Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, secured a $100,000 grant for the Vancouver Farmers Market.
The grant came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Promotion Program to “promote local farmers and help patrons make informed purchasing decisions for fresh produce,” according to a news release from Perez, who recently won a second term in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 3rd Congressional District.
Plans for the funds include supporting Southwest Washington family farms by not only promoting farmers but also their growing practices and food sources. A farm finder tool is part of the project as well. The tool will help the community to locate nearby growers.
“Our goal with the project is to get marketing and promotion for the farmers market and to our local farmers,” said Stephanie Clark, Vancouver Farmers Market’s director of Partnerships & Programs.
She said it’ll help people learn why they should eat local produce and shop at local farms.
In support of the project, Perez wrote to the Department of Agriculture in August.
“By supporting local, multi-generational family farms, we can challenge consolidation in our food system and bring down the costs at grocery stores across Southwest Washington,” Perez said in the news release.
Perez has already started implementing agriculture initiatives, such as the recently introduced HOMEGROWN Soil Health Act, which supports generational farms and local specialty crop production.
She also introduced the bipartisan Farmland Security Act, which increases oversight of foreign ownership of American farmland; PACA Act, helping producers with soil health and weather resilience; and Agricultural Right to Repair Act, ensuring farm equipment repairs.
“We are really excited for this opportunity and grateful,” Clark said.
