Ohio lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, have introduced the Local Farms and Food Act, which aims to provide support to the state's agriculture industry. The proposed legislation includes turnkey grants for local food programs and an increase in funding for the Farmers Market Promotion Program, which will cover projects like outreach and promotion, vendor training, and data collection.
The bill also seeks to reduce barriers and increase access to local food programs by proposing changes to the Local Agriculture Market Program, including a reduced matching fund requirement for applications with an adjusted gross income of $250,000 or less.
Additionally, the proposed legislation would reauthorize the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program and reduce the matching fund requirement of the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program.
The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association supports the Local Farms and Food Act's adoption in the 2023 farm bill, noting that the proposed changes will help to continue progress on local and regional food system development, improve equity and access, and promote resilience and sustainability in the state's agriculture industry.
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Categories: Ohio, Government & Policy