U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Turn Around Columbus, a nonprofit organization in Columbus, Georgia, on May 17, 2024. The organization is committed to investing in youth development and creating opportunities for the next generation of entrepreneurs, farmers, and community leaders. During his visit, Secretary Vilsack emphasized the Biden-Harris Administration's dedication to developing new markets, generating revenue, and supporting agriculture both in Georgia and across the nation.
Accompanied by U.S. Representative Sanford D. Bishop (GA-2), Secretary Vilsack toured Turn Around Columbus and announced $145,000 in funding for the organization. This financial support originates from a $1.5 million grant awarded to the University of Georgia’s Archway Partnership by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its new Urban County Committee pilot program.
“Urban producers play a critical role in the agricultural economy,” said Secretary Vilsack. “We are committed to supporting all producers no matter their age or the size and location of their operations. That’s why the Biden-Harris Administration has provided unprecedented support to create new markets and additional revenue opportunities, especially for small and mid-sized producers, for those in Georgia and beyond.”
The subgrant will assist Turn Around Columbus in expanding its educational programming, training, and marketing efforts. It will also enable them to purchase additional equipment and supplies that increase the size and scope of their operation in support of their mission of community and youth development in Columbus.
Several USDA programs aim to create more robust markets for both urban and rural producers in Georgia. These include:
- The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding opportunity launched by USDA in September 2022.
- Twelve new Regional Food Business Centers providing national coverage coordination.
- The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA) Program.
These initiatives reflect USDA's commitment under the Biden-Harris Administration to transform America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean-energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov.
