WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2012 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today 23 grants to community-based organizations throughout the country to develop local solutions to food access and hunger issues. The awards were made by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through its Community Food Projects program. Community Food Projects have been funded in more than 400 communities in 48 states in the program's 16-year history.
The new projects, receiving $4.8 million in funding, will develop the skills of rural low-income residents to establish sustainable community food projects, improve access to fresh, healthy and affordable local food, and increase access to training resources throughout rural America.
The primary goals of the Community Food Projects program are to (1) meet the food needs of low-income individuals; (2) help low-income communities become more food self-reliant; (3) promote comprehensive strategies to address local food, farm and nutrition issues; and (4) meet specific state, local or neighborhood food and agricultural needs, including needs relating to infrastructure improvement and development, planning for long-term solutions and the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.
Fiscal Year 2012 awards include:
Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov .