The Texarkana, Texas, Farmers' Market has been awarded a federal grant of more than $174,000.
The market, in partnership with the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council and the Housing Authority of Texarkana, Texas, recently received a USDA Farmers' Market Promotion Program grant totaling $174,220 to support the market's Cultural Food Diversity Initiative, the city announced in a news release Wednesday.
Texarkana's application was one of 49 funded nationwide and the only one selected for funding in Texas.
"Our Market has experienced tremendous growth the last couple seasons, and this initiative will continue the momentum by expanding the reach of the market to even more residents," Market Manager Holden Fleming said.
Set to begin later this year, the program is focused on the growth and expansion of the Farmers' Market through the use of cultural foods and events, an expanded mobile market and online ordering system, and increased advertising for all market activities.
David Orr, planning and community development director, said he is excited about the potential the grant brings.
"This funding will also be used to expand the mobile farmers' market into additional neighborhoods in partnership with the Housing Authority of Texarkana, Texas," Orr said.
The initiative will be centered on a "Shop Us First" branding campaign designed to establish the market as the first source for fresh local foods and to enhance direct producer-to-consumer sales.
"Food is such a central part of our culture. We believe that farmers' markets are the perfect place to come together and find common ground, through common foods, in a common space," said Brian Goesl, executive director of the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council.
For more information on this program, or to find out how you can get involved with the Farmers' Market, contact Fleming at [email protected] or 903-798-3901.