(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, DC Health announced a major step forward in building healthy and resilient communities across the District. The agency awarded a total of $250,000 to six organizations working to expand and strengthen local farmers’ markets, farm stands, and mobile markets in the District. As part of the agency’s inaugural Farmers and Retail Market Support (FARMS) Grant, these organizations are receiving up to $50,000 to increase access to affordable, fresh, high-quality foods among communities facing greater barriers to healthy food access.

The FARMS Grant was established under the Farmers Market Support Amendment Act of 2025, which also centralized farmers market support within DC Health’s Community Health Administration. DC Health has made farmers’ markets more accessible and sustainable by streamlining market licensing, supporting outreach, and offering technical assistance.

This work helps support DC Health’s long-term goals to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and reduce obesity by supporting community-based access points. Farm retail outlets serve as essential components of the District’s food system as nearly all farm retail outlets in DC accept federal nutrition assistance benefits, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (WIC FMNP), and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (Senior FMNP), as well as local programs such as Produce Plus and associated matching programs that enable residents to maximize their food budgets.

“Every resident deserves access to fresh, healthy food close to home,” said Dr. Ayanna Bennett, Director at DC Health. “When we invest in farmers’ markets, we’re giving families a real choice in how they nourish themselves, supporting a farmer earning a living, and strengthening the bonds that hold the community together. This grant invests in all of those levels at once.”

Six organizations received funding through the FARMS Grant Program to build capacity and increase community awareness of healthy food options available at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and mobile markets, primarily in Wards 7 and 8:

• Arcadia: operating weekly mobile markets in Wards 2, 7, and 8
• Connected to Culture: establishing a new farmers’ market in Ward 8
• Dreaming Out Loud: expanding weekly farmers’ markets in Wards 7 and 8
• FRESHFARM Markets: running six weekly farm stands with added outreach and programming
• Victual Solutions: launching a farmers’ market in Ward 7 with vendor and farmer support
• Ward 8 Farmers’ Market: operating a weekly market in St. Elizabeth’s with community partnerships

For more information about DC Health’s federal and local nutrition programs, visit dchealth.dc.gov/nutrition.