Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2024 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has a cooperative agreement with Wyoming under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, USDA and Wyoming are working together to offer over $1.8 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain. Wyoming is accepting applications for this Infrastructure Grant funding through Nov. 22, 2024.
In May 2023, USDA announced the availability of up to $420 million through RFSI to strengthen local and regional food systems. 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. RFSI is authorized by the American Rescue Plan. Updates for each state’s Request for Applications for the RFSI program are available on the AMS website.
“This partnership between USDA and Wyoming is allowing critical funding to reach areas of the supply chain that need it most,” said USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The projects funded through this program will create new opportunities for the region’s small and midsize producers to thrive, expand access to nutritious food options, and increase supply chain resiliency.”
Using RFSI funding, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture will fund projects that increase dry and cold storage, develop processing capacity, and improve on-farm infrastructure to resolve middle of the supply chain challenges. The state’s priorities are informed by stakeholder engagement and outreach to underserved producers to better understand their needs.
“We are excited to move forward with the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program in Wyoming to support infrastructure in the middle-of-the-supply-chain in our state,” said Doug Miyamoto, Director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture. “Through these competitive subawards, we hope to strengthen the food supply-chain in Wyoming through increased storage capacity, enhanced delivery and distribution opportunities, and more processing options with new markets for Wyoming grown products.”
Those interested in receiving a subaward should apply directly through the Wyoming Department of Agriculture by Nov. 22, 2024. AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities.
For more information, visit the AMS Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure webpage.
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