{"id":59013,"date":"2024-07-25T10:09:34","date_gmt":"2024-07-25T14:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sustainableagriculture.net\/?p=59013"},"modified":"2024-07-26T10:36:10","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T14:36:10","slug":"path-to-a-new-farm-bill-local-and-regional-market-access","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainableagriculture.net\/blog\/path-to-a-new-farm-bill-local-and-regional-market-access\/","title":{"rendered":"Path to a New Farm Bill: Local and Regional Market Access"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Bigg Riggs Farm in Alexandria, VA. Photo Credit: USDA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Editor’s Note: This post is the first post in a multi-part series exploring some of the key sustainable agriculture and food systems challenges that the farm bill can address. Through a series of posts comparing the House and Senate Agriculture Committees\u2019 proposals, we provide an assessment of how each chamber\u2019s bill would address a given challenge, and our recommended path forward. Future posts will explore how the next farm bill can tackle issues in meat processing, crop insurance, organic and sustainable agriculture research, and more.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Local Agriculture Market Program <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The farm bill has a longstanding history<\/a> of supporting market development for local producers and food businesses<\/strong> through grant programs such as the Value-Added Producer<\/a>, Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion<\/a>, and more recently, the Regional Food System Partnership<\/a> programs. Over time, Congress has authorized programs to respond to the unique needs of markets and regional supply chains. A recent report<\/a> from US Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) demonstrates how Local Agriculture Market Programs address these needs and spur economic growth through job creation and an increase in customers and revenue. Recent Agricultural Census data further shows the continued growth of the sector. In 2022, 60,332 farms sold their products to retail markets, institutions, and food hubs marketed as local and regional products, with sales valuing $14.2 billion. This is an increase by 57% from 2017.
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Demand for local and regional food grant programs has increased in recent years. Since 2018, AMS has awarded more than 3,000 grants across the Local Agriculture Market Programs (LAMP). Part of this increase can be attributed to the increased reliance on our local and regional food systems in light of fractured national supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic. While food hubs often serve an essential role in these local food systems, they have had a difficult time securing relevant LAMP funding. Only 8% of relevant awards have included food hubs. Additionally, NSAC members have shared how difficult it is to navigate program applications, particularly for documenting matching requirements. Generally applications require over 100 hours to complete. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congressional leaders have heard this need clearly from their communities with the Senate and the House each taking a different approach to alleviating participation barriers.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Senate\u2019s proposal would improve access programs by: <\/p>\n\n\n\n