Lamp value added producer grant – mandatory

Ecker's Apple Farm LLC received a $113,343 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services, awarded on August 20, 2025, with a completion deadline of August 20, 2027. The grant falls under the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (CFDA 10.175), a component of the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) designed to support the development and expansion of local and regional food systems.

Based on the LAMP Value Added Producer Grant designation, the funding is anticipated to support value-added agricultural product development activities at the Wisconsin-based apple farm operation. The two-year project period aligns with typical FMLFPP award structures, which fund initiatives that strengthen direct producer-to-consumer marketing channels and local food business enterprises. The specific products or services to be delivered through this award would include value-added processing, marketing infrastructure improvements, or related local food system expansion activities conducted by Ecker's Apple Farm LLC.