Minnesota farmers and communities throughout the state are benefitting from a new program aimed at local and regional food systems. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded 33 organizations, local units of government, and tribal nations $3.53 million in grants through the Minnesota Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Program. The program provides funding for projects that buy local food primarily from socially disadvantaged farmers and distribute that food at no cost to underserved communities.
The MDA is also accepting applications for a second round of LFPA Program grants. Applications will be accepted through May 20, 2024. Applicants may request between $20,000 and $125,000, and the MDA anticipates awarding roughly $3.1 million in this second round. The application and more information can be found on the MDA website at www.mda.state.mn.us/lfpa.
Interested parties can attend one of two virtual information sessions to learn more about the LFPA Program. The sessions will be held at the following times:
• May 1, 2024, from 5 – 6 p.m. Register for this event.
• May 2, 2024, from 12 – 1 p.m. Register for this event.
In the first round of grants, the MDA received 50 proposals requesting approximately $5.9 million. The grant recipients are:
| Grant Recipient | City |
|---|---|
| Audubon Neighborhood Association | Minneapolis |
| Church of the Incarnation | Minneapolis |
| City of Richfield | Richfield |
| Community Action Center | Northfield |
| Community Action Duluth | Duluth |
| Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio Inc | Saint Paul |
| Grand Rapids Farmers’ Market | Grand Rapids |
| HAVEN, Int'l | Saint Paul |
| Hennepin County | Minneapolis |
| Hmong American Farmers Association | West Saint Paul |
| Isuroon | Minneapolis |
| Kaleidoscope-Kawm Thiab Siv, LLC | Oakdale |
| Keystone Community Services | Saint Paul |
| North Country Food Alliance | Minneapolis |
| Pillsbury United Communities | Minneapolis |
| Prairie Rose Agriculture Institute for Research, Innovation and Education (PRAIRIE | Moorhead |
| PRISM | Golden Valley |
| Real Food Inc. dba Becker Market | Willmar |
| Red Lake Nation | Red Lake |
| Red Wing Area Farmers’ Market Association, Inc. | Red Wing |
| Red Wing Area Food Shelf | Red Wing |
| Region Nine Development Commission | Mankato |
| Riverwood Healthcare Center | Aitkin |
| Southeast Minnesota Food Rescue and Redistribution | Rochester |
| Sprout MN | Little Falls |
| TC Food Justice | Minneapolis |
| The Good Acre | Falcon Heights |
| The Humanity Alliance | Victoria |
| The Open Door | Eagan |
| The Sanneh Foundation | Saint Paul |
| The Village Agricultural Cooperative | Rochester |
| Virginia Farmers’ Market Hub | Virginia |
| White Earth Nation | White Earth |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service awarded the MDA $8,141,877 million in LFPA funding. The LFPA Program is authorized by the American Rescue Plan to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency.
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Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us
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