{"id":59593,"date":"2024-12-04T16:45:09","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T21:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sustainableagriculture.net\/?p=59593"},"modified":"2024-12-04T16:45:10","modified_gmt":"2024-12-04T21:45:10","slug":"sowing-impact-latest-crop-of-lamp-awards-continue-to-bolster-farm-economies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainableagriculture.net\/blog\/sowing-impact-latest-crop-of-lamp-awards-continue-to-bolster-farm-economies\/","title":{"rendered":"Sowing impact: Latest crop of LAMP awards continue to bolster farm economies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo Credit: USDA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced $33.5 million in awards<\/a> that will strengthen and improve access to local and regional food markets by investing in a diverse range of businesses, organizations, markets, and communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This latest announcement of funds for 113 projects across 43 states is a part of the Agricultural Marketing Service\u2019s Local Agriculture Market Program<\/a> (LAMP) and is funded by a combination of mandatory funds from the farm bill and annual appropriations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program Background<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The LAMP program was established in the 2018 Farm Bill and combined existing Farmers Market<\/a> and Local Food Promotion<\/a> and Value-Added Producer<\/a> grant programs with a new Regional Food System Partnership<\/a> program. The combination of programs ensures they each have permanent funding and encourages coordination between the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Rural Development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent Program Updates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Last year AMS announced a new simplified, \u201cturnkey\u201d application<\/a> for Farmers Market (FMPP) and Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) grants in response to directives in the 2018 Farm Bill and with input from NSAC and other stakeholders. This new application seeks to simplify applications and reporting processes to increase the accessibility of the program for small and rural organizations. It funds common marketing and promotion activities, such as developing a marketing plan or evaluating new marketing techniques. This year, AMS expanded this simplified application to include a new set of activities focused on recruitment and training. This new offering demonstrates USDA\u2019s responsiveness to stakeholder input and their ongoing evaluation of program needs within communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program Demand, Reach, and Impact<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Credit: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Grants Division Program Calculation 2019 to 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Earlier this year, AMS also published a Report to Congress <\/a>that provides an overview of program demand and quantitative and qualitative program success, including metrics of job creation, new business development, customer base growth, and change in sales. This report provides updated and multi-year figures that build upon a previous evaluation <\/a>completed by Kansas State University in 2014. Both reports demonstrate the effectiveness of LAMP to <\/p>\n\n\n\n