Source: MORNING AG CLIPS, 12/8/19

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced $23.5 million in grant funding awarded to increase domestic consumption of, and access to, locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets. The funding, made possible through the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program, is a component of the Local Agricultural Marketing Program authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill.

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NC projects funded include:

Foothills Farmers Market, Inc. Award Amount: $242,360.00 Shelby, NC Match Amount: $157,968.00 Project Type: Capacity Building Total Project Amount: $400,328.00 Building Market Capacity through Implementation of a Comprehensive Strategic Business Plan 

This project launches implementation of a comprehensive strategic business plan, recently developed to build market capacity. The plan’s goals are to stabilize organizational leadership, reduce burnout and turnover of market management, and foster purposeful collaborations with community stakeholders. Mission-critical activities include repositioning our brand, modernizing marketing and promotions efforts, increasing engagement with affinity groups, and leveraging additional human and financial resources. Our marketing and outreach efforts will be inclusive of citizens living in LI/LA census tracts. The project creates new income opportunities for farmers by bolstering agritourism and by financing a feasibility study on a shared-use commercial kitchen to support manufacture of value-added food products for direct sale.

Recipient: Seal the Seasons, Inc Award Amount: $480,000.00 Chapel Hill, NC Match Amount: $120,000.00 Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $600,000.00 Expanding Distribution and Marketing of Locally and Regionally Grown Frozen Vegetables to Grocery Customers across the United States 

Family owned farms require additional markets to sell their vegetables in order to increase on-farm revenue. A second need for producers are markets for on-farm produce waste. On-Farm produce waste occurs when farmers don’t have markets that match the quality or quantity of their vegetables. Seal the Seasons is a regional food business enterprise that partners with farmers and grocers to supply locally and regionally grown products. The project goal is to expand Seal the Seasons by developing multiple lines of locally and regionally grown frozen produce across the United States. We will locally purchase, locally freeze, and locally sell 8 distinct lines of regional frozen vegetables. Our goal is to engage as intermediary between producers and grocers to help increase access and availability of regionally and locally grown frozen vegetables for consumers in major grocery stores. Help farmers reduce on-farm vegetable waste through the purchase of mid-sized, cosmetic defect, or misshapen product. We will expand mid-tier value chains by selling regionally grown vegetables across eight regions serving 48 states. This project will generate jobs for farmers and other regional food business enterprises. The project will improve income and economic opportunities for producers and help strengthen capacity for consumers. 

Recipient: Toe River Aggregation Center Training Organizational Regional Award Amount: $160,000.00 Burnsville, NC Match Amount: $50,000.00 Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $210,000.00 
Implementing a Place-Based Marketing Plan for Sweet Corn Toe River Aggregation Center 

Training Organization Regional Inc. (TRACTOR Inc.) is a food hub connecting 44-member farmers in Western North Carolina with markets throughout the Southeast. This project focuses on expanding sales of sweet corn using a place-based marketing program. Place-based marketing programs for food products have been demonstrated to expand on-farm income and economic growth to rural areas. Examples of other place-based marketing initiatives include Vidalia Onions (Vidalia, Georgia)and Olathe Sweet Corn (Olathe, Colorado). Growers in the region use carefully selected varietals of sweet corn and, because of higher elevation in the region, the sweet corn has a higher sugar content and matures later than sweet corn from other areas of North Carolina. Genetics and climate, in combination with uniform handling procedures across supply chain, ensure overall product quality, resulting in a highly differentiated sweet corn. The goal of the project is to expand sales of this unique sweet corn and ultimately increase on-farm income and spur overall economic growth in the region. Funds will be spent on sales and marketing expenses associated with launching the Yancey Sweet Corn brand and expanding sales in the Carolinas.