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Source: USDA, 10/2/12
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA will award matching grants for 22 projects under the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program to help create economic opportunities for American farmers and ranchers.
USDA will match nearly $1.2 million in grants for state departments of agriculture and state universities in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The projects will enable states to research new opportunities, and spark innovation in the marketing, transportation and distribution of U.S. agricultural products.
"The agricultural economy is resilient and remains strong and these investments will help increase economic opportunity for producers and increase access to healthy food for consumers," said Vilsack. "By partnering with states and universities on these projects, we hope to generate new ideas and create new marketing channels that will help our farmers and ranchers and create an even stronger rural America."
More than half of the 22 projects focus on increasing sales of value added meat products, aquaculture products, and fresh and processed produce in local and regional food systems. Other research topics include forestry, bioenergy and horticulture.
Since 1976, USDA's Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program has partnered with states across the country to support 925 projects that exemplify marketing innovation. Visit www.ams.usda.gov/FSMIP for a list of this year's projects. The program is part of USDA's integrated approach to programs and policies that stimulate food- and agriculturally-based community economic development.
North Carolina - $30,000 to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in cooperation with the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, to provide direct marketing training to small-scale growers to enable them to access new markets.
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