The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service has announced an award of more than $32 million in funding. This award aims to strengthen local food systems and increase the availability of locally grown agricultural products.
"Agricultural Marketing Service announced that they will provide funding for regional programs", stated the USDA. The $32 million in funding will be distributed through 98 grant projects, as per a press release by the USDA. These projects are designed to aid local production and distribution of domestically grown food, thereby supporting economic benefits and helping small-scale farmers compete with larger farming corporations. The funding will be routed through the Regional Food System Partnerships grant program, Local Food Promotion Programs, and the Local Agriculture Market Program.
A report from the Agricultural Marketing Service outlines how these funds will support 10 partnerships across Washington D.C. and eight other states through Regional Food System Partnership (RFSP) programs. These partnerships aim at establishing stronger connections with local and regional food businesses, increasing locally sourced food outputs and building robust supply chain networks to cater to institutional cafeterias and meal programs.
In another development, this funding will facilitate 33 projects under the Local Food Promotion Programs aimed at supporting local food businesses engaged in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing. It's said to focus on processing, distribution, storage of local food products - thus adding value to regional food chain coordination while enhancing their ability to engage in this market sector. Moreover, thirteen organizations across seven states are expected to benefit from this initiative resulting in increased food sovereignty and security within their communities.
The FMPP is also backing 55 initiatives that favor producer-to-consumer markets such as farmers' markets, roadside stands, and online sales venues. "These grant programs support local and regional food producers by broadening marketing opportunities such as farmers' markets, local food hubs, farm-to-institution programs," said Jenny Lester Moffitt; USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. Moffitt also added that such channels not only provide consistent and profitable revenue streams to farmers but also enhance consumer access to fresh, locally sourced foods nationwide.
