Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program Grants to Fund 24 Iowa Projects

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is investing more than $5.2 million in 24 Iowa projects and other supply chain improvement initiatives through USDA’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant program. The Department offered applications for two types of grants, including a larger infrastructure grant and a smaller equipment grant, both of which require cost-share contributions by the applicant. The Department received 60 eligible applications, and the competitive grant process aimed to support projects that strengthen the middle of the supply chain through processing, aggregation and distribution while also expanding market access for farms and small businesses. Many of the 24 selected projects will expand wholesale markets that serve schools and early care facilities as well as other institutional buyers like hospitals and colleges. The projects will also help farms and small businesses gain access to grocers and support other intermediary markets such as food hubs, post-harvest processing facilities or other distribution networks. Descriptions of the projects selected for funding are available online.