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Congresswoman Angie Craig Announces Funding For Hmong American Farmers Association

February 12, 2020

Minnesota’s Hmong American Farmers Association to receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture

U.S. Rep. Angie Craig announced that the Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) will receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

"I am so honored to announce that Minnesota's Hmong American Farmers Association will receive support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture," said Rep. Angie Craig. "The work HAFA does to bring healthy food to our community is critically important, and I am so pleased to see that they will have additional funds to make sure their farms will continue to flourish. I had the pleasure of visiting HAFA farms in my district and was truly impressed by their mission to provide equity in our food system for farmers and communities of color. I look forward to USDA's quick release of these funds following the move of NIFA, which I strongly opposed."

"We are thrilled to learn this news. Hmong farmers have been integral to food access and this opportunity allows us to work with our partner institutions to bring the food safety training to them. We've been very happy working with our local elected officials and for Angie's support of HAFA farms and the farmers in her district," said Janssen Hang, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Hmong American Farmers Association.

This round of NIFA grants aims to address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. NIFA's Food Safety Outreach Program (FSOP) facilitates the integration of Food Safety Modernization Act food safety guidelines into a variety of agricultural production and processing systems.

Rep. Craig is a member of the House Agriculture Committee where she fights tirelessly to support family farmers across Minnesota's Second Congressional District.