Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2022 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has signed a cooperative agreement with Illinois under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). Through LFPA, the Illinois Department of Agriculture seeks to purchase and distribute locally grown, produced, and processed food from underserved producers.
“USDA is excited to partner with Illinois to promote economic opportunities for farmers and producers and to increase access to locally sourced, fresh, healthy, and nutritious food in underserved communities,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program will improve food and agricultural supply-chain resiliency and increase local food consumption around the country.”
Through the LFPA funding, the Illinois Department of Agriculture in partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services will purchase locally grown and raised products from underserved farmers and ranchers and distribute them to food insecure communities.
“Illinois is a diverse state, with agriculture as its number one industry,” said Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II. “The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement creates a bridge between locally grown and raised products of underserved farmers and ranchers and food insecure communities and provides an opportunity to unite Illinoisans invested in building a resilient food system and a collaborative network of food system support.”
USDA’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program provides up to $900 million through non-competitive cooperative agreements to enable state, territory and tribal governments to support local, regional and underserved producers, and maintain or improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency through the purchase of food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destination. Funding for the program comes from the American Rescue Plan and the Commodity Credit Corporation.
AMS looks forward to continuing to sign agreements under this innovative program that allows state and tribal governments to procure and distribute local and regional foods and beverages that are healthy, nutritious, and unique to their geographic area.
More information about the program is available on AMS’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program webpage.
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