The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has a cooperative agreement with Nevada under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, USDA and the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) are working together to offer over $2.2 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain. Nevada is accepting applications for this Infrastructure Grant funding through March 29, 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 Nevada 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 NDA will fund projects that strengthen the state's local and regional food systems through expanding the capacity for processing, aggregation, and distribution of agricultural products. Funded projects will also include infrastructure improvements on farms and within aggregation centers, as well as construction of new facilities or updating of existing facilities. The state's priorities are informed by stakeholder engagement, surveying, and outreach to underserved producers to better understand their needs.
"Nevada is no stranger to the challenges of the food supply chain," said NDA Director J.J. Goicoechea. "This funding is a positive step forward to improving food systems to bring more local food to Nevadans and beyond."
Those interested in receiving a subaward should apply directly through the NDA by March 29, 2024. AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities.
Source: ams.usda.gov