WASHINGTON – The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Feb. 14 that it would start accepting applications for the 2023 Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP). The agency said a total of $133 million is available in competitive grant funds to develop local and regional food systems.

Sources of funding come from $65 million in supplemental resources authorized by the American Rescue Plan, carry-over funding from last year’s program and funds provided through the 2018 Farm Bill and annual appropriations.

“Through LAMP, USDA is helping to maximize opportunities for economic growth and ingenuity in local and regional food systems,” said Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA undersecretary for the marketing and regulatory program. “Over the years, these grants have generated new income sources for small, beginning, and underserved farmers, increased local food access across rural and urban communities and provided platforms for value-added and new products to shine.”

USDA’s LAMP consists of the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) and the Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) grant program, all administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

FMPP and LFPP, combined as FMLFPP, develop, coordinate, and expand local and regional food systems. FMPP supports farmer’s markets, roadside stands, agritourism activities, community-supported agriculture programs (CSA), and online sales. LFPP grants help local and regional food enterprises that work as intermediaries in indirect producer to consumer marketing.

For the programs to work, both require a 25% cash or in-kind match of the federal grant. The 2023 program includes a new option in FMPP and LFPP to apply for Turnkey Marketing and Promotion grants.

The RFSP grant program works on public-private partnerships that focus on locally and regionally produced agricultural products and clear unnecessary administrative and technical barriers.

AMS said these projects could be used to plan and design local and regional food economies and expand existing ones.

More information about each program can be found here.