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States, growers say local food and specialty crop block grants need predictable funding and technical assistance
Summary
State officials and growers described how cuts to local food purchase and school procurement programs and delays in Specialty Crop Block Grant RFAs hamper market development; they called for predictable grant timing, more technical assistance, and investments in aggregation and distribution.
WASHINGTON — Witnesses and state agriculture leaders told the House Agriculture Committee that local food programs, specialty crop block grants, and technical assistance are critical to connecting small and midsized specialty crop producers to institutional and regional markets, and that funding gaps and RFA delays limit their impact.
Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, described state programs including Michigan’s Farm to Family and regenerative agriculture efforts…
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