Farmers’ Markets On Wheels of DC offers new options for urban residents to gain better access to healthy fresh food products. In addition to improving food access, FMOW contributes to local job creation and urban food access and distribution sustainability to local communities in food deserts.
Our Mission
When FMOW was founded, our mission was simple: supporting local small farms that were struggling with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As our farm family grew, we began to add local food vendors. We knew that by helping small farms, we were entering a new zone of helping all urban small businesses.
We found that the independent, the hardworking, and the community-strong businesses brought the most zest, passion, and devotion to their art of producing delicious food, and we were going to be their closest ally.
We want to bring the familiarity and neighborly love of your local farmers market to you — by doing so, we can strengthen our community bonds. Remember, we are all in this together.
Mr. Allen serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Farmers Markets on Wheels.
Leigh’s 20 years of experience in the government and food/agriculture sectors also includes executive experience in the non-profit arena. For six years, he led the National Black Growers Council (NBGC) as its first-ever Executive Director. During his time there he increased membership, heightened visibility within the industry, and grew sponsorship relationships from one to nine. Additionally, he managed and coordinated five national annual meetings while turning the NBGC into the nation’s premier minority Ag non-profit organization. He was instrumental in ensuring diversity and inclusion in the sector were done based on merit.
Mr. Allen founded the DaBroy Group, a consulting firm, in 2013 with an eye on providing a diverse thought to the very homogeneous world of food and agriculture. DaBroy has also conducted transactions of cotton, corn, and soybean to both domestic and foreign markets. Additionally, Leigh serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Delta Diamond Ag, LLC which is a recently incorporated agribusiness conducting grain production and processing operations in the Mississippi Delta.
Mr. Allen also served two years as a political appointee in the administration of Barack H. Obama. During that stint, he worked at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) providing political counsel to the Administrator of the Risk Management Agency (RMA) and then as acting Chief of Staff to the Administrator of Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Prior to time his in the administration, Leigh amassed twelve years of experience on Capitol Hill serving as a staffer in the United States Senate. As a Senate staffer, Leigh worked in the office of U.S. Senator Blanche L. Lincoln and later as an advisor on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Committee following her ascension to Chairwoman.
He is a recognized thought leader within the industry and remains a strategic partner for commodity associations, USDA, and companies seeking diverse input.
Mr. Allen hails from a 4th generation Arkansas farming family that raises rice and soybean. He and his wife Micaela reside in Bethesda, MD with their daughter, Madeleine Belle.
Leigh has a BA in Advertising from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.