Good News! Farmers’ Market Promotion Program Funds Available: On Friday, March 13, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced in the Federal Register the availability of $5 million in competitive grant funds for expanding direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities.

AMS will grant awards for projects that aim to improve or expand farmers’ markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agri-tourism activities, and other direct marketing of agricultural commodities from farmers to consumers. Ten percent of the funds available will be used to to support electronic benefits transfers (EBT) projects to aid low-income shoppers using CSAs and farmers markets.

FMPP grant sizes are between $2,500 and $100,000. Applications must be post-marked no later than April 27, 2009.
Check out this link for more information:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateN&navID=Home&topNav=Home&page=FMPP&description=Farmers%20Market%20Promotion%20Program%20(FMPP)&acct=fmpp

Cheers,
Katie