Grants, Loans & Support
Earlier this year, in response to President Obama's challenge to reinvigorate local food systems, each of USDA's 26 agencies was asked to come forward with programs that can help support this effort...and they did.
It's no surprise that USDA has programs throughout its operations that can assist farmers, help consumers access nutritious foods, and support rural community development. We provide billions of dollars annually doing all this and more. What may be a surprise is that we have programs all across the Department that can cultivate local capacity to strengthen local and regional food systems. We don't need to create a new slate of programs; we need to make sure that the ones we have work better.
Memo on Rural Development Programs
Harnessing USDA Rural Development programs to support local and regional food systems » More...
Memo on Research, Education and Economics
USDA Research, Education and Economics support for local and regional food systems More...
Agricultural Marketing Service
Farmers Market Promotion Program
To help communities support local food systems through direct marketing. Direct marketing includes farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture, and agri-tourism. Projects that focus on increasing access to local foods by low-income residents receive special priority. » More...
Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program
Funds are used to explore barriers, challenges, and opportunities in marketing, transporting, and distributing food and forest products. » More...
Specialty Crop Block Grants
States administer grant programs to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture, flowers). As part of our "Growing Local Food Initiatives," many projects involve grant money to market locally-grown foods. » More...
Rural Development
Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas
The program provides information to farmers and other rural users on a variety of sustainable agricultural practices that include both cropping and livestock operations. The program encourages agricultural producers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices which allow them to maintain or improve profits, produce high quality food and reduce adverse impacts to the environment. The program is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. » More...
Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program
The purpose of the B&I program is to help new and existing businesses based in rural areas gain access to affordable capital. By issuing a guarantee to a private lender, USDA essentially co-signs the loan to a business owner, promising to pay a portion of any loss that might result in case the business owner is unable to repay the loan. Having the guarantee lowers the lender's risk, allowing more favorable interest rates and terms to be offered. » More...
Community Facilities Program
The Community Facilities Program supports the success of rural communities by providing loans and grants for the construction, acquisition, or renovation of community facilities or for the purchase of equipment for community projects. » More...
Rural Business Enterprise Grants
Big Idea: The RBEG program provides grants for rural projects that finance and facilitate development of small and emerging rural businesses help fund distance learning networks, and help fund employment related adult education programs. To assist with business development, RBEGs may fund a broad array of activities. Examples of eligible fund use include: Acquisition or development of land, construction, conversion, renovation, of buildings, plants, machinery, equipment, capitalization of revolving loan funds including funds that will make loans for start ups and working capital; training and technical assistance; and project planning. The project must benefit small and emerging private businesses in rural areas.
» More...Rural Business Opportunity Grants
The RBOG program promotes sustainable economic development in rural communities with exceptional needs through provision of training and technical assistance for business development, entrepreneurs, and economic development officials and to assist with economic development planning. » More...
Rural Cooperative Development
Rural Cooperative Development grants are made for establishing and operating centers for cooperative development for the primary purpose of improving the economic condition of rural areas through the development of new cooperatives and improving operations of existing cooperatives. The U.S. Department of Agriculture?s goal is to encourage and stimulate the development of effective cooperative organizations in rural America as a part of its total package of rural development efforts. » More...
Value-Added Producer Grants
VAPGs help farmers and ranchers receive a higher portion of the retail dollar. Grants support planning activities, such as developing a business plan, or as working capital (e.g. labor, inventory, advertising). There is 10% set-aside for projects that focus on local and regional supply networks. 10% of funds are also available for beginning farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and small or medium-sized farms or ranches. » More...
Food and Nutrition Service
Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition
To provide low-income seniors with coupons that can be exchanged for fresh, nutritious, unprepared fruits, vegetables, herbs and honey at farmers' markets, roadside stands and community supported agriculture programs. » More...
Women, Infants and Children - Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
The goal is to provide fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables through farmers' markets to women receiving nutrition assistance, and to expand the awareness and use of farmers' markets by women receiving nutrition assistance. » More...
Farm Service Agency
Farm Loan Programs: Direct and Guaranteed Farm Ownership Loans, and Direct and Guaranteed Operating Loans, with targeted funding for Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers
Many farmers and ranchers and aspiring farmers and ranchers have not acquired sufficient assets or repayment capacity to qualify for commercial loans. FSA provides loan guarantees to farmers and ranchers working through eligible lending institutions and also makes direct loans to qualifying farmers and ranchers. » More...
Farm Storage Facility Loans
On-farm storage may cost a lot to build, but it helps farmers to maximize profits. This is why the USDA has a program to finance purchase, construction, or refurbishment of farm storage facilities. Of critical importance to those growing fruits and vegetables for the fresh market, this program finances new cold storage buildings, including prefabricated buildings having a useful life of at least 15 years. Financing may also cover site preparation, and the cooling and electrical equipment (including labor and installation) integral to the proper operation of a cold storage facility. » More...
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) was reauthorized in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill) to provide a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals. EQIP offers financial and technical help to assist eligible participants install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land. » More...
EQIP - Organic conversion cost share
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program protects natural resources by providing direct financial support to farmers and ranchers who want to improve their environmental stewardship. There is a $50 million set-aside reserved for farmers who would like to convert to organic production. » More...
Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program
The Farm and Ranchland Protection Program is a voluntary program whose purpose is to protect agricultural lands by limiting non-agricultural uses. Funding is available for up to 50% of the purchase price of a conservation easement. The program is administered through approved state, local, and non-profit entities who arrange for the purchase of development rights on private lands and then hold and manage these conservation easements in perpetuity. » More...
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Community Food Projects
Community Food Projects fund proactive approaches to making communities more self reliant at maintaining their food systems while addressing food, nutrition, and farm issues. Grants are intended to help eligible private nonprofit entities that need a one-time infusion of federal assistance to establish and carry out multipurpose community food projects. » More...
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
The mission of the SARE program is to advance sustainable innovations to the whole of American agriculture. Since it began in 1988, SARE has funded more than 4,000 sustainable agriculture research, education and professional development projects across the country. Sharing project results is a cornerstone of the SARE program, with field days, workshops and conferences in every region?and an Outreach office producing an ever-growing library of books, bulletins, online resources as well as a vast archive of know-your-farmer profiles of SARE grantees. SARE is uniquely grassroots, administered by four regional offices guided by administrative councils of local experts. While every region offers Research and Education, Professional Development, Farmer/Rancher Research grants, some regions also offer Graduate Student, Sustainable Community Innovation, and Planning grants. » More...
Risk Management Agency
Community Outreach and Assistance Partnerships
RMA partnerships work with educational institutions and community based organizations to provide farmers and ranchers with information on new ways to manage risks to their businesses. Risk management strategies including production, marketing, legal and financial and crop insurance. To teach risk management strategies including production, marketing, legal and financial and crop insurance to minority, limited resource and traditionally underserved producers. » More...
Risk Management Education Programs
RMA partnerships work with educational institutions and community based organizations to provide farmers and ranchers with information on new ways to manage risks to their businesses. Risk management strategies including production, marketing, legal and financial and crop insurance. » More...
