Received 12 October 2012 from Tim Carroll from Mara Register from Larry Hanson.

The

Lowndes County Partnership for Health
has received a $96,858 grant
from the USDA to continue to develop Farm Days Farmers Market, establish
agricultural center that will serve the agri-science educational needs
of area students and provide low cost fresh produce to primarily low
income populations in our area. In addition this project will aggregate
commodities from surrounding farms for distribution which will support
economic development among area farmers.


The grant will pay for a full
time farm manager over two years, a portable vegetable stand to be
used on a distribution route, travel cost associated with distribution
route, and promotional and educational materials for Farm days and the
agricultural center. City of Valdosta staff assisted in the effort in
the preparation of the grant application. This project has grown out
of the partnership between the City, the South Health District and the
Partnership for Health with the Farm Days Farmers Market. The last
market day for the year will be held on Saturday, October 20th.

Here’s

the USDA’s paragraph on that award:

$96,858 to Lowndes County Partnership for Health, Inc., Valdosta,
GA, for a community‐supported agricultural center that will serve
as a food hub and educational center to increase access to


affordable, nutritious, local food in low‐income food deserts in
South Georgia by purchasing a mobile farmers market van, offering
a series of workshops to train vendors, and establishing
community gardens for resident use.

That’s good news!
But please, can we not use this grant to move the location
of Valdosta Farm Days?
It’s got a great site right where it is, around the historic
Lowndes County Courthouse.

-jsq