Governor Spanberger Announces More Than $4.9 Million in Grant Awards, Investments in Virginia’s Food Systems

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced the award of 12 Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grants - totaling more than $4.9 million - for Virginia farms, businesses, agricultural cooperatives, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations.

These awards help build resilience across the middle of the Commonwealth's food supply chain by strengthening local and regional food systems. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service provided the grant funding through a cooperative agreement with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which will administer the grants in the Commonwealth.

"Agriculture is Virginia's number one private industry and a foundational pillar of our Commonwealth's economy. Supporting economic development opportunities in the industry means supporting Virginia's farmers, processors, retailers - and helping Virginians put food on their tables," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "Expanding market opportunities and revenue streams for our small and mid-sized producers helps to create new jobs, put food on Virginians' tables, and build a stronger future for Virginia agriculture."

"I thank the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service for their partnership in the RFSI program and investment in Virginia agriculture. This funding helps reduce dependence on the external food supply chain as we strengthen the Commonwealth's local and regional infrastructure," said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier. "These grant awards will help improve food access, grow and fortify business for farmers, and encourage new investment in urban and rural areas."

The USDA defines the middle of the food supply chain as activities occurring after the production of the agricultural product, but before the product is sold to consumers. RFSI funding supports expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally produced food products. Eligible products include specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, aquaculture, and other food products, excluding meat and poultry.

Below is additional information about the projects receiving RFSI funding:

Capital Area Food Bank

Lorton, Virginia

Equipment Only - $100,000

Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) will purchase two deep-reach truck forklifts for its distribution center and warehouse in Lorton. By enhancing efficiency and operational capacity, the new equipment will help CAFB receive, aggregate, sort, and pack locally grown food for distribution to low-income seniors and families in need. The purchase will allow CAFB to expand its purchases of food, particularly fresh produce, from an additional 10 Virginia farms.

Deep Roots Milling

Roseland, Virginia

Equipment Only - $99,616

Deep Roots Milling will enhance the production capacities at its two primary facilities by updating conveyance and flour sifting systems to increase operational capacity and ensure a safer workplace. Deep Roots Milling anticipates being able to better meet the growing market demand for regionally produced flour and to support 25 small regional grain growers as a result.

Jon Henry General Store

New Market, Virginia

Equipment Only - $68,644

Jon Henry General Store (JHGS) will expand delivery services with a new van to transport local produce from small farms to wholesale partners. As an aggregator of fresh produce from more than 100 small farmers throughout the Shenandoah Valley, the JHGS van enables easier pickup and delivery from small farms to new markets, such as local restaurants, food trucks, and schools.

Southside Virginia Fruit and Vegetable Producers Association

Charlotte Courthouse, Virginia

Equipment Only - $74,539

The Southside Virginia Fruit and Vegetable Producers Association (SVFVPA) will purchase a new cold storage unit, ice machine, and forklift. This equipment will support the association's transition to a larger facility that can accommodate more fresh produce. The increased processing and aggregation capabilities will increase revenue for at least 27 producer members in a nine-county region and will help SVFVPA expand its market channels to at least seven new wholesale accounts.

4P Foods Inc.

Warrenton, Virginia

Infrastructure - $198,687

4P Foods, Inc. is increasing cold storage space at its warehouse in Vint Hill, Va., with the installation of an additional cooler. This will enable the local food hub to increase refrigerated storage capacity by 40 percent, reduce fresh produce spoilage and waste, and expand market opportunities through new wholesale and institutional market channels. The new cold storage space will double 4P Foods local purchasing, which will benefit at least 75 Virginia specialty crop producers.

Appalachian Sustainable Development

Duffield, Virginia

Infrastructure - $690,000

Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD) will establish an agreement with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to build a satellite food hub on their new 17-acre agriculture campus in Southwest Virginia. The hub will serve as an aggregation and distribution warehouse to support local specialty crop farmers in reaching new markets, such as small grocery store chains, food pantries, and institutions across Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. At least 50 Central Appalachian producers will benefit from increased revenue, and several rural communities will benefit from better access to produce.

Browntown Farms

Brunswick County, Virginia

Infrastructure - $253,312

Browntown Farms will upgrade its cold storage and warehouse infrastructure. At least 10 local specialty crop growers will benefit from this convenient location to wash, pack, and store their fruits and vegetables. Browntown Farms will be better positioned to collaborate with other local food hubs, and connect local producers to more buyers, such as schools, corporate cafeterias, hospitals, independent food distributers, and small grocery stores.

Central Virginia Poultry Cooperative Inc.

Burkesville, Virginia

Infrastructure - $538,083

Central Virginia Poultry Cooperative, Inc. (CVPC) will use funding to support its aggregation, storage, and distribution of cage-free, free-range and pasture-raised eggs. To better meet demands from large contract buyers and wholesale channels, CVPC will purchase 2,925 egg flat shuttles to efficiently store and transport 10,800 eggs per shuttle to locations in Elkhard County and nearby cash markets. This will enable at least 12 CVPC farm members to fully transition from broiler to egg production, which will increase their flock from 80,000 hens to an estimated 2 million hens. This transition will generate approximately $37 million in annual egg sales.

Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative

Newport News, Virginia

Infrastructure - $