Other Ag News: Expanded and Easier Access to LAMP Funding Now Available

On February 27, The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $26 million available in competitive grant funding through the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) to develop, coordinate, and expand producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets, and local food enterprises. This year features a few notable changes that align with NSAC’s priorities and advocacy to improve both access to LAMP and its effectiveness.

The Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) is an umbrella program that includes the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), and Regional Food Systems Partnership (RFSP) program. LAMP was established in the 2018 Farm Bill to streamline program administration for these three programs and the Value-Added Producer Grant program (which is administered by Rural Development) and provide permanent baseline funding status for existing efforts to build and expand local and regional food and agriculture markets.

FMPP, LFPP, and RFSP are each administered as separate programs by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and include three separate Request for Applications (RFA). Each program has funding available for a variety of project types with a total of $26 million available for all three projects. 

The following table provides an overview of project types, award sizes, and funding available for each program.

The fiscal year (FY) 2024 RFAs build on the newly offered streamlined application approach for LFPP and FMPP by offering a new Turnkey Project opportunity, Recruitment and Training, in addition to the existing Marketing and Promotion application. The Turnkey project application is restricted to a specific set of activities defined by AMS. For either Turnkey opportunity, applicants must implement at least three of the five activities and applicants cannot include activities outside of the defined list in their application. These activities are outlined below.

Identify and analyze new or improved strategies for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both. 

• Develop or revise strategies or plans for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both. 
• Design materials for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both. 
• Implement plans for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both. 
• Evaluate outcomes related to vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both.  

• Identify and analyze new or improved market opportunities.
• Develop or revise a marketing plan.
• Design or purchase marketing and promotion media.
• Implement a marketing plan.
• Evaluate marketing and promotion activities.

For many years, AMS Grants Division has interpreted commonly used equipment in local and regional food system projects to be “general purpose” and therefore are considered ineligible purchases under FMPP, LFPP, and RFSP grants. This has significantly hindered projects focused on aggregating from small-scale growers to support them in accessing new, larger markets. 

However, this year AMS General Terms and Conditions have been updated to include these items under “special purpose equipment.” This change clarifies that these purchases are eligible for funding; however, applicants must include these equipment purchases in the project budget, provide a justification for why they are necessary for the technical activities of the project, and ensure the equipment is benefitting more than one single producer or business. Examples of equipment that can be included in FMPP, LFPP, and RFSP projects include cold storage units, sorting equipment, packing and labeling equipment, food processing equipment, refrigerated vans, and equipment necessary for food safety upgrades.  

This year, AMS will prioritize FMPP and LFPP applications that 1) propose projects that support activities outlined under an existing or previously awarded partnership in a Regional Food Systems Partnership project and 2) have not received either an FMPP or LFPP award in the past five years. Further, these applications can be completed by an RFSP awardee on behalf of a group of producers and/or other eligible entities, such as partnering organizations that may have limited capacity to complete the application and reporting requirements.

For more information about grant eligibility, the applications process, previously awarded projects and frequently asked questions, visit the:

• FMPP webpage,
• LFPP webpage, or the
• RFSP webpage.

AMS is also hosting webinars for prospective applications to FMLFPP and RFSP. Information about those webinars can be found here and below.

When: Tuesday, March 26, 2024, 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Topic: FMPP projects seek to support the development, coordination, and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer markets to increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. The webinar will discuss the application requirement for applicants. Register for the FMPP Webinar  

When: Thursday, March 28, 2023, 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Topic: LFPP projects seek to support the development, coordination, and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing to increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. The webinar will discuss the application requirements for applicants.  Register for the LFPP Webinar 

When: Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 01:00 PM – 03:00 PM Eastern Time
Topic: RFSP projects seek to explore new market opportunities for US food and agricultural products, and to encourage resilience and development of local or regional food systems. Register for the RFSP Webinar. 

• Register for April 11, 2024 
• Register for May 2, 2024

Every year, USDA seeks members of the public to serve on their grant peer review panels. Peer review panels help USDA review grant applications and recommend which projects should receive funding. Grant reviewers, typically people with academic, non-profit, and/or on-the-ground agriculture-related experience, help to ensure that the projects funded advance the goals of the program. 

If your organization is not planning to apply or if you are interested in being part of this process and bringing your sustainable agriculture knowledge to the reviewers’ table, please consider volunteering for a FMLFPP or RFSP peer review panel. Reviewers receive a small stipend for their work. Learn more about the AMS peer reviewer application and sign-up here. 

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