The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is awarding over $3.5 million to the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA).

The grants, made possible through the Micro-Grants for Food Security Program (MGFSP), will provide support for small-scale gardening, herding, and livestock operations to increase the quantity and quality of locally-grown food in communities experiencing food insecurity. Through community outreach, the HDOA will identify and administer the funding to various groups and individuals in communities with high levels of food insecurity.

The funding is part of a larger $15 million being awarded by the USDA AMS for 22 grant projects to promote the maple syrup industry and to strengthen and explore new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products. In addition to the MGFSP, the funding is being awarded through the Acer Access and Development Program (Acer) and the Federal State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP).