Food storage does not necessarily have to be at a commercial facility, but if you are procuring services from someone who isn’t generally in the business of offering those services, then you need to be prepared to demonstrate how those costs are reasonable, and potentially have done some research on average price points and how that compares.
You can apply as a farmer, or you can look to partner with other people on an application and you could supply food for that project. The LFPA Connections Database is a resource that could help connect you to people looking for food for their project. You can advertise your foods and services by filling out an online directory form and find potential contacts by viewing the public responses. Your farmers market manager may also be a resource to talk to about this program.
You can apply as a farmer, or you can look to partner with other people on an application and you could supply food for that project. The LFPA Connections Database is a resource that could help connect you to people looking for food for their project. You can advertise your foods and services by filling out an online directory form and find potential contacts by viewing the public responses. Your farmers market manager may also be a resource to talk to about this program.
An applicant’s legal business entity must be located in MN. A farm/organization located in WI would not be eligible to be a lead applicant. An entity that is located in MN could apply and source from a farm in WI, however, as long as the WI purchases are not more than 30% of the project’s total food purchases. At least 70% of a project’s food purchases (by monetary value) must be sourced from within the geographic boundaries of MN.
An applicant’s legal business entity must be located in MN. A farm/organization located in WI would not be eligible to be a lead applicant. An entity that is located in MN could apply and source from a farm in WI, however, as long as the WI purchases are not more than 30% of the project’s total food purchases. At least 70% of a project’s food purchases (by monetary value) must be sourced from within the geographic boundaries of MN.
Those requirements only apply to the LFPA program, so 70% of the food items paid for with LFPA grant funds must be from Minnesota and from socially disadvantaged farmers. They are not intended to be criteria for the normal operations of an organization.
Those requirements only apply to the LFPA program, so 70% of the food items paid for with LFPA grant funds must be from Minnesota and from socially disadvantaged farmers. They are not intended to be criteria for the normal operations of an organization.
Yes, the definition for socially disadvantaged is broad. It is the USDA definition and it isn’t specific about types of financial assistance, so we understand that any could qualify. We ask that farmers self-identify whether they are socially disadvantaged, and have a form that grantees can provide to participating farmers that asks that question. We do not need to see that form, we just need the answer to be entered on a grantee’s reporting spreadsheet. The only thing we ask for regarding that status is a yes or no, nothing more about how or why the farmer identifies as socially disadvantaged. Our required data report asks for the farmer name, whether they are socially disadvantaged, city, county, and zip code, because that is what we are required to report to the USDA.
Yes, the definition for socially disadvantaged is broad. It is the USDA definition and it isn’t specific about types of financial assistance, so we understand that any could qualify. We ask that farmers self-identify whether they are socially disadvantaged, and have a form that grantees can provide to participating farmers that asks that question. We do not need to see that form, we just need the answer to be entered on a grantee’s reporting spreadsheet. The only thing we ask for regarding that status is a yes or no, nothing more about how or why the farmer identifies as socially disadvantaged. Our required data report asks for the farmer name, whether they are socially disadvantaged, city, county, and zip code, because that is what we are required to report to the USDA.
We don’t have a specific list that we can share aside from what the USDA has in their definition (see page 10 of the RFP, or question #4 in this section). That being said, we have asked about some products specifically and know that maple syrup, wild rice, and oats are allowed, and the fish could be allowed if it is raw and just cut into fillets (no added ingredients or further processing). Cheese is allowed, but cannot have added ingredients beyond what is need to make the cheese from fluid milk (For example, jalapeño cheddar is not allowed).
