AUGUSTA — Millions of dollars in grant funding to invest in initiatives that create and support local agriculture jobs is now available, according to Congresswoman Chellie Pingree.

"This is money that is going to help the local food economy grow and expand in Maine and around the country," Pingree said, in a news release. "And every dollar that is spent locally is a dollar that support jobs in our communities and gives consumers more access to quality, sustainably grown food."

Grant programs have been opened up through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support a range of activities, from getting more local food in schools to promoting farmers markets. The programs were all contained in Pingree's Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act and were later included in the Farm Bill that was passed by Congress and signed by President Obama.

"The farm economy in Maine is alive and well and growing," Pingree said. "It's grown by almost 25 percent over five years. And just look at the growth of organic farming, which increased by over 50 percent in five years."

In 2007, organic products generated $23.3 million in sales in Maine, the release said. By 2012, that number had increased to $36.4 million.

Community Supported Agriculture arrangements, where consumers pay a fixed price for a share of a farm's output, are more popular in Maine than almost anywhere else in the country, with Maine ranking third in the number of farms participating in CSAs, according to the news release.

Starting this week, applications for federal grants will be accepted for a number of programs, including:

Farmers Market Promotion Program

In addition to helping promote farmers markets, this program will help local producers by supporting projects like community kitchen facilities, where food can be processed, stored and transported. Grants can also be used to help farmers markets obtain the technology to process EBT cards for consumers who use food stamps. More than 5,000 farmers markets now accept EBT cards, and SNAP redemption at farmers markets nationwide rose from $4 million in 2009 to more than $18 million in 2014. Deadline May 14. FMI: ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/scbgp.

Local Food Promotion Program

These grants support projects for direct farmer-to-consumer marketing projects such as farmers markets, community-supported agricultureprograms, roadside stands, and agritourism. Deadline May 14. FMI: ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/AMSgrants.

Farm to School Program

Four different kinds of grants are available: planning grants for schools just getting started on farm to school activities, implementation grants for schools that already have programs in place, support services to help grow existing programs, and training and technical assistance grants to help schools learn about buying local, food safety and culinary education. Deadline May 19. FMI: .fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school-grant-program.

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

This program is administered through state agriculture departments and helps farmers increase the value of fruits and vegetables grown and sold in the state. In the past, these grants have supported maple syrup marketing assistance, research into honeybees and potato pest management. FMI: ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/scbgp.

ingree will speak at a grant-writing workshop on the Farmers Market Promotion Program and Local Food Promotion Program Monday, March 23, in Augusta at Viles Arboretum, 153 Hospital St. RSVP by March 18 required. For more information contact Caragh Fitzgerald at 207-622-7546 or cfitzgerald@maine.edu.

Fitzgerald, an associate professor at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, will also schedule individual consultations with anyone interested in applying to these two grant programs.