The impacts of the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion programs

Abstract

Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and Local Food Promotion Program grants are awarded by the US Department of Agriculture to bolster local food markets. We assess the impacts of these programs by analyzing responses to a national survey of farmers market administrators, undertaking two case studies of grant recipients, and reviewing previous literature. We find that there is a high association of FMPP recipient markets with greater organizational administrative capacity and improved market performance between 2013 and 2014. Our case studies reveal how grants can be effective when the projects have strong stakeholder support and collaborate with other community organizations. We also describe how some of the pilot projects supported by FMPP led to more targeted local food grant programs.

Keywords:

• Farmers Market
• Farmers Market Promotion Program
• local food

Notes

1. The use of FMPP and LFPP award funds is restricted to certain types of costs, which are specified on the AMS website (US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service [USDA AMS], 2016a).

2. This assistance included sponsoring 137 in-person grant-writing workshops across the entire United States. In particular, in-person workshops were held in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, as applicants from US territories are eligible for FMPP and LFPP awards. The resources from these grant-writing workshops are available at https://www.amsta.net/.

3. Further details about the toolkit can be accessed at www.localfoodeconomics.com.

4. The DC Free Summer Meals Program reimburses free nutritious meals provided to children 18 and younger in low-income areas when school is out of session in the summer.

5. In 2010, CCFN received an FMPP to launch “Eat Fresh Maryland,” which provided support and technical assistance to farmers markets across Maryland in accepting food assistance benefits. The administration of this program was subsequently transferred from CCFN to the Maryland Farmers Market Association.

6. A summary of Maryland’s cottage food law is located at https://extension.umd.edu/mredc/specialty-modules/cottage-food-business-law-md.

7. These resources can be accessed at https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/.