The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has promoted the sale of foods locally for over two decades via business and community investments made by Value-Added Producer Grants, Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Grants, and most recently Regional Food System Partnership grants. However, the impact of these investments has only recently been better understood […]
Value Added Producer Grant
Expanded and Easier Access to LAMP Funding Now Available
In this blog post, NSAC shares all the details around the $26 million in grant funding currently available through the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) for projects enhancing producer-to-consumer marketing and local food enterprises, with changes aligning with advocacy priorities for better access and effectiveness. Notable changes include updated eligibility criteria for equipment purchases and prioritization of projects supporting existing partnerships. Prospective applicants are directed to attend webinars and encouraged to volunteer for grant peer review panels…. Read More →
RFA Roundup: Spring 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Funding Opportunities
USDA has announced several funding opportunities for sustainable agriculture. This blog post outlines the funding guidelines, application deadlines, and program requirements for a range of food and farm system grants funded through USDA that are currently accepting applications. The funding opportunities fall into three categories: Research and Education, Local Food (including urban and rural-focused programs) and Nutrition, Climate, Conservation, and Energy…. Read More →
Release: Local Farms and Food Act Introduced in Both Houses
Today, Representatives Pingree (D-ME-1), Newhouse (R-WA-4), Caraveo (D-CO-8), Tokuda (D-HI-2) and Senators Brown (D-OH), Smith (D-MN), Welch (D-VT), and Fetterman (D-PA) introduced the Local Farms and Food Act (LFFA) in both the House and the Senate. The LFFA is a comprehensive bill that offers reforms to the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP). … Read More →
Funding available for rural farmers and cooperatives
On March 17, 2023, USDA Rural Development announced the availability of at least $31 million in total funding for Value-Added Producer (VAPG) projects and $3 million for Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG). The application window to apply is now open. Online applications will be accepted until May 11 for VAPG and May 16 for SDGG through grants.gov. Additional information on paper application deadlines is below. We encourage all readers to help get the word out to qualified individuals and groups…. Read More →
Release: NSAC Publishes Newly Revised Farmers’ Guide to the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant Program
This week USDA announced its 2022 Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) for the Value-Added Producer Grant Program (VAPG). For the last several years, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) has updated its Farmers’ Guide to Applying for the Value-Added Producer Grant Program to help producers navigate this program. … Read More →
Value-Added Producer Grants Are Now Open
On March 1, 2022, USDA Rural Development announced the availability of at least $19.75 million in total funding for VAPG projects. … Read More →
$76 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR VALUE-ADDED AND LOCAL FOOD PROJECTS
On March 5, 2021, USDA Rural Development announced the availability of at least $76 million in total funding for VAPG projects. The application window to apply is open now and online applications are accepted until April 29, 2020 through grants.gov, and paper applications must be postmarked by May 4, 2021. We encourage all readers to […]
RELEASE: New Farmers’ Guide to the Value-Added Producer Grant Program Published
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Wes King, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition press@sustainableagriculture.net New Farmers’ Guide to the Value-Added Producer Grant Program PublishedNational Sustainable Agriculture Coalition announces updates to free guide, including new COVID-19 resources Washington, DC, March 12, 2021 – In conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent announcement of at least $76 million in […]
VAPG Helps Farm and Food Entrepreneurs Bring Home the Bacon
Editor’s Note: On December 11, 2019 USDA Rural Development announced the availability of at least $37 million and a 90 day application period for VAPG grants. Stay tuned, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) will publish more information, including its updated Farmers’ Guide to Applying for the Value-Added Producer Grant Program in the new year. The […]
$23 Million Available for Local Food Programs
As part of our 2018 Farm Bill efforts, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) sought to strengthen programs and policies that support the growth of local food economies and support direct market opportunities for family farmers. One of the most significant achievements of those efforts was the development of the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), […]
Celebrating Local Food by Taking Action for Family Farmers
Editor’s Note: This blog is a guest post written by Ben Feldman of the Farmers Market Coalition, a National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) Member group, and edited by Reana Kovalcik. Ben Feldman currently serves as the Policy Director for the national Farmers Market Coalition. He has spent his career working with farmers’ markets and the farmers […]
Draft House Farm Bill: Local & Regional Food and Rural Development
This is the third post in a multi-part blog series analyzing the draft farm bill released on April 12, 2018 by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX). Other posts in this series focus on: beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, crop insurance and commodity subsidies, research and seed breeding, conservation, and organic agriculture. The bill is expected to be considered […]
Deadline Approaching for Value-Added Producer Grant Applications!
Editor’s note: This blog post was originally published in August of 2017 and has been republished to highlight the approaching application deadline: January 24, 2018 for electronic applications and January 31, 2018 for paper applications. To learn more about the Value-Added Producer Grant Program (VAPG), please see the blog post below. You can also consult our […]
RELEASE: “Farmers’ Guide” Will Help Producers Navigate VAPG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net “Farmers’ Guide” Will Help Producers Navigate Value-Added Producer Grant Program National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition Releases Newly Updated Resource Washington, DC, September 11, 2017 – Following months of consternation by farmers and advocacy groups alike, on Monday, August 28, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) finally announced […]
$18 million Available for Value-Added Agriculture
Editor’s note: Following the publication of this blog post, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) will publish its updated Farmers’ Guide to Applying for the Value-Added Producer Grant Program. The Guide is a free resource that walks farmers through the program’s application requirements, including a step-by-step description of the application and ranking processes. Producing fresh, […]
Stories from the Field: Investing in Farmer Ingenuity
When your product is in more stores than there are people in town, you know you’re doing something right. Clay Oliver and his family are from the small town of Pitts, Georgia, but the artisan, cold-pressed oils they produce as Oliver Oil Company are found in kitchens across the country. The Oliver family’s creativity and […]
Expanding Producer and Consumer Choice through the Value-Added Producer Grant Program
Editor’s Note: This profile is part two of a 3-part series highlighting the impact of the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program in supporting projects that promote local and regional economic growth. On October 27, 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Business-Cooperative Service awarded 326 farm businesses a total of $45.6 million through VAPG. Visit […]
Value-Added Producer Grant Webinar This Week
NSAC is partnering with USDA to provide a free webinar for prospective applicants to the VAPG program on May 6th at 2 p.m. EST…. Read More →
Boosting Community Development through Value-Added Products in Fulton, MO
When farmers and entrepreneurs take raw agricultural products like vegetables, grains, or dairy and transform them into goods like sauces and bread, they increase their bottom line because of the higher prices they can demand and they also contribute to community and rural economic development by creating new jobs in processing, marketing, or retail. The […]