October 2, 2015
The Rockmart Farmers Market has been selected to receive a portion of $13.3 million in Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) grants made available by the US Department of Agriculture.
On October 2, 2015 in Washington, D.C., Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement. “Today, USDA is helping to create economic opportunities for producers, increase access to fresh, healthy food for consumers, and connect rural and urban communities across the country,” said Secretary Vilsack. “Each of the grants announced today targets a unique part of the growing market for local foods. We are also expanding access for current SNAP participants to the wonderful array of fresh produce at America’s farmers markets, which is important to a healthy diet.”
The FMPP grant will be put to use beginning with next year’s market season. Specifically, the grant will be used to heavily promote the market to the surrounding community and to new farmers. Regular cooking classes and demonstrations will be added next year to help teach the community how to best make use of fresh, seasonally available foods. In addition, training will be provided to farmers to help them diversify their offerings, extend their seasons and better meet local demand.
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