From Soil to Scale: How the Agricultural Platform Collective is Reimagining Food Systems

09/15/2025
By: José E. Corona and Mana Mostatabi, Office of Kat Taylor

Tucked behind a quiet street in Fresno, California, a small parking lot transforms every Thursday into something electric. Trucks pull in, pallets are unloaded, and the scent of just-picked peaches and leafy greens fills the air. Local farmers greet each other as they drop off crates of produce bound for school kitchens in Merced, fire relief efforts in Los Angeles, and neighborhood meal programs across the Central Valley.

This is just one of the weekly drop points for the Agricultural Platform Collective (APC)—a farmer-forward initiative reshaping how food moves through California. 

What began as Growing the Table, a COVID-era emergency food program launched by the Office of Kat Taylor, has evolved into a new initiative guided by a long-term strategy rooted in equity, relationship, and scale. Along the way, APC has been guided by an Advisory Council that includes small farmers to ensure that our goals are informed, focused on, and benefit small farmers, first and always. Today, APC partners with producers, buyers, and technical assistance providers to cultivate a more equitable and resilient food system. 

Small and underrepresented farmers face steep barriers in the conventional food system, from limited market access, to intermediaries that cut into their margins. Yet these are often the very farmers most committed to land stewardship and feeding their communities. Addressing these barriers isn’t just about equity; it’s essential to preserving small-scale farming and their economic contribution, protecting soil health, and building a resilient food system for the future. 

Since December 2024, APC has secured nearly $2 million in sales—with every dollar going directly to farmers. That success reflects the collective efforts of many: farmers, buyers, technical assistance providers, and values-aligned partners like the TomKat Ranch team, who have worked closely with us to ensure producers are paid fully, fairly, and on time. 

Together, we’ve brought hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh food to market that might have otherwise been left behind by traditional supply chains. But beyond the number is a deeper kind of impact. APC pairs its distribution model with technical assistance, helping farmers navigate sourcing requirements, meet buyer specs, and plan for long-term growth. For many, it’s the first time a system has worked with them, not around them.

“Selling what I grow has always been the hardest part. With APC, it’s not just better prices, it’s the trust that what I plant will actually move. That kind of stability gives me more confidence, helps me plan ahead, and lets me dream a little bigger. For small farmers, that means everything. It’s a real step toward something better.”
– Miguel Reyes, Siembra y Cosecha Farm

Still in its early stages, APC is also exploring how land agency can support both soil health and long-term viability. Many farmers lease land year to year, making it difficult to invest in and eventually reap the benefits of regenerative practices. APC is working with producers to identify more stable pathways to land access, because the future of farming depends on the ability to stay rooted.

“Working with APC made it easier to do what we believe in: support small farms and feed people with dignity… To build resilient food systems, we have to invest in regional producers and local sourcing networks like APC. This isn’t charity—it’s infrastructure. Programs like this make it possible for buyers like us to source locally, reliably, and with heart.”  
– Rafaela Gass, Altadena Farmers’ Market (in collaboration with World Central Kitchen)

APC is more than a supply chain—it’s a values chain. One that centers producers and proves that a food system built on equity, trust, and relationships can feed both people and possibilities.

Learn more at WeAreAPC.org and follow us on Instagram for all the latest!