Major funding from Kaiser Permanente—the integrated managed care consortium with nearly 9 million members—will enable the nonprofit Wholesome Wave to expand its double coupon incentive programs in as many as 30 farmers markets nationwide.

While the Obama Administration just announced plans to make major cuts affecting the nation's farmers in the new deficit reduction proposal “Living Within Our Means and Investing in the Future,” farming is showing no signs of slowing down—especially in American cities.

Washington D.C. area neighborhoods considered "food deserts" will soon have access to fresh fruits and vegetables via a converted school bus "Mobile Market" courtesy of a local non-profit group comprised of nine restaurants. The Neighborhood Restaurant Group's market on wheels will bring healthy food options to communities where a majority of the people living there are at or below the poverty line.

California, Arizona, Michigan and Florida are the first four states now accepting food stamps at several leading fast food restaurant chains.

Amidst all the food-related doom and gloom courtesy of "food deserts," deregulated genetically modified foods, massive outbreaks of deadly salmonella-tainted animal products and seemingly endless options of processed junk food around every corner, food in America may have a brighter future than you think thanks to a rising college course trend: Organic agriculture.

Californians may have just spotted a gem amidst the rubble of America's crumbling economy: The California FreshWorks Fund is a $200 million public-private partnership aimed at increasing healthy and affordable food for the state's most challenged communities.

A portion of investments from the U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation will begin to go towards projects focused on healthy and affordable foods, the organization announced earlier this month.