Governor Spanberger Announces Planning Grant to Support Piedmont Food, Beverage, & Agritourism

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger today awarded a Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund Planning Grant to support marketing for locally-grown food and beverage businesses across the five counties of the Northern Piedmont region. The $34,949 grant will help the Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission (RRRC) and its partners to revise and reinvigorate promotion of the region through the Purely Piedmont and 'Tween Rivers Trail programs.

"Every region of our Commonwealth offers unique benefits to residents and visitors alike," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "I am pleased to support the Northern Piedmont in leveraging and promoting local food, beverages, and agritourism to help Virginia businesses expand their market reach and connect consumers with everything the area has to offer."

Purely Piedmont launched in 2017 to provide free marketing to local food and beverage businesses in Rappahannock, Fauquier, Culpeper, Orange, and Madison counties. In 2023, the 'Tween Rivers Trail agritourism marketing brand was merged into Purely Piedmont, creating a comprehensive brand for food and beverage producers, artisans, and agritourism businesses in the area. RRRC will use the AFID Planning Grant to work with its regional food policy council and regional tourism committee to survey Purely Piedmont members, update the website, and revise its planned marketing campaign to achieve greater impact.

"It can be a challenge for small businesses to reach new audiences, so providing grant funding that will help the agricultural community effectively promote itself is key to growing the Commonwealth's rural economies," said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier. "With highly engaged stakeholders in the Northern Piedmont region and large metro areas nearby, this planning grant will help build momentum for a stronger economic future and a more connected local food system."

RRRC is providing a cash match of $17,475 and an in-kind match of $17,474, totaling $34,949.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services administers the AFID Planning Grant program and accepts applications for the program on a rolling basis. Successful applications demonstrate a clear need, a proposed solution, and strong support from local government and the agriculture and forestry community. The AFID Planning Grant program requires a one-to-one match, however, allowances for a reduced match are available for economically distressed localities. Interested localities should contact the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at (804) 786-6911 for more information.

# # #