Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP)

Matching grants for marketing agricultural products through state departments of agriculture

Program Basics
The Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) provides matching funds on a competitive basis to state departments of agriculture and similar state agencies to study or develop innovative approaches for marketing agricultural products.

FSMIP funds can be requested for a wide range of research and service work aimed at improving the marketing system or identifying new market opportunities for agricultural, horticultural and viticultural products; dairy products; livestock and poultry products; bees; forest products; fish and shellfish; and value-added processed products.

Although all proposals that meet the matching funds requirement and fall within FSMIP guidelines will be considered, states are especially encouraged to develop projects involving partnerships with producer groups, academia, community-based organizations, or other states to address practical marketing problems faced by small and medium-scale producers.

Project Examples

Kentucky - $33,375 to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with Kentucky State University and Western Kentucky University, to improve the accuracy and usefulness of U.S. market goat grades to provide graders and buyers with a more accurate tool for evaluating live goats and give producers an economic incentive to improve the quality of their goats.

Maryland - $50,000 to the University of Maryland School of Nursing, in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Agriculture, several non-profit organizations and others, to facilitate increased use of locally produced foods in Maryland hospitals.

Oklahoma - $56,365 to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, in cooperation with Oklahoma State University, Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture and the Oklahoma State Department of Education, to develop food distribution models for small, medium and large producers, and to create safe handling guidelines to foster use of locally grown and produced food products in school systems throughout the state.

New Mexico - $58,550 to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with New Mexico State University, the New Mexico Chile Commission and industry partners, to develop a comprehensive regional marketing program for red chilies.

New Mexico - $46,545 to New Mexico State University to assess the national market for New Mexico-grown natural dye plants and natural dye plant products.

North Carolina - $61,400 to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, in cooperation with North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association, to determine key factors that influence current and anticipated consumer purchases of nursery products and landscape services to help the state's nursery sector update its marketing strategies and better plan future product and service offerings.

Application and Financial Information
In recent years, available funds have been allocated to about 25 to 30 projects annually. Lists of the projects by state, and the amounts of federal funds provided for each project during the past 5 years, can be viewed on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/tmd/fsmip.htm.

Funds are allocated on the basis of one round of competition annually. The deadline for submitting applications is usually mid-February, awards generally are announced in July, and funds are available in September.

Eligibility, Uses, and Restrictions
Only state departments of agriculture and similar state agencies are eligible to apply for direct funding. However, others, including producer associations, economic development groups, academia, and nonprofit organizations, are encouraged to work with their state departments of agriculture to develop FSMIP proposals.

FSMIP will not approve use of grant funds for most advertising and promotion. FSMIP is not designed to support long-term, basic research or, with limited exceptions, to support capital improvements or equipment purchases. See the website for additional restrictions.

Website
www.ams.usda.gov/FSMIP

Contact
Organizations interested in developing a proposal should contact their state department of agriculture or the national program office for additional information and guidance.

Janise Zygmont
1400 Independence Ave. SW Room 2646-S
Washington, DC 20250
Tel: 202-720-8043
janise.zygmont@usda.gov

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