In the past couple weeks, announcements have come from two important funding sources that support local and regional food initiatives—with New England projects receiving more than $7.7M. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the list of awardees for the three components of their 2022 Local Agriculture Market Program; and the Henry P. Kendall Foundation announced the winners of the 2022 New England Food Vision Prize.
Congratulations to all of the awardees - this infusion of resources will fuel important initiatives to move our regional food system forward in meeting our common vision!
New England Awardees of the USDA Regional Food Systems Partnerships Program (RFSP)
- $968,375 to Farm to Institution New England (VT): Rooted in Community: A localized approach to growing the farm to institution movement in New England. YES! This is FINE and our partners! More about this project here.
- $309,931 to Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts (MA): Increasing Fresh Produce in Food Insecure Communities While Determining Equitable Economic Models for Small-Scale Sustainable Farmers
- $645,194 to Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (MA): Strengthening the Berkshire County Regional Food System with Locally Sourced Mobile Farmers Markets to Serve Low Access Populations
- $198,351 to Vital Communities (VT): Food System Resilience from the Ground Up
- $100,000 to Impact Justice (CA): Nourishing Justice: A Feasibility Study for Farm to Corrections Work in New England
New England Awardees of the USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP)
- $250,000 to Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (NH): Creating Sustainable and Successful Direct-to-Consumer Market Opportunities for Advanced Practice Trainee Farmers in New Hampshire
- $487,380 to Hope & Main (RI): Partnering to Empower a Diverse & Inclusive Food Producer Community in Rhode Island to Increase Consumer Access and Sales of Local Foods
New England Awardees of the USDA Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP)
- $494,575 to Franklin County Community Development Corporation (MA): Supporting the Wholesale Trajectory for New Food and Farm Businesses
- $370,482 to Smithereen Farm (ME): Harnessing Maine’s Local Farming & Fishing Economy through the Minke Kitchen Food Hub
- $351,053 to University System of New Hampshire (NH): Multiple Pathways to Achieve Farm to Institution Goals in New Hampshire
- $500,000 to Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (NH): Developing Sustainable Markets for Locally and Regionally Produced Agriculture in New England: Growing the Fresh Start Food Hub Program
- $380,359 to Red Tomato (RI): Adding Value Through Co-Branding and Co-Marketing: The Power of Local, Sustainable Partnerships
- $498,394 to RI Food Policy Council (RI): Serving the Food Insecure Market: Connecting Rhode Island Farmers and Fishermen with Our Emergency Feeding Network
- $482,076 to Town Made (RI): Implementation of local food hub, commercial kitchen facility, and scholarship program - integrating sourcing, processing, marketing and sales for food producers and farmers
- $286,280 to Food Connects (VT): Leveraging Farm To School to Increase Local Purchasing through Collaboration and Innovation in the Supply Chain
Winners of the 2022 New England Food Vision Prize from the Henry P. Kendall Foundation
- $199,856 to CLiCK, EastCONN (CT): CLiCK Food Hub Expansion
- $200,000 to Healthy Communities of the Capital Area, Maine Farm & Sea Cooperative, Maine Food Group, and Isuken Cooperative (ME): Maine Marinara Collaborative
- $174,140 to Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Portland Public Schools, and Westbrook Public Schools: Building Access to and Demand for Regional Seafood in Schools
- $200,000 to The Good Shepherd Food Bank, Sodexo, Native Maine, WR Allen, and Jasper Wyman & Son (ME): Expanding Locally-Grown, Frozen Broccoli Distribution to Educational Institutions Throughout New England
- $149,500 to Massachusetts Farm to School, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MA): Food Hubs for Schools: Catalyzing New Local Food Supply Chains
- $199,929 to Vital Communities, Global Village Foods, University of Vermont, and Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (VT): Building Processing Capacity to Maximize Equitable Local Sourcing
- $168,034 to Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, Vermont Bean Crafters, and University of Vermont/Sodexo (VT): Good for the Gut: Bringing Local Organic Pre-Cooked Black Beans to the University of Vermont Dining and Medical Center
- $125,000 to Center for an Agricultural Economy, Supervisory Unions of Orlease Southwest and Caledonia Central, and Dartmouth College (VT): Expanding Local Produce Served in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom Institutions
Numerous New York projects were also funded by the USDA programs, and together, the northeast has received an infusion of more than $12M for these multi-year projects. FINE will continue to feature updates and outcomes from these exciting initiatives - stay tuned.
In the meantime, congratulations to all the applicants and recipients who are keeping local and values-based food central to their work!
Full List of 2022 LAMP Grant Awardees
- USDA Regional Food Systems Partnerships Program (RFSP)
- USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP)
- USDA Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP)
2022 New England Food Vision Prize Winners