Give Now  »

USDA To Bolster Organic And Local Food With $52 Million

Workers loading boxes of produce onto a palette.

Some of the money from that long-awaited 2014 Farm Bill is making its way to organic farmers, food hubs and farmers markets near you. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday that $52 million in grants from the bill would boost five programs to support organic and local food.

"Local and regional food systems are one of the pillars of our efforts to revitalize rural economies," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said during an announcement at the Virginia State Fair.

The biggest chunk of that sum, $27 million, will go to two Agricultural Marketing Service programs that promote local food and farmers markets.

AMS administrator Anne Alonzo said in a release that the grants would help connect farmers with consumers, "strengthen ties between urban and rural communities, and meet the growing demand for locally and regionally produced food."

$19 million in grants will pay for research to help organic producers, with a focus on how to manage diseases, pests and weeds. $4.8 million will improve access to basic food for low-income families in 16 states, and another $1 million will fund research at state universities and agriculture departments.

The 2014 Farm Bill earmarked $291 million overall for organic agriculture over five years, three times more than the previous farm bill in 2008. Since that year, the number of farmers markets has ballooned 76 percent to 8,268, according to the USDA.

Read More:



  • Gov't to Put Up $52 Million To Help Farmers Market Their Produce (Time)
  • U.S.D.A. to Start Program To Support Local and Organic Farming (The New York Times)


Support For Indiana Public Media Comes From

About Earth Eats

Harvest Public Media