Fresno's Farmers Markets

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Merrigan Announces $49 Million in Grants Under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Jensen Vang — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:55:42 +0000

WASHINGTON, October 15, 2009 – Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced the award of 55 grants totaling approximately $49 million for 745 projects to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, which are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Upon reviewing states’ plans for funding, USDA selected projects that support local and rural agriculture interests, increase the competitiveness of small producers, and promote or create direct marketing opportunities for specialty crop producers.

“Developing local and regional food systems that spur economic opportunity is the purpose of our ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ initiative and these grants today are a significant part of achieving that goal,” said Merrigan. “We are pleased to be continuing this partnership in every state across the country to support their diverse efforts to promote healthy eating and grow specialty crop markets by expanding access to fresh, local foods.”

Funds will be used by the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, according to their plans submitted to USDA that describe how the state agency will carry out the program. Summaries of all awards can be viewed at www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp.

Through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, USDA is committed to increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops; improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems; assisting all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain in developing Good Agricultural, Good Handling and Good Manufacturing practices, including cost share arrangements for funding audits of small farmer, packer and processor systems; investing in specialty crop research; enhancing food safety; developing new and improved specialty crop varieties; eradicating pest and plant health issues; and fostering organic and sustainable production practices.

The 55 grant recipients are:

Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries – $442,987.67

Alaska Division of Agriculture – $176,756.84

Arizona Department of Agriculture – $1,113,922.37

Arkansas Agriculture Department – $220,060.79

California Department of Food and Agriculture – $16,315,325.65

Colorado Department of Agriculture – $629,443.00

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Lands and Natural Resources – $121,669.23

Connecticut Department of Agriculture – $320,502.74

Delaware Department of Agriculture – $226,495.45

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – $4,100,603.76

Georgia Department of Agriculture – $1,017,362.93

Guam Department of Agriculture – $164,711.28

Hawaii Department of Agriculture – $378,728.69

Idaho State Department of Agriculture – $882,094.50

Illinois Department of Agriculture – $437,304.71

Indiana State Department of Agriculture – $382,302.08

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship – $243,405.15

Kansas Department of Agriculture – $214,055.68

Kentucky Department of Agriculture – $237,590.08

Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry – $338,982.59

Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources – $382,441.97

Maryland Department of Agriculture – $503,304.47

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources – $390,474.69

Michigan Department of Agriculture – $1,230,431.52

Minnesota Department of Agriculture – $578,008.12

Mississippi Department of Agriculture – $268,376.55

Missouri Department of Agriculture – $269,731.58

Montana Department of Agriculture – $249,379.89

Nebraska Department of Agriculture – $285,452.98

Nevada Department of Agriculture – $182,838.55

New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food – $229,319.98

New Jersey Department of Agriculture – $656,610.86

New Mexico Department of Agriculture – $380,581.79

New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets – $1,098,809.97

North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services – $1,092,487.64

North Dakota Department of Agriculture – $523,515.58

Ohio Department of Agriculture – $809,199.45

Oklahoma State Department of Agriculture – $333,507.33

Oregon Department of Agriculture – $1,673,704.49

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture – $938,784.21

Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture – $363,961.04

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Agriculture – $202,792.90

South Carolina Department of Agriculture – $402,462.32

South Dakota Department of Agriculture – $185,811.14

Tennessee Department of Agriculture – $455,621.73

Texas Department of Agriculture – $1,766,147.25

U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture – $163,169.73

University of the District of Columbia, Agricultural Experiment Station – $162,240.00

Utah Department of Agriculture and Food – $236,718.28

Vermont Agency of Agriculture – $204,289.94

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – $455,948.83

Washington State Department of Agriculture – $2,920,854.13

West Virginia Department of Agriculture – $184,663.10

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection – $745,360.82

Wyoming Department of Agriculture – $180,691.96

The Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative emphasizes the need for a fundamental and critical reconnection between producers and consumers. The effort builds on the 2008 Farm Bill, which provides for increases and flexibility for USDA programs in an effort to promote local foods. Consumer demand for locally grown food in the United States is expected to rise from an estimated $4 billion in 2002 to as much as $7 billion by 2012.

Since May, an inter-agency USDA Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food task force has been working to align existing USDA programs with the needs of local and regional food systems; conducting outreach activities so that the linkages are understood; helping communities build local food systems by providing new initiatives; and engaging the American public in conversation about local and regional agriculture.

How to become a EBT/SNAP retailer?

Jensen Vang — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:04:28 +0000

Information Coming Soon…

What is WIC?

Jensen Vang — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:00:22 +0000

The information was provide by FNS

1. What is WIC?

WIC provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to health and other social services to participants at no charge. WIC serves low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk.

WIC is not an entitlement program; that is, Congress does not set aside funds to allow every eligible individual to participate in the program. Instead, WIC is a Federal grant program for which Congress authorizes a specific amount of funding each year for program operations. The Food and Nutrition Service, which administers the program at the Federal level, provides these funds to WIC State agencies (State health departments or comparable agencies) to pay for WIC foods, nutrition education, and administrative costs.

