Overview
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service established the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and awarded over $400 million in funding through non-competitive cooperative agreements to state and tribal governments, intended to improve supply chain resiliency and support socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. LFPA has three fundamental goals:
- The purchase of domestic foods from local, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
- The distribution of food to socially vulnerable communities that are not normally served, or are underserved, by the normal food distribution network.
- Expanded long-term economic opportunities for local/regional, socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and producers.
In Indiana, the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) holds the cooperative agreement with USDA and serves the lead state agency, with collaboration and support from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA). The effort is being co-lead at IDOH by Women, Infants and Childrenn (WIC) and the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity (DNPA).
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can LFPA funding be used to provide technical assistance to small and socially disadvantaged suppliers and producers?
- Can LFPA funding be used to pay for GAP certifications, training, seed, or crop insurance?
- Is GAP or GHP certification a requirement for suppliers who participate in this program?
- Can LFPA funding be used to purchase livestock, live animals, or cattle?
- What expenses are allowable with LFPA Plus funding?
- Do growers or producers have to be a specific size or produce a certain amount of poundage to participate in LFPA?
- For farmers that are raising livestock, does meat need to be processed at a USDA facility or can an Indiana State facility be okay and what type of license does a meat and/or poultry processing facility need to sell product to a lead agency?
- Can farmers be added or replaced during the program?