The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced it has a cooperative agreement with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, the two entities are working together to offer over $6.7 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain.
The purpose of this program is to improve food supply resilience in the middle of the food chain through increasing distribution, aggregation, storage capacity, market expansion and facility updates/expansions. Following federal guidance, the project performance period will be June 2024 through May 2027. Applicants must demonstrate how this project will improve resilience in the middle of the food chain.
“These grants are critical to ensuring the security of our food supply,†said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Federal partners like USDA-AMS are a wonderful asset to Indiana and to agriculture. I am excited to see Hoosier businesses expand with these grants.â€
The purpose of this program is to improve food supply resilience in the middle of the food chain through increasing distribution, aggregation, storage capacity, market expansion and facility updates/expansions. Following federal guidance, the project performance period will be June 2024 through May 2027. Applicants must demonstrate how this project will improve resilience in the middle of the food chain.
“Our Hoosier farmers, producers, agribusinesses and consumers need a steady food supply chain system. We are grateful that USDA recognized this need in Indiana and across the country and continue to work with us to enhance our middle of the food chain businesses,†said Don Lamb, Indiana State Department of Agriculture director. “These grants will go a long way in ensuring rural vitality and success for our small and mid-sized producers, processors as well as Hoosier consumers.â€
WHO IS ELIGIBLE:
Indiana businesses and producers that work in the middle of the food chain sector, defined as “from the farm gate to the end retail market†or the processing and aggregation/distribution sector of the food chain. Eligible product ideas could include, but are not limited to, creating a produce packing line, value added dairy and egg products, establishing/expanding a co-packing facility or building a commercial kitchen.
