Brown Announces New Federal Resources to Help Ohio Farmers Increase Sales, Expand Access To Fresh Foods In Logan County
U.S. Department of Agriculture Grant will Expand and Improve Logan County Farmers Market in Zanesfield
WASHINGTON, D.C. — New federal resources will help farmers expand markets and increase access to fresh, healthy, locally-grown foods in Logan County. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the Logan County Farmers Market will receive $82,553 to expand and improve the market in Zanesfield. The grant is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP).
“Ohio’s farmers markets bring new customers to farmers and agricultural producers while increasing access to healthy foods,” Brown said. “This grant will allow the Logan County Farmers Market to include more vendors and gain more customers while maintaining the high-quality produce Logan County residents rely on.”
The FMPP program expands direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities, including domestic farmers’ markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, and more. The program gives support to farmers and agricultural producers by providing start-up expansion and business planning support while improving customer education and outreach.
Brown worked to pass the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act— also known as the 2012 farm bill, which passed the Senate in June. The 2008 farm bill will expire in nine days, but the U.S. House of Representatives has not brought the bill up for a vote. The Senate’s 2012 farm bill would expand farmers markets and other direct marketing opportunities for farmers and increase the availability of nutritious, locally-grown foods to all Ohioans. The bill also includes a stronger crop insurance program for specialty crops and organic agriculture. Many of these provisions were proposed in Brown’s Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act, a bill to help Ohio farmers and ranchers sell their products directly to consumers and create jobs by addressing production, aggregation, and marketing and distribution needs.