Indiana Offers Specialty Crop Marketing Grants

      Posted On: February 6, 2008

On January 30th, 2008, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced the availability of specialty crop grant funds made possible by the Specialty Crop Block Grant provided by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Through four different programs, ISDA seeks to increase specialty crop marketing opportunities. All are provided at no cost to producers. Of particular interest to farmers markets in Indiana, the ISDA Farmers’ Market Cost-Share Reimbursement Program will assist farmers’ markets with advertising, displays or promotional materials by reimbursing 50 percent of the promotion cost with a cap of $500. The promotion created from these grants is expected to increase consumer awareness and potentially grow farmers’ markets visits by an average of 15 percent.
Applications and eligibility requirements can be found on the ISDA Web site under Publications. Requests must be emailed to Amy Eizinger, Grants Coordinator at AEizinger@isda.in.gov. Grant requests will be funded until resources are depleted. Visit the Indiana State Department of Agriculture web site for more information on this and other specialty crop grant programs available in Indiana.