Agricultural Marketing Service

USDA 4th Annual Outreach Conference

Virginia State UniversityPetersburg, VirginiaMarch 14, 2011

Old Farmers Market – West Old & Rock Streets Petersburg, Virginia

Agricultural Marketing Service

Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP)

www.ams.usda.gov/FMPP

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service

The FMPP is a competitive grant program to help establish, promote, and expand direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities of domestic agricultural products and agritourism.

The FMPP has a budget of $10 million per year for FY 2011 and FY012.

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service

No match required Minimum grant award = $2,500 Maximum grant award = $100,000 Project length < 24 months 10% of total awards will fund new

electronic benefit transfer (EBT) projects at farmers markets

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service

Eligible Entities

Agricultural cooperatives, producer networks, and producer associations*

Tribal and local governments

* Producer networks and producer associations were added in the 2008 Farm Bill.

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service

Eligible Entities

Non-profit corporations

Public benefit corporations and economic development corporations

Regional farmers’ market authorities

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service

Eligible Activities

Projects that promote training, education, technical assistance and information sharing for farmers, vendors, and market managers to enhance sales volumes, self-sufficiency, and product safety.

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service

Eligible Activities

Projects that address operational or market management issues to enhance product value and sales, increase revenue and efficiency, or reduce expenses.

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service

Eligible Activities

Projects that improve consumers’ access to and utilization of direct farm markets/marketing outlets.

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Website tools:

Pre-Application Guide FMPP Guidelines Application forms Application checklist FAQ

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

How to Apply for an FMPP Grant

Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP)USDA, Agricultural Marketing ServiceMarketing Services Division

1800 M Street, NWRoom 3012 – South TowerWashington, DC 20036-5802

202.694.4000

Funding Opportunities for Direct-to-Consumer Marketing & Local Foods

Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program

www.ams.usda.gov/FSMIP

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service Funding

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

www.ams.usda.gov/SCBGP

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service

Find your State Department of Agriculture at

www.ams.usda.gov/SCBGP(see “State Contacts”)

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Agricultural Marketing Service

National Organic Program

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Sixth Street Market – Richmond, Virginia

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

Within USDA, Deputy Secretary Merrigan has initiated a “national

conversation” on how to develop local and regional food systems and spur

economic opportunity.

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

In support of this effort and leveraging of collective resources of the

Department, Deputy Secretary Merrigan oversees a task force with

representatives from every USDA agency working on:

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

Support of local farmers

Strengthening rural communities

Promoting healthy eating, and

Protecting natural resourcesFarmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

USDA supports local and regional foods systems with a range of

assistance programs across agencies …

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

www.usda.gov/documents/KnowYourFarmerandAMS.PDF

www.usda.gov/documents/KnowYourFarmerandRD.pdf

www.usda.gov/documents/KnowYourFarmerandREE.pdf

www.usda.gov/documents/KnowYourFarmerand FSA.pdf

http://kyf.blogs.usda.gov/files/2011/01/NRCS-Memo.pdf

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food

Farmers Market Promotion Program (Rev. March 2011)

Farmers Market Promotion Program

For more information contact:

Alicia Bell-SheeterAgricultural Communications Specialist

Alicia.Bell-Sheeter@ams.usda.gov202.694.4009