Monthly Archives: May 2014

Grants Promoting Local Food Access available through USDA

Check out the below grant opportunities through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Grants Promoting Local Food Access

Applications are due by June 20th, 2014.

 2014 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) Grants

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has announced the availability of approximately $15 million in competitive grant funds in fiscal year (FY) 2014 to be awarded through the Famers Market Promotion Program. The Farmers’ Market Promotion Program (FMPP) is a component of the Farmers Marketing and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP), which is authorized by the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3005). The FMPP is a competitive grant program administered by the Marketing Services Division (MSD) of AMS. The goals of FMPP grants are to increase domestic consumption of and access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets by developing, improving, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and technical assistance to, or assisting in the development, improvement, and expansion of domestic farmers’ markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agritourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. The minimum FY2014 FMPP award per grant is $15,000 and the maximum is $100,000. An applicant is limited to no more than one grant in a grant-funding year. FMPP funding will be available for use beginning in October 2014. Project work should begin in October 2014 and end not later than October 2016. Matching funds are not required. NOTE: All applicants must follow the 2014 FMPP Announcement for application instructions and requirements, found on the FMPP website.

For more information visit http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=254875  and www.ams.usda.gov/FMPP

Who: Agricultural Businesses, Agricultural Cooperatives, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Networks, CSA Associations, Economic Development Corporations, Local Governments, Nonprofit Corporations, Producer Networks, Producer Associations, Public Benefit Corporations, Regional Famers Market Authorities, Tribal Governments

PowerPoint Presentation FMPP Overview
Recorded Webinar for FMPP Overview
Contact for Questions: USDAFMPPQuestions@ams.usda.gov

 2014 Local Food Promotion Program Grants

The Local Food Promotion Program is a component of the Farmers Marketing and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP), authorized by the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3005). Under FMLFPP, the second completive grant program is the Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP). LFPP offers grant funds with a 25% match to support the development and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises to increase domestic consumption of, and access to, locally and regionally produced agricultural products, and to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets. Two types of project applications are accepted under LFPP—planning grants and implementation grants. Applicants can apply for either but will receive only one type of grant in the same grant cycle. LFPP Planning Grants: used in the planning stages of establishing or expanding a local and regional food business enterprise. Activities can include but are not limited to market research, feasibility studies, and business planning. A minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $25,000 will be awarded for any one proposal, and the grants must be completed within a 12 month period; extension will not exceed an additional 6 months. LFPP Implementation Grants: used to establish a new local and regional food business enterprise, or to improve or expand an existing local or regional food business enterprise. Activities can include but are not limited to training and technical assistance for the business enterprise and/or for producers working with the business enterprise; outreach and marketing to buyers and consumers; working capital; and non-construction infrastructure improvements to business enterprise facilities or information technology systems. A minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $100,000 will be awarded for any one proposal, and the grants must be completed within a 24 month grant period; extension will not exceed an additional 6 months.

For more information, visit http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=254882 and http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/lfpp 

Who: Agricultural Businesses, Agricultural Cooperatives, Producer Networks, Producer Associations, Community Supported Agriculture Networks, Community Supported Agriculture Associations, and other Agricultural Business Entities (for-profit groups); Nonprofit Corporations; Public Benefit Corporations; Economic Development Corporations; Regional Farmers’ Market Authorities; and Local and Tribal Governments

PowerPoint Presentation for LFPP Overview
Recorded Webinar for LFPP Overview
Contact for Questions: Nicole.nelson@ams.usda.gov

How to Build a Vertical Garden

By: Fiona L. Mattson

Many of you saw our vertical garden (pictured below) at Ag Day. Here are some instructions for those of you that want to build your own!

Pipe and Soda Bottle Vertical Garden

Pipe and Soda Bottle Vertical Garden

There are many different variations to making a vertical garden and it all depends on how big you want your garden to be and what type of materials you want to use. You can make a garden from pallets, soda bottles, different types of pipe, and wood, as well as wire. The following pictures are examples of what your vertical garden could look like:

Wood Pallet Vertical Garden

Wood Pallet Vertical Garden

 

Clay Pot Vertical Garden

Clay Pot Vertical Garden

Wire Vertical Garden (Good for climbing plants)

Wire Vertical Garden (Good for climbing plants)

Shoe Organizer Vertical Garden

Shoe Organizer Vertical Garden

Instructions for the pipe-soda bottle vertical garden (like the one we made for Ag Day):

  • Collect 10-30 2-liter soda bottles, depending on how big you want your vertical garden to be
  • Lay each soda bottle horizontally and cut a rectangle out of each soda (this will be the “top” of your planter and where the plant will grow)
  • Opposite of the rectangle cut 5 small circles horizontally. (These circles will be the bottom of the planter and will allow extra water to drain from the soil)
  • With circle 1 and 5, thread wire and attach ferrules and stops to hold the soda bottle in place.

ferrulesstops

  • Continue to add soda bottles with ferrules and stops and separate them about a foot apart, in order for enough space for plants to grow.
  • The wire for our vertical garden is hooked on to a black fitted pipe structure. The black fitted pipes were twisted together to form the frame.
  • Once the structure is in place, fill each soda bottle with soil and seeds or seedlings.
  • Water and watch your garden grow!

Choosing the right plants for your vertical garden is important. Edibles such as lettuces and herbs are great for containers without much root space, as are inedible plants such as succulents. Although, our tomatoes are actually doing very well in their small confines!

Here’s our Vertical Garden, a few weeks after Ag Day:

 Vertical Plants in plastic bottles

 Growing tomato plant