USDA Extends Application Deadline for Projects Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access for Underserved Producers

Contact: FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it will extend the deadline for stakeholder organizations to submit applications for innovative projects that help increase underserved producers’ access to land, capital and markets. The new deadline for applications is Nov. 18, 2022.

Projects should be innovative and help move underserved producers from surviving to thriving. Projects must focus on strengthening land access with at least one of the following related areas of concern: capital access concerns that affect the ability to access land; market access concerns that affect the ability to access land; or a combination of one or more of land, capital and market access concerns. 

In August, USDA announced up to $300 million in funding to support projects that enabled underserved producers to access land, capital, and markets. This was part of a broader investment to help ensure underserved producers have the resources, tools, programs, and technical support they need to succeed. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Section 1006, as amended by Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act, provided this funding. These provisions fund and direct USDA to take action to help ensure that underserved producers have the resources, tools, programs, and technical support they need to succeed. See the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Eligible applicants include government entities, Native American Tribal organizations, not-for-profit educational institutions, and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. The non-profit organizations can include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), foundations, and Tribal financial institutions. Individuals, non-domestic entities, and private, for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply to this funding opportunity.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will host a webinar for interested applicants on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, at 2 p.m. Eastern.  Additional resources, including webinar registration, can be found on FSA’s Increasing Land Access webpage.