Release No. 0451.09
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Office of Communications (202) 720-4623
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES 86 GRANTS UNDER THE FARMERS MARKET PROMOTION PROGRAM
Additional $4.5 million in Funding for 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' Initiative
WASHINGTON, September 17, 2009 - As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the awardees of the 2009 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) at the opening of the FRESHFARM Market by the White House on Vermont Avenue with First Lady Michelle Obama. Deputy Secretary Merrigan, who chairs USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative, was also in attendance at the event. Reaching into communities across America, 86 grants totaling more than $4.5 million were awarded to encourage and support the viability of farmers markets and direct marketing projects nationwide. A national directory of farmers markets is available at www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets.
"Farmers markets have an important role in local and regional food systems by helping consumers have access to healthy, nutritious foods," said Vilsack. "These grants will help continue the recent expansion of farmers markets across the country to increase access to locally grown foods for consumers, and increase incomes for farmers."
Vilsack emphasized that low-income consumers will particularly benefit through the program's emphasis on increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables through the use of electronic benefit transfers (EBT). This year, USDA exceeded its mandate to fund at least 10 percent of the total FMPP grant funds for new EBT projects at farmers markets. Thirty of the 86 grants promote the use of new EBT projects, and funding directed towards new EBT amounts to a little more than 18 percent of the total being announced today. These projects will help increase access to locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers using funds provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Through FMPP, USDA is committed to promoting local and regional food systems that help to boost local economics, eliminate child hunger, and increase access to fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods, thereby improving community health and nutrition.
Funds will be used to establish, expand and promote farmers markets and other direct producer-to-consumer marketing opportunities by eligible entities in 37 states. This announcement is just one component of USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative to help develop local and regional food systems and spur economic opportunity. By successfully restoring the link between consumers and local producers there can be new income opportunities for farmers and generate wealth that will stay in rural communities; a greater focus on sustainable agricultural practices; and families can better access healthy, fresh, locally grown food.
Under the funding announced today, the grantees are as follows:
Alabama
Alabama State Association of Cooperatives - $70,266
Alaska
Igiugig Village Council - $45,480
Arizona
Arizona State University - $61,893 (EBT budget $25,307)
Arkansas
Delta Land & Community - 76,420
Southwest Arkansas RC&D Project Area Inc. - $12,781
California
County of Kern - $48,400 (EBT budget $13,400)
Marin Agricultural Institute - $24,966 (EBT budget $24,966)
County of Fresno - $94,445
Tides Center - $61,380
Mandela MarketPlace - $50,000
Shasta Growers Association - $7,969
People's Grocery - $78,051
Glenn County Resource Conservation District - $79,021
County of Solano - $51,106
Colorado
National Bison Association - $29,700
Connecticut
Litchfield Hills Food Systems, Inc. - $14,590 (EBT budget $14,590)
Florida
Florida West Coast RC&D Council - $54,959
The Leesburg Partnership, Inc. $100,000
North-South Institute - $100,000
City of Sanford - $37,770 (EBT budget $14,590)
Georgia
Main Street Statesboro/Downtown Statesboro Development Authority - $19,077
Upper Ocmulgee River RC&D Council, Inc. - $97,961 (EBT budget $97,961)
Idaho
Sustainable Community Connections of Idaho - $45,542 (EBT budget $45,542)
City of Moscow - $34,784
Somali Bantu Zigua Community - $49,162 (EBT budget $2,400)
Salmon Valley Stewardship - $13,860
Illinois
Chicago's Green City Market Program - $76,300
Indiana
Refugee Resource and Research Institute of Indiana, Inc. - $22,000
Allen County Agricultural Producers, Inc. - $11,348
Iowa
Iowa Food Cooperative - $28,327
Kansas
Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture - $41,723
The Kansas Grown! Inc. Farmers' Market - $18,160
Kentucky
City of Jeffersontown - $44,700
Louisiana
Big River Economic & Agriculture Development Alliances - $52,566 (EBT budget $4,700)
Morehouse Parish Police Jury - $17,312
Maine
Aroostook Band of Micmacs - $31,739 (EBT budget $31,739)
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association - $68,450
Maryland
Harford County - $8,920 (EBT budget $8,920)
Chesapeake Region Agricultural Business Development Corporation - $66,270
Massachusetts
The Food Project, Inc. - $78,708 (EBT budget $35,787)
Michigan
Food Bank Council of Michigan - $45,100 (EBT budget $45,100)
Michigan Food and Farming Systems - $92,440
Alcona Local Foods Association - $77,943
Minnesota
Onamia Community Education - $51,047 (EBT budget $25,416)
Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association - $100,000
Minnesota Food Association - $52,793
Mississippi
Delta State University - $31,075
Hancock County - $85,800
Missouri
Valley Farms, LLC - $39,630 (EBT budget $39,630)
The Columbia Farmers Market, Inc. - $57,251
Urban Districts Alliance, Inc. - $20,361 (EBT budget $20,361)
Nebraska
Northeast Nebraska RC&D, Inc. - $86,462
Community CROPS - $98,598
The Center for Rural Affairs - $84,123
New Mexico
Santa Fe Business Alliance - $98,334
New Mexico Famers' Marketing Association - $26,070 (EBT budget $26,070)
New York
Greenmarket, Council on the Environment of New York City - $100,000 (EBT budget $26,511)
United Community Centers, Inc. - $66,754
Friends of the Rochester Public Market - $100,000
Certified Naturally Grown - $12,732
Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County - $98,570 (EBT budget $98,570)
North Carolina
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Projects - $69,289
Warren County - $12,495
Coastal Harvesters, Inc. - $29,960
Ohio
SID Public Services Association - $61,229 (EBT budget $5,155)
Oregon
Gorge Grown Food Network - $73,321
Adelante Mujeres - $23,468
Calapooia Food Alliance - $44,448
Pennsylvania
Capital RC&D Area Council - $74,030 (EBT budget $47,400)
The Food Trust - $54,318 (EBT budget $2,500)
City of Easton - $26,725 (EBT budget $26,725)
Main Street Farmers Market, Inc. - $11,413 (EBT budget $11,413)
South Carolina
City of Greenville - $17,698
Tennessee
Appalachian Native Plants, Inc. - $32,320 (EBT budget $8,740)
Texas
Brownsville Farmers' Market - $45,881 (EBT budget $15,240)
Vermont
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont - $94,789 (EBT budget $46,348)
Virginia
Appalachian Sustainable Development - $95,779 (EBT budget $3,600)
Jefferson Area Board for Aging - $56,761
Washington
Northwest Cooperative Development Center - $59,205
Northwest Agriculture Business Center - $68,000
Wisconsin
On Broadway, Inc. - $13,588
Wisconsin Apple Growers Association - $13,900 (EBT budget $13,900)
Growing Power, Inc. - $75,769
Browse & Grass Farmer Association - $94,724
Waukesha County U.W. Extension - $35,296
City of Saint Croix Falls - $27,405 (EBT budget $27,405)
Eighty-six grants were awarded to 37 states for a total of $4,563,000, of which $833,116 of that amount is targeted to funding new EBT (electronic benefits transfer) projects.
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