Across the United States, small farmers are fighting an uphill battle. Every day, 2,000 acres of farmland disappear, squeezed out by development, consolidation, and a food system that favors corporate-scale agriculture. While demand for fresh, local food is stronger than ever, independent farmers struggle to reach consumers—an issue that has only worsened with rising costs and shifting supply chains.
Red Hen App is Launching Spring 2025 on iOS and Android
For farmers like Lauren Lovejoy, who runs a small farm in Virginia alongside her fiancé Eric Canfield, the challenge isn’t growing food—it’s selling it. Farmers’ markets can be unreliable, grocery store partnerships take steep cuts of their earnings, and many consumers who want to buy directly from farms simply don’t know where to look.
Red Hen App will revolutionize buying from farms near you
“The demand is there,” said Lovejoy. “People want to support local farms, but most don’t have the time to drive to multiple places for their groceries. And as farmers, we don’t have time to spend entire days at markets just hoping to make enough sales.”
Now, a new digital marketplace aims to change that. Red Hen, co-founded by Lovejoy and organic food advocate Brett Burton, is an app designed to help small farms reach consumers more efficiently—without relying on traditional grocery chains or costly third-party distributors.
The Growing Crisis for Small Farms
Despite the growing local food movement, less than 2% of American farms sell directly to consumers, according to the USDA. The majority rely on intermediaries like wholesalers and grocery chains, where profits are cut drastically. For small farmers already struggling with rising land costs, labor shortages, and unpredictable weather, these razor-thin margins make it nearly impossible to stay afloat.
“There’s this idea that if a farm is growing great food, they’ll just naturally succeed,” said Canfield. “But the reality is, farming is a business, and if farms don’t have direct access to customers, they’re at the mercy of a system that wasn’t built for them.”
The challenge isn’t just about survival—it’s about food security. As small farms disappear, the country becomes increasingly dependent on corporate-controlled food supply chains, which are vulnerable to economic disruptions, extreme weather, and logistical bottlenecks. When small farms thrive, communities gain more control over their food supply.
A New Approach to Local Food Access
As the conversation around food security, supply chain resilience, and price inflation intensifies, many experts see direct-to-consumer models as part of the solution. Local food advocates argue that decentralizing the food system—by making it easier for consumers to buy directly from farmers—could help stabilize local economies and reduce reliance on industrial agriculture.
That’s where platforms like Red Hen come in. The app, launching in April 2025, functions as a searchable marketplace, allowing consumers to find nearby farms, see available products, and purchase directly—whether for pickup or delivery. Farmers, in turn, gain a streamlined way to manage orders and reach customers without relying on social media, farmers' markets, or traditional distribution models.
“People shop online for everything—why not for food from local farms?” said Lovejoy.
While digital tools alone won’t solve the crisis facing small farmers, many in the agricultural industry see them as an important step toward leveling the playing field in a system that has long favored large-scale operations.
Whether efforts like Red Hen will be enough to reverse the trend remains to be seen, but for small farmers, every new avenue to connect with customers could mean the difference between staying in business or shutting down.
For media inquiries, interviews, or more information, contact support@redhenapp.com
Media Contact
Company Name: Red Hen App
Contact Person: Brett Burton
Email: Send Email
City: Newport
State: Virginia
Country: United States
Website: https://www.redhenapp.com/
