Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2024 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has partnered with Kansas to award $5.6 million for 49 projects through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain and strengthen local and regional food systems.
“Projects funded through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program are building strength and resilience in Kansas’ food system, diversifying agricultural markets, creating new revenue streams for small and mid-sized producers, and providing economic opportunities for local communities,” said USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt. “USDA is grateful for Kansas’ support strengthening local and regional agricultural supply chains.”
Through this program, the Kansas Department of Agriculture will fund 49 projects, including 8 Infrastructure Grants and 41 Equipment Grants to support middle of the supply chain infrastructure.
Examples of Funded Projects:
- The Kitchen Collective + Collaborative in Fort Scott, Kan., will establish a shared food incubator space for rural producers that will feature four, fully licensed commercial kitchens. The facility will offer commercial-grade equipment and cold storage space for producers for post-harvest processing and storage, packaging, cooking, baking, freeze-drying, and juicing. This infrastructure will allow producers to scale their operations, create value-added products, and increase production capacity while meeting regulatory requirements for food processing and safety.
- Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kan., will convert existing warehouse space into the Heartland Food Hub, a multi-purpose space that will include walk-in cold storage, a temperature-controlled general warehousing space, and a commercial kitchen. The food hub will drastically increase central Kansas’ access to fresh fruit, vegetables, and specialty grains through the development of a local food distribution system along the I-135 corridor.
- Nu Life Market in Scott City, Kan., will increase their sorghum grain milling and flour sifting capacity and reduce production lead times through the purchase of additional sorghum grain milling and sorghum flour sifting equipment. The new equipment will provide Nu life Market with the opportunity to add three milled sorghum flour products to their offerings to potential customers and will provide additional markets for value added sorghum grain grown and harvested by local and regional underserved, beginning, Veteran, and established farmers.
"These grants will help Kansas food and farm businesses and other eligible organizations create diverse local and regional market options and more economic opportunities for our Kansas communities," said Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam. "With this financial support, we will see improvements across the middle of our state's food supply chain including increased food processing infrastructure, aggregation points for producers, and product storage. KDA is proud of the work being done by these businesses and is pleased to expand that work through these grant awards.”
This awarded funding is part of the $420 million available through Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure grant program to build capacity within the middle of the supply chain and support local and regional producers funded by the President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Through this program, AMS has entered into cooperative agreements with state agencies, commissions, or departments responsible for agriculture, commercial food processing, seafood, or food system and distribution activities or commerce activities in states or U.S. territories.
For more information and to view a complete list of awarded projects, visit the AMS Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure webpage. The status of each state and territory’s RFSI program is available on the program’s State Grant Webpage.
AMS administers programs that create domestic and international marketing opportunities for U.S. producers of food, fiber, and specialty crops. AMS also provides the agriculture industry with valuable services to ensure the quality and availability of wholesome food for consumers across the country and globally. AMS services and its significant grant investments create opportunities by supporting American farmers, ranchers and businesses across the supply chain, and drive economic development in small towns and rural communities.
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USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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