Farmers Market: Funding Opportunities

Jensen Vang — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:32:47 +0000

The information was provided by USDA.

The following list contains information on farmers market related grant opportunities currently available from federal and state governments and private sector foundations. Funding opportunities will be posted as they become available.

Agricultural Prosperity for Small and Medium-sized Farms, NRI. The purpose of this program is to foster interdisciplinary studies to improve our understanding of the interactions between the economic and environmental components important to the long-term viability, competitiveness and efficiency of small and medium-sized farms (including social, biological and other components, if necessary). Currently Open. Closing date June 5, 2008. Anticipated funding $5,000,000. More information: Dr. S. Sureshwaran, Phone: 202 720-7536;ssureshwaran@csrees.usda.gov

2009 List of Fresno’s farmers markets in Fresno County

Jensen Vang — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:39:56 +0000

Have you shop at farmers market before?

If you’ve shop at farmers market or any public open market, you probably know the secret of the produce of how fresh they are. For those who have not experience shopping at farmers market, I have provide a list of certified and non certified and flea markets in Fresno County for you to visit one of these days. The list was put together in support with the links: www.ecologycenter.org and www.cafarmersmarkets.com. Thank you and have a healthy fresh day!

By: Jensen Vang

Certified Farmers Market

Fowler’s Certified Farmers Market

Merced and 3rd St

Wednesday, 4 pm – 8 pm

May – Oct

559-834-5486

Accepting: WIC

Market on the Mall Certified Farmers Market

Wednesday and Friday 10am – 2pm

Fulton and Mariposa

559 263-1583

Accepting: EBT and WIC

www.marketonthemall.com

Old Town Clovis Farmers Market

Friday nights May-Sept

Pollasky Ave. & 5th St.

Old Town Clovis

559-298-5774

Accepting: WIC

Kaiser Permanente Fresno Certified Farmers Market

Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center

7300 N. Fresno St.

Fresno, CA 93720

Wednesdays, 8 am-1:30 pm

559-448-4367

Accepting: WIC

Parlier Certified Farmers Market

Sat 4pm-8pm

Earl Ruth Park – First & J Street

559-646-9480

Accepting: WIC

Reedley Downtown Certified Farmers Market

Saturday, 7am – 11am, May – Aug

Reedley

559-638-5484

Accepting: WIC

River Park Certified Farmers Market

Tue, 5pm-9pm

River Park Shopping Center

Fresno

559 439-8389

Accepting: WIC

Sanger Certified Farmers Market

Sat 6pm-10pm End of Jun – Mid Aug

559 -875-4575

Accepting: WIC

Farmers Market Non Certified

Bently’s Market

9439 N. Ft. Washington

Fresno, CA 93730

(559) 892-4200

Coalinga Plaza Market

Tue 6pm – 8pm June – Aug

Downtown Coalinga

559 935-2948

Dinuba Farmers Market
L & Tulare St.

June – August

Tuesday, 5:00 P.M.- 8:00 P.M.

Dunsmuir Farmers Market
Dunsmuir Ave. & Spruce

Dunsmuir, CA 96025

(530) 235-4034

June – September

Saturday, 9:30 AM- 12:30 P.M.

First & Shields Farmers Market

Wed, Fri, & Sat 9am – 2pm

First & Shields – Fresno

559 227-8026

Golden West Side Farmers Market

Wed 8am – 12 pm

Hinton Center, 2385 S Fairview

559 392-6333

Hanford Farmers Market

Thursdays, 5:30pm – 9pm May – Oct

Erwin Street

559 582-9457

Orange Cove Farmers Market

Thurs 4-7pm May – Sept

559 318-0857

Orange Farmers Market
Antique Station parking lot

Thursday, 2:00 P.M.- 6:00 P.M.

Orosi Swapmeet FM

9am-4pm

41286 Road 124

559-528-2288

Selma Farmers Market

Fridays 5:30–8:30pm

1st & High Street

559 896-3315

Tower Farmers Market

1501 N. Van Ness Ave.

Wednesdays, Friday and Saturdays

8 a.m.-3 p.m.

559-227-8026.

Vineyard Farmers Market

Sat 7am-noon ; Wed 3-6pm

Blackstone & Shaw

Flea Markets (with produce)

Big Fresno Flea Market

Sat & Sun

Fresno Fair Grounds

559 284-5872

Cherry Avenue Auction

Tue, Sat, Sun Mornings

4640 S Cherry Ave

559 266-9856

Accepting: EBT

Selma Flea Market

Sun 7am – 2pm

Freeway 99 & Mountain View

559 896-3243

Accepting: EBT

The Garden Market at Courthouse Park CFM

Every Tuesday, 10 AM – 2 PM

Northeast Van Ness and Tulare St

559-263-1583

2009 Future Farmers Markets:

Viktoria’s Farmers Market

Herndon and Ingram

Contact Jensen @ 559-349-6943

Ashtree Farmers Market

Shaw and First

Contact Jensen @ 559-349-6943

Asian Village Farmers Market

Winery and Kings Canyon

Contact Jensen @ 559-349-6943