Action Alert: Waive Matching Funds for Grants to Small Farms

The U.S. Department of Agriculture already provides grants to help farmers and ranchers with “value-added” activities, such as the processing and marketing of their products, but under the current Value-Added Producer Grants program, farmers have to put up 50 percent of the project’s total cost before they can qualify for a matching grant.  Most small farmers can’t come up with that kind of cash. Under H.R. 6682, they wouldn’t have to.

Contact your US Representatives to urge them to support H.R. 6682!

H.R. 6682:

To provide for a waiver of the matching funds requirement for the farmers market and local food promotion program and value added producer grant program.

Full text:
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 1, 2020
Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire (for herself, Mr. Fortenberry, and Ms. Pingree) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL
To provide for a waiver of the matching funds requirement for the farmers market and local food promotion program and value added producer grant program.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. WAIVER OF MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENT FOR THE FARMERS MARKET AND LOCAL FOOD PROMOTION PROGRAM AND VALUE ADDED PRODUCER GRANT PROGRAM.

The matching funds requirement under paragraph (5)(E) or (6)(E) of section 210A(d) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627c(d)) shall not apply with respect to grants awarded under such section during the period beginning on January 1, 2019, and ending on December 31, 2021.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6682