Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2022 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has signed a cooperative agreement with Florida under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). Through LFPA, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness (FDACS) seeks to purchase and distribute locally grown, produced, and processed food from underserved producers.
“USDA is excited to partner with Florida 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.”
FDACS plans to use Local Food Purchase Assistance funds to maintain and improve Florida’s food and agricultural supply chain resiliency by supporting small and underserved producers. The funding will also help FDACS increase the amount of product distributed to the state’s underserved populations and communities that are not part of the normal food distribution network.
“The influx of Local Food Purchase Assistance cooperative agreement grant funds will allow Florida farmers and producers to build sustainable and resilient market opportunities, with an emphasis on small and underserved producers,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “By finding new opportunities for our producers, we are expanding our food distribution network to reach underserved communities and adapt to local challenges. I want to thank USDA for this partnership as we take another step to reduce food insecurity and create a stronger food network for all Floridians.”
The LFPA program is authorized by the American Rescue Plan to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. Through this program, USDA will award up to $400 million through non-competitive cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments to support local, regional, and underserved producers through the purchase of food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destination.
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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