Local Food Promotion Program

Background
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), requests applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP). LFPP’s purpose is to support the development, coordination, and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises to increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products.

Grant Details
LFPP funds projects that develop, coordinate, and expand local and regional food business enterprises that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer to consumer marketing to help increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. The program focuses on:
•Supporting the processing, aggregation, distribution, and storage of local and regional food products that are marketed locally or regionally, including value-added agricultural products;
•Encouraging the development of value-added agricultural products;
•Assisting with business development plans and feasibility studies;
•Developing marketing strategies for producers of local food products and value-added agricultural products in new and existing markets;
•Facilitating regional food chain coordination and mid-tier value chain development;
•Promoting new business opportunities and marketing strategies to reduce on-farm food waste;
•Responding to changing technology needs in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing; and
•Covering expenses related to cost incurred in obtaining food safety certification and improvements to food safety practices and equipment.

Eligibility Requirements
All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or Tribal Governments. Eligible applicants include agricultural businesses or cooperatives, producer networks or associations, CSA networks or associations, food councils, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers market authorities, tribal governments.

Period of Performance
Planning projects normally begin September 30, 2022 and end no later than March 31, 2024. Implementation projects normally begin September 30, 2022 and end no later than September 29, 2025.

Grant Value
Approximately $43.5 million is available to fund applications under this solicitation. LFPP planning projects range from $25,000 to $100,000 while implementation and farm to institution projects range from $100,000 to $500,000.

Place of Performance
Projects may be implemented in multiple locations.