Grants Awarded for Marketing Projects

July 26, 2000

Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman has awarded 14 matching grants totaling $600,000 to support agriculture market research and demonstration projects. The grants, provided under the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program, will be used to improve marketing systems for food and agricultural products or to identify new market opportunities for farm products.

"The proposals selected today reflect the Administration's continuing commitment to help small farms thrive. These research and development projects will help small farmers and ranchers find new, innovative marketing approaches that can help them connect with more consumers. Finding alternatives to traditional retail systems strengthens the chances for small-scale producers to survive in markets that are growing increasingly concentrated and competitive," Glickman said.

USDA awarded the following grants:

--Arizona - A $42,000 grant to the Arizona Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with Arizona State University, for an evaluation of the tourism industry as an alternative marketing channel for Arizona agricultural products.

--Indiana - A $78,000 grant to Purdue University to assist in developing a unique production and marketing system to enhance the profitability and sustainability of small to midsize beef producers and processors in the Eastern Corn Belt region.

--Iowa - A $55,000 grant to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to expand local food systems through direct marketing to Iowa institutions.

--Kansas - A $55,000 grant to Kansas State University, in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing, to identify market opportunities for new varieties of hard white wheat and to assess alternative business structures for producers.

--Massachusetts - A $55,000 grant to the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, in concert with Connecticut, Vermont, and New York, to develop innovative marketing approaches for small-farm livestock producers in the Northeast.

--Michigan - A $40,000 grant to the Michigan Department of Agriculture for a cooperative project with Michigan State University and the Midwest Nut Producers Council to develop product quality criteria for marketing Midwest-grown edible chestnuts.

--Missouri - A $27,500 grant to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with University of Missouri Outreach and Extension, to increase direct market access and communication by connecting producers and consumers.

--Montana - A $48,000 grant to the Montana Department of Agriculture, with Montana State University and others, to assess market opportunities and strategic directions for specialty herbs and essential oils crops in western Montana.

--North Carolina - A $20,000 grant to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to help evaluate the competitive position of the Fraser Fir Christmas tree industry and formulate a marketing plan for growers in and around western North Carolina.

--North Dakota - A $35,000 grant to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture to explore the feasibility of creating a central order fulfillment capability to further develop the Internet Shopping Mall for North Dakota products.

--Pennsylvania - A $31,000 grant to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, to develop and implement a business plan for a community farmers market on Pittsburgh's south side.

--South Dakota - A $24,000 grant to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Mid-U.S. Honey Producers Marketing Association, to determine the market potential for locally produced honey mead.

--Vermont - A $31,000 grant to the Vermont Department of Agriculture, Food and Markets, in cooperation with other northeastern states, to further develop an infrastructure for collecting and marketing high quality sheep and goat genetic material.

--Washington - A $60,000 grant to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association, for market research and development of an interactive data base that will allow oyster farmers to more easily form cooperative networks and develop strategies for business success.