USDA Offers $100M for Local Food and Specialty Crops
As reported in Hortidaily.com:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced two major grant funding opportunities totaling nearly $100 million to support local, regional, and specialty crop markets across the United States. These initiatives, administered through the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), aim to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and strengthen local food systems.
The Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) offers $26.5 million in grant funding to help local and regional food entities develop, coordinate, and expand producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets, and local food enterprises. LAMP includes three components: the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), and the Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP). Each program targets different aspects of local food markets. The FMPP focuses on direct producer-to-consumer markets, such as farmers markets, roadside stands, agritourism, community-supported agriculture (CSA), and online sales. The LFPP supports local and regional food businesses that act as intermediaries in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing, such as shared-use kitchens, food hubs, and food incubators. The RFSP fosters public-private partnerships, connecting local and regional producers with processors, intermediaries, and institutional markets.
Grant applications for LAMP must be submitted through www.grants.gov by June 27, 2025. A 25% cost share is required, which may be met through cash or in-kind contributions for FMPP and LFPP, while RFSP requires a cash contribution. AMS will provide webinars to guide new applicants and has made frequently asked questions and grants management support available.
In addition to LAMP, USDA has made $72.9 million available through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), supporting projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, floriculture, and nursery crops. This program is open to agricultural agencies and departments of agriculture in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Participating states and territories will subaward funding to locally led projects. SCBGP is funded through the 2018 Farm Bill, with allocations determined by a formula that considers specialty crop acreage and production value.
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