The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service will offer a workshop March 30 to help Alaskans apply for federal grants relating to local food production and farmers markets.

Palmer Extension agent Steve Brown will teach the free workshop from 1-5 p.m. in Palmer and by videoconference in Kenai, Homer, Nome and Fairbanks.

The 2014 farm bill authorized $30 million annually for grants to be awarded nationally through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. The program awards competitive grants to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local and regional markets.

According to USDA, farmers market grants will support farmers markets and other producer-to-consumer activities, while the local food promotion grants will support enterprises that aggregate, store, distribute and process local and regional food.

The workshop will be offered at the Kachemak Bay Campus in Homer and Kenai Community Library, in addition to other areas around the state.

March 27 is the registration deadline. For more information or to register, call the Palmer Extension office at 907-745-3360.