Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) anticipates that approximately $1.3 million will be available for the FY 2004 program.  The deadline to submit proposals is approaching quickly and all applications must by received by February 13, 2004. 

“The FSMIP was first authorized by Congress in 1946 and is funded by annual appropriations.  The aim of the USDA program is to provide matching money to State and Territorial Departments of Agriculture and other appropriate agencies that endeavor to explore new market opportunities for food and agricultural products and to encourage research and innovation to improve the marketing system,” the Congressman explained.

“The USDA has a particular interest in funding proposals that incorporate collaborations between State or Territorial governments, academia and the farm sector, and that emphasize regional or national application.  Proposals should focus on projects of market analyses, transportation and distribution of food and agricultural products, competitiveness and new markets for agricultural products, or quality and variety enhancement.”

More information, program guidelines and applications are available online at http://www.ams.usda.gov/tmd/fsmip.htm, or by calling the Washington, D.C. FSMIP Office at (202) 720-2704.  To be considered for competition, applications must be received no later than February 13, 2004 at FSMIP Staff, AMS, Room 4009, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D. C.  20250.  Applications may also be submitted rapidly and conveniently online at the new www.grants.gov website, a centralized internet source for up to 900 federal grant opportunities from the 26 Federal granting agencies.

“Last year, American Samoa successfully competed for an FSMIP matching grant and was awarded nearly $63,000 for a project to develop a marketing information collection system.  This year, I want to once again encourage any appropriate agency to take advantage of this important opportunity.  American Samoa continues to be in need of diversifying its economy, and the FSMIP matching grant is one more way to help us achieve this goal,” the Congressman concluded.