On November 23, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service AMS announced awards for grant programs that work to improve domestic and international opportunities for U.S. growers and producers. These awards include:

FMPP awarded $37.5 million to 84 projects to support direct producer-to-consumer marketing projects such as farmers markets, community-supported agriculture programs, roadside stands, and agritourism.
LFPP awarded $37.7 million to 85 projects to develop, improve, and expand local and regional food business intermediary supply chain activities, including processing, distribution, aggregation, and storage of locally or regionally produced food products.
RFSP awarded $14.8 million to 30 projects across 24 states to support partnerships that connect public and private resources to plan and develop local or regional food systems. The projects focus on strengthening the viability and resilience of regional food economies through collaboration and coordination.

Combined, these AMS grant programs will provide over $4 million in funding to support Alaska’s food and agricultural systems!

REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PARTNERSHIP:

Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association, Sitka, AK; Feeding Change: Increasing Food Security and Workforce Development Opportunities in Alaska

FARMERS MARKET PROMOTION PROGRAM:

Alaska Farmers Market Association/ Cook Inletkeeper, Homer, AK; Growing Sustainable Roots for Alaska’s Farmers Markets, Farm Stands, and CSAs

LOCAL FOOD PROMOTION PROGRAM

Ketchikan Agricultural Producers Association, Ketchikan, AK; From Food Desert to Food Oasis: Creating Food Security Via a Food Hub in Rural Alaska
E.C. Phillips & Son Inc., Ketchikan, AK; Creating a Custom Mariculture and Seafood Processing Food Hub In Southeast Alaska To Build Up Local Production, Manufacturing and Consumption

MICRO-GRANTS FOR FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM:

Alaska Division of Agriculture, Juneau, AK; Alaska 2021 Micro Grants for Food Security Program Award

“Small and medium-sized farmers, ranchers, and processors have an important role in strengthening our food supply chain. These USDA local and regional food grants will help these agricultural businesses build, expand and sustain the processing, distribution and storage systems that will help move food from the farm to the table” -USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt.(Source: USDA Press Release)

Announced in November by Alaska Division of Agriculture:

SPECIALTY CROP BLOCK GRANTS (ADMINISTERED BY AK DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE):

Kodiak Seafood & Marine Science Center- investigation of high-pressure seaweed processing
The University of Alaska Fairbanks - strawberry variety trials
Glennallen High School - grow towers for specialty crops
Chilkat Valley Historical Society, Haines - Charles Amway Berries Trials
Fishermen Fresh, in Southeast Alaska- seaweed seed string improvements; assessing scalable hatchery techniques
Homer Soil and Water Conservation District- specialty crop improvements to enhance accessibility for aging farmers
Alaska Rhodiola Enterprises, Palmer - productivity to accelerate Rhodiola growth and reduce harvest time

“The COVID pandemic and its fallout, including the current supply-chain interruptions, have made it clear that Alaska must take steps to address our food security issues, which the governor has made a priority. These grants are useful tools to encourage Alaska’s specialty crops’ competitiveness, sustain farmers’ livelihoods, and strengthen local communities.” - Division Director, David Schade
(Source: Radio Kenai)