December 12, 2008

LANSING, Mich. - Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Don Koivisto today announced USDA’s Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) will distribute $1.3 million in federal matching funds nationwide to the food and agriculture industry. The program is administered by MDA and other state departments of agriculture.

“We encourage Michigan food and agriculture organizations to take advantage of this opportunity to expand their programs,” said Koivisto. “The program leverages federal and private resources to develop and enhance Michigan's dynamic $63.7 billion agriculture industry.”

FSMIP funds a wide-range of applied research projects that address barriers, challenges, and opportunities in marketing, transportation, and distribution of U.S. food and agricultural products domestically and internationally.

Eligible agricultural categories include livestock, livestock products, food and feed crops, fish, horticulture, viticulture, apiary, and forest products and processed or manufactured products derived from such commodities. Reflecting the growing diversity of U.S. agriculture in recent years, FSMIP has funded projects dealing with nutraceuticals, bioenergy, compost, and products made from agricultural residues.

Proposals may deal with barriers, challenges, or opportunities manifesting at any stage of the marketing chain including direct, wholesale, and retail. Proposals may involve small, medium, or large-scale agricultural entities but should potentially benefit multiple producers or agribusinesses. Proprietary proposals that benefit one business or individual will not be considered.

Proposals should include an additional five percent in the salary/fringe line for MDA FSMIP grant oversight. Proposals reflecting a collaborative approach between states, academia, and the farm sector are of particular interest.

The application and guidelines are available at the USDA's Federal State Marketing Improvement Program website. Proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 12, 2009. MDA will review and forward approved submissions to USDA. Applications should be submitted electronically to Mike DiBernardo, MDA Agriculture Development Division, at dibernardom@michigan.gov or 517-373-9144.