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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting applications for the Local Food Promotion and Farmers Market Promotion programs, with eligible applicants able to receive up to $500,000 in grant funding for certain projects. Grant applications are due May 16, 2022 with funding available beginning September 30, 2022.

The purpose of the Local Food Promotion Program and The Farmers Market Promotion Program is to increase access and availability to locally and regionally produced agriculture products. The programs do have unique differences, requirements, and funding levels, as described below.

Local Food Promotion Program

The Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) fulfills its purpose through supporting development, coordination and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises that are intermediaries in indirect producer to consumer marketing such as food hubs, food aggregators, food processors, value-added producers or mid-tier value chain enterprises.

Planning projects are used in the planning stages of developing, coordinating, or expanding a food business that supports locally and regionally produced agricultural products and food system infrastructure.

• Completing a feasibility study for a new intermediary food channel (i.e., food hub), to analyze market potential, capacity, and potential competitors and partners in the region.
• Hiring experts for technical assistance to implement a local/regional food transportation system.
• Hiring experts for training on managing a local/regional food storage or processing facility.
• Devising a business development plan associated with the processing/marketing of local/regional agricultural products, including value-added agricultural products.

Implementation projects are used to establish a new food business or to improve or expand an existing food business that supports locally and regionally produced agricultural products and food system infrastructure.

• Developing or expanding food incubator programs or mid-tier value chains.
• Instituting group-based Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification for sellers of food into institutional or wholesale marketing channels, including providing financial support for making changes and upgrades to practices and equipment to improve food safety.
• Cultivating new wholesale market channels through an online portal or virtual marketplace.
• Investigating and implementing more cost-effective means of transportation for food supply chains through backhaul, route optimization, and/or other operational efficiencies.

Funding Levels: Planning project grant awards range from $25,000 to $100,000. Implementation grant awards range from $100,000 to $500,000. Approximately $43.5 million will be available to fund applications.

Match: LFPP requires a 25 percent match.

• Agricultural businesses or cooperatives
• Producer Networks or Associations
• CSA Networks or Associations
• Food Councils
• Local governments
• Nonprofit corporations
• Public benefit corporations
• Economic development corporations
• Regional farmers market authorities
• Tribal governments

The LFFP full Request for Applications can be found here.

Farmers Market Promotion Program

The Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) supports the development, coordination and expansion of direct producer to consumer markets such as domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs (CSA) and agritourism activities.

• Developing tools, techniques or practices that can be rapidly adopted by local agriculture markets, including those that provide direct financial support to a network of markets, or other relevant organizations.
• Market analysis and planning for a direct producer-to-consumer market opportunity.
• Local farmer, rancher, or market manager training and education.
• Farmers market, roadside stand, CSA, or agritourism activity startup and/or expansion.
• Recruitment and outreach to new and beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as to consumers in support of direct producer-to-consumer markets.

• Developing and disseminating tools, techniques or practices that can be rapidly adopted by local agriculture markets.
• Conducting statewide or regional farmer, rancher, or manager (i.e., farmers market manager) training and education in developing or maintaining their own direct producer-to-consumer enterprise.
• Assisting farmers and ranchers in advertising and promoting their locally and regionally produced agricultural products through training and technical assistance.
• Establishing or expanding producer-to-consumer networks and organizations on a state, regional, and national level, which includes efforts to develop sourcing channels using direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities with corporate, non-profit, and institutional buyers.
• Providing technical support for small- and mid-sized producers to become compliant with local, state, Federal, and/or industry specifications and standards in order to increase their direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities.

• Agricultural businesses or cooperatives
• Producer Networks or Associations
• CSA Networks or Associations
• Food Councils
• Local governments
• Nonprofit corporations
• Public benefit corporations
• Economic development corporations
• Regional farmers market authorities
• Tribal governments

Funding Levels: CB projects grant awards range from $50,000 to $250,000. CTA grant awards range from $100,000 to $500,000. Approximately $13.5 million will be available to fund applications.

Match:  FMPP requires either a 25 percent match.

The FMPP full Request for Applications can be found here.

For more information on these grants or how to apply with Morrison's assistance, please contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764.