USDA announces grants to expand local food systems

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is now accepting applications for this year’s Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), with a total of $133 million available in competitive grant funds to expand and strengthen local and regional food systems and increase the availability of locally grown agricultural products.

The funding available for this year’s program includes $65 million in supplemental funding authorized by the American Rescue Plan, carry over funding from last year’s program and funds provided through the 2018 Farm Bill and annual appropriations. 

“Through LAMP, USDA is helping to maximize opportunities for economic growth and ingenuity in local and regional food systems,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Program Jenny Lester Moffitt. “Over the years, these grants have generated new income sources for small, beginning, and underserved farmers, increased local food access across rural and urban communities and provided platforms for value-added and new products to shine.” 

USDA’s LAMP is made up of the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) and the Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) grant program, all administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

FMLFPP

Two of LAMP’s funding opportunities – FMPP and LFPP – together referred to as FMLFPP seek to develop, coordinate, and expand local and regional food systems. FMPP supports producer-to-consumer markets such as farmers markets, roadside stands, agritourism activities, community-supported agriculture programs (CSA), and online sales. LFPP grants support local and regional food business enterprises that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer to consumer marketing. Both programs require a 25% cash or in-kind match of the federal portion of the grant. This year’s program includes a new option in FMPP and LFPP to apply for Turnkey Marketing and Promotion grants using a simplified application for a set of common FMLFPP activities.

RFSP

The RFSP grant program supports public-private partnerships that build and strengthen viability and resilience of local or regional food economies. Funded projects focus on increasing the availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products and alleviating unnecessary administrative and technical barriers. Projects can cover the planning and design of a local and regional food economy as well as implementing or expanding an existing one. This program requires a 25% cash match of the federal portion of the grant.

Application Information

A Request for Applications (RFA) for each program is available on the program pages linked through the LAMP webpage. Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due dates established in the RFAs. Any grant application submitted after the due date will not be considered unless the applicant provides documentation of an extenuating circumstance that prevented their timely submission of the grant application. More information is available in the AMS Late and Non-Responsive Application Policy.