Georgia ACRE Collective and its work to increase values-based purchasing by institutions. The video topics range from explanations of the collective’s work to spotlights on specific farms and institutions impacted by the work to in-depth explorations of tools, such as forward commitments, that have changed how some farmers sell and institutions buy values-based food in Georgia.

NC 10% Campaign partnered with Vittles Films to develop a series of short films that spotlight local food success stories. The films showcase different institutions, including school districts and retirement communities, that are incorporating local food into their menus. Other films spotlight local nonprofit partners and local vendors. The NC 10% Campaign is an initiative led by the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and North Carolina Cooperative Extension to promote the purchase of North Carolina grown and produced foods by individuals and institutions. 

Emory University Hospital’s Asbury Café offered a “Learn & Taste” event to educate Emory employees about its Plant-Powered Menu Pilot program. Attendees of the event learned about the planning and implementation required to make the pilot successful and had the opportunity to taste menu items.

UMass Dining often holds tastings to introduce new menu offerings, some available to the public. For example, in a tasting that took place in November 2022, UMass Dining celebrated the creation of new plant-based menu options with a tasting event that allowed members of the public to taste the 11 new menu items and learn about the health and environmental benefits of plant-based dining.

In 2016, Unity College and Farm to Institution New England hosted an event to discuss local food sourcing for small campuses. Attendees included dining directors, chefs, cooks, and campus farmers from seventeen institutions, including Amherst College, Colby College, College of the Atlantic, Maine Central Institute, and more. The event included guided tours of the Unity Food Hub and McKay Farm & Research Station, cooking demos, and a dinner provided by a local chef featuring locally sourced food.

Emory’s Oxford College Organic Farm hosted a celebration at the farm for its 10th Anniversary. The event welcomed faculty, staff, students, alumni, and visitors, and attendees enjoyed live music, farm tours, and fresh food grown at the farm. Emory’s Oxford College spotlighted the event in an article on its website.

In a January 27, 2025, Instagram post, UTSA announced a partnership with the Common Market. The collaboration will bring boxes of locally grown produce to campus for pickup by UTSA community members.

In a December 31, 2024, Instagram post, the New York City Office of Food Policy highlighted the year’s accomplishments. The post includes graphics illustrating the Office’s work in 2024. Featured in the post are statistics demonstrating total emissions reductions for the city, numbers showing the breadth and impact of the Office’s trainings and education efforts, and brief summaries of the Office’s progress toward aligning food procurement with administration goals.

In a press release on their website, Grady Health System announced the opening of its new Jesse Hill Market, which provides fresh, nutritious foods for patients, hospital staff, and the surrounding community. The market is part of Grady’s Food as Medicine program and serves food sourced in part from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Open Hand Atlanta

An article published in the Massachusetts Daily Collegian, the University’s newspaper, tells the history of UMass Dining’s local procurement, highlights some local farms that the university partners with, and discusses the impact of climate change on farming in the region.

“Union Public School’s tomato specifications:

• Available at least 10 months out of the year
• Greenhouse-grown, hydroponically grown, or grown outside
• Grade No. 1 quality
• Fully ripe
• Red color stage
• Ten-day shelf life
• Pesticide-free and organic
• GAP and Good Handline Practices certified, preferred
• Transported to a school warehouse or to 18 individual schools
• Must be delivered 2 days before service
• Must be able to provide an estimated quantity of 36 cases per week”