New funding and support are available to help Maine farms strengthen their businesses and expand markets. MFT is here to help you take advantage of it.
USDA’s Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) grants provide incentive payments to producers for practices and business development activities that enhance their markets. Two AMP funding opportunities are open to Maine farmers:
Wolfe’s Neck Center’s Northeast Farmers Fund will offer funding for equipment and market development activities and will be open for applications October 1-14. Wolfe’s Neck is encouraging farmers to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be received on a rolling basis.
Pasa Sustainable Agriculture’s AMP grant will fund eligible business and market development activities for farms in Maine. The application is open and rolling.
We're here to help you think through the best strategy for utilizing this funding to meet your needs and take advantage of the significant money available. Click below to set up a meeting with one of our staff:
Meet with Catherine Durkin | Meet with Hanne Tierney | Meet with Ellen Sabina
Wolfe’s Neck Center’s Northeast Farmers Fund (NEFF) will distribute up to $50,000 per farm to produce and market regenerative agricultural products. Applications will be open October 1-14, 2026. Review the funding guidelines and application, and scroll below to fill out the interest form to get notified when applications open.
- Farms that operate in the Northeast region (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, NY, CT)
- Small to mid-sized farms (Between $50,000 and $2,000,000 annual gross farm income)
- Are working to improve soil health, pasture management, and/or conservation
- Are actively implementing conservation practices (ex. NRCS Practices, Organic Systems Plan, etc.)
- Are interested in, actively pursuing, or currently maintain sustainability-focused production systems certification, such as organic certification
- Are interested in expanding market access for regenerative farm products and/or value-added products
- Farms must have a Farm Service Agency Farm Number
Funding can support projects related to expanded regenerative production and market opportunities, including:
- Equipment, infrastructure and tools to expand scale and diversity of products
- Certification and verification
- Post-harvest handling and value-added processing
- Marketing, branding, packaging and distribution improvements that help farms access new or higher-value markets.
- Projects already receiving federal funding are not eligible
- Activities with NRCS Conservation Practice Standards (wells, ponds, irrigation/field drainage work, fencing projects, high tunnels for season extension, etc.) are not eligible
- Activities requiring NRCS environmental evaluation are not eligible
- Activities requiring any kind of permitting to commence are not eligible
- Funds may not be used to cover farmer or farm crew labor
- After signing the contract, you will receive 50% of the total costs upfront, with the remaining 50% issued after completion.
- Projects must be completed by November 30, 2027
Applications will be open October 1-14, 2026. Fill out the interest form to get notified when applications open.
Important Note: If you plan to enroll in two AMP-funded projects with two different organizations (ex. WNC and Pasa), you must communicate openly with both programs about your dual enrollment. Farmers MUST also ensure that both programs are not reporting the same field and commodity for both projects. Failure to do so could result in USDA asking a farmer to return the funds that they have received. Organizations cannot communicate with each other to avoid duplication; the farmer must provide all of the relevant information. If a farm only has one FSA Field ID and/or one commodity, and is already enrolled in another AMP program, they cannot enroll in WNC’s NEFF program.
Want help with your proposal?
We’re available to help you strategize and outline your ideas.
Meet with Catherine Durkin | Meet with Hanne Tierney | Meet with Ellen Sabina
Pasa will administer and distribute AMP funding of up to $15,000 per farm that can be used for business and marketing development activities. This is a very broad category that can include actual marketing expenses and activities that increase yield, protect crops, expand production, increase market channels, and more. You can also apply for funding to reimburse continuing education, like conferences.
- All farmers who possess a Farm Service Agency number and are actively raising crops or livestock on registered fields are eligible to apply.
- Pasa staff are available to assist farmers in obtaining an FSA number if needed.
Funding can support a wide array of projects, supplies, and activities that strengthen businesses, increase yield, protect crops, expand production, increase market channels, and more, such as:
- Business Development and Planning
- Brand Building and Marketing
- Market and Event Material
- Food Safety, Certifications, and Planning
- Wash/Pack Station and Post-Harvest Handling
- Cooling, Storage, and Logistics
- Product Protection Supplies
- You’ll need to demonstrate that the expense is expanding market access for a specific commodity grown in a registered FSA field
- No one item can be more than $10,000 including taxes/fees.
- Can include labor to install. Current labor payment rates are $50/hr for farm owners and $25/hr for farm staff. The funds can cover professional consultants, tradespeople, equipment rental if needed to install/complete.
- Generally, after signing the contract, you will receive 80% of the total costs upfront, with the remaining 20% issued after verification.
- Projects must be completed by January 2028.
Applications are open and rolling. It takes 20-30 minutes to complete the intake form.
Important Note: If you plan to enroll in two AMP-funded projects with two different organizations (ex. WNC and Pasa), you must communicate openly with both programs about your dual enrollment. Farmers MUST also ensure that both programs are not reporting the same field and commodity for both projects. Failure to do so could result in USDA asking a farmer to return the funds that they have received. Organizations cannot communicate with each other to avoid duplication; the farmer must provide all of the relevant information. If a farm only has one FSA Field ID and/or one commodity, and is already enrolled in another AMP program, they cannot enroll in WNC’s NEFF program.
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