More than $2 million in grants have been awarded to 27 agricultural businesses in Kentucky, as announced by Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell. The funding aims to enhance the resilience of the state’s food supply chain and bolster local and regional food systems.
Commissioner Shell emphasized the importance of these initiatives, stating, “Creating greater protection for our food supply chains provides an increased level of confidence in the food and products we grow and sale in Kentucky.” He added that these steps are part of efforts to improve lives for Kentuckians and beyond.
The grants are part of a larger $8.6 million allocation given to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program. This initiative is funded by the American Rescue Plan and is designed to build resilience within the middle segment of the food supply chain. It also aims to provide better market opportunities for small farms and food businesses while supporting fair wages and job creation.
The USDA has allocated a total of $420 million nationwide under this program. Eligible projects include those expanding capacity for various aspects such as processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of certain food products.
In Kentucky, a five-member panel reviewed 138 applications requesting over $32 million for infrastructure projects and more than $7 million for equipment-only projects. The recent grants awarded were all equipment-only grants with recipients eligible for cost-share support ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
Some notable recipients include Wise Bird Cider Co., Circle G. Farms, Haney’s Appledale Farm LLC, Cecil Farm Produce LLC, Maple Crest Farm, Lowe’s Produce, Tardigrade Alliance, Legacy Dairy LLC, Mulberry Orchard LLC, CANE Inc., My Harrodsburg Honey, Elmwood Stock Farms, Cornett Enterprises LLC, Obenchain Farms, Allen Farms Produce, Local’s Food Hub among others.
These businesses received funds for various equipment like refrigeration units, pasteurization systems, grain cleaning equipment among others to aid their operations.
For more details on this initiative: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/09/07/usda-invests-420-million-strengthen-food-supply-chain-resilience
Information from this article can be found here.
