The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service awarded a $143,906 Project Grant under the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (CFDA 10.175) to the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The grant will fund a research study to identify legal barriers experienced by institutional partners and local farmers in Maryland and the Chesapeake region related to increasing participation in farm-to-institution local purchasing programs, particularly the state's Certified Local Farm Fish Enterprise Program. The project aims to: 1) conduct research to determine legal knowledge gaps, 2) create opportunities for stakeholders to learn and establish relationships, 3) design educational materials to bridge identified gaps, and 4) share findings with regional partners. This 2-year effort seeks to increase technical knowledge for at least 85 vendors, 24 school food programs, and 66 other stakeholders, while facilitating new partnerships between producers and the local supply network.
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