Time to Get a Jump on Applying for Value Added Producer Grants

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Cities Developing Urban Agriculture Codes

Urban agriculture has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to deal with vacant properties, revitalize neighborhoods, and provide job skills and nutrition to local residents struggling with poverty and a lack of access to fresh produce.

In Austin, Texas, a working group of the Sustainable Food Policy Board is meeting to clarify and update city code related to urban farms, livestock, size of farm, employees and dwellings, according to the Austin Chronicle.

The working group has been holding public sessions to gather input from urban farmers and community members about pending updates to the urban farm ordinance.

In April 2013, the Flint Farmers' Market reported that the Detroit City Council adopted the city's first urban agriculture zoning ordinance recognizing agriculture as a legitimate land use and setting standards for it.

Other cities working to update or create urban agriculture codes include Boston, Massachusetts;
Fort Collins, Colorado; and Portland, Oregon.

For more information, see USDA's National Ag Library webpage on Urban Agriculture.

Time to Get a Jump on Applying for Value Added Producer Grants

Home » Media Room » Time to Get a Jump on Applying for Value Added Producer Grants

Audio provided as a service to farm broadcasters by the Ag Marketing Resource Center.

Audio with Ray Hansen, Ag Marketing Resource Center Director.

Suggested Lead: The Value Added Producer Grant program gives potential value-added ag products a chance and helps create market opportunities. The program is funded by USDA Rural Development.

Agricultural Marketing Resource Center Director Ray Hansen explains that the program is broken down into two specific categories…tape

Cut #1     :26           O.C…”improve a market.”

Hansen says it appears the Notice of Funds Availability - or NOFA - could be released soon. He notes the interim rule changes have been released and there are some indications the NOFA could follow by the end of the month. But given that the grant writing process is a substantial undertaking - if a producer is thinking about applying - he suggests preparing ahead of time to help streamline the process. According to Hansen - producers can never start too early…tape

Cut #2     :44           O.C…”in that window.”

The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center works closely with this program - and has a great deal of information and resources for interested producers. Hansen says it’s all designed to add some clarity to the process and help individuals write a better grant…tape

Cut #3     :25            O.C…”for the grant.”

That website is available at www dot agmrc dot org (www.agmrc.org). Producers will find all of the information they need to get started right there on the home page.

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