Farmers Markets and Direct-to-Consumer Marketing: conducts regular data collection and analysis of farmers market operations and other direct-to-consumer marketing outlets (Community Supported Agriculture, food hubs, on-farm markets) to help market managers, planners, and researchers better understand the impact of these outlets on food access and local economic development, and help the public easily find sources of fresh, local food.
Food Value Chains and Food Hubs: studies “food value chains”, an innovative business model in which agricultural producers, processors, buyers, and other supply chain members form collaborative, transparent partnerships that intentionally attempt to combine financial success with social benefit. “Food hubs”, a subset of these innovative enterprises, work to ramp up the availability of local food in wholesale marketing channels by offering affordable aggregation, distribution and marketing services to small and mid-sized producers.
Wholesale Markets and Facility Design: provides targeted site assessment and design services for food market planners, managers and community stakeholders to improve the efficiency of permanent food market facilities.
USDA Farmers Market: The Department’s own “living laboratory” for farmers market operations, the farmers market at USDA headquarters has been running strong for 23 years and counting on a seasonal basis, and currently operates throughout the year in both outdoor and indoor locations. Posted here are schedules of upcoming market days and special programs/events for USDA headquarters along with materials that provide transferable lessons about market management, layout and organizational self-assessment for use by farmers market stakeholders across the country.
AMS Grant Programs: AMS administers five grant programs to help farmers and ranchers market the food they produce, including programs that further farmers markets, specialty crops such as fruit and vegetables, local food marketing, and cost-share programs to help farmers become organic.
View: Grant & Opportunities Fact Sheet (pdf)
View: Supporting Local & Regional Food Systems Fact Sheet (pdf)
Contact Information
Main Office
USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service
Transportation and Marketing Programs
Marketing Services Division
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Room 4509-S, Stop 0269
Washington, DC 20250-0269
Phone: 202.720.8326
Fax: 202.690.0031
Ken Keck, Director
Ken.Keck@ams.usda.gov
202.619.1741
Debra Tropp, Chief/Supervisory Agricultural Marketing Specialist
Debra.Tropp@ams.usda.gov
202.720.8326
Carlos Coleman, Agricultural Marketing Specialist
CarlosP.Coleman@ams.usda.gov
202.350.5707
Ronald Batcher, Architect, Assoc. AIA
Ronald.Batcher@ams.usda.gov
202-690-1309
Greg Grajewski, Industrial Engineer
Greg.Grajewski@ams.usda.gov
202.720.8563
Jeff O'Hara, Agricultural Marketing Specialist
JeffreyK.OHara@ams.usda.gov
202.756.2575
Edward Ragland, Economist
Edward.Ragland@ams.usda.gov
202.690.1327
Samantha Schaffstall, Management and Program Analyst
Samantha.Schaffstall@ams.usda.gov
202.720.8426
Americo J. Vega-Labiosa, Agricultural Marketing Specialist
AmericoJ.Vega-Labiosa@ams.usda.gov
202.756.2578
La Tasha Thomas, Program Assistant
202-720-8317
LaTasha.Thomas@ams.usda.gov