The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service has a cooperative agreement with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, USDA and Michigan are working together to offer over $8 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain.

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 Michigan 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, MDARD will fund projects supporting expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling and distribution of locally and regionally produced food products including specialty crops, aquaculture and other food products, excluding meat and poultry. Working with stakeholders, MDARD has identified program priorities within Michigan and will prioritize funding projects that address building a more resilient food system across the state.

“The Whitmer-Gilchrist Administration continues to prioritize resiliency in our local and regional food systems that are the foundation for our communities and economic growth,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring. “I appreciate our partners at USDA who continue to invest in Michigan’s food systems and will help us support projects that benefit Michigan’s food and agriculture industry.”

Those interested in receiving a subaward should apply directly through MDARD’s MiAgGrants Grants Management System by June 17, 2024. AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers and underserved communities.

Through the program and in addition to the Infrastructure Grant funding, MDARD will support supply chain coordination and technical assistance to farmers and food businesses operating in processing, aggregation and distribution — all critical activities to support access to more and better markets for farmers.

For more information, visit the AMS Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure web page.

Source: USDA's AMS