Federal funding strengthens local food sales farmer markets and partnerships
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced $32.4 million in grant funding under the Local Agriculture Market Program to support the growth of local and regional food systems. The funding is designed to help farmers and food businesses reach consumers more effectively while strengthening local economies.
The program includes three major initiatives. The Farmers Market Promotion Program supports direct sales methods such as farmers markets, roadside stands, agritourism events community supported agriculture programs and online food sales. These projects help farmers connect directly with consumers.
The Local Food Promotion Program focuses on indirect marketing. It supports food hubs shared use kitchens and food business incubators that help farmers distribute products through larger networks. This creates more business opportunities for small and mid-sized producers.
Another part of the program is the Regional Food System Partnerships initiative. This funding supports public and private partnerships that connect farmers processors to distributors and institutions such as schools, hospitals and food service providers. These partnerships help build strong regional food supply chains.
In total, $27.68 million is available through the Farmers Market Promotion Program and Local Food Promotion Program, while $4.71 million is set aside for Regional Food System Partnerships. All grants require a 25% cash match from applicants.
The Agricultural Marketing Service is managing the program with funding from the 2018 Farm Bill. Grant applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov by June 5, 2026. Late applications will only be considered with proper documentation of special circumstances.
To assist applicants, USDA is offering webinars online resources frequently asked questions and expert support during business hours. These efforts aim to increase access to fresh healthy foods and strengthen local agriculture across the country.
Applicants can access program pages and support resources. Farmers Market Promotion Program details are available at, www.ams.usda.gov/fmpp and questions can be sent to FMLFPPGrants@usda.gov.
Local Food Promotion Program information is available at www.ams.usda.gov/lfpp. Regional Food System Partnerships information can be found at www.ams.usda.gov/rfsp with assistance available via IPPGrants@usda.gov.
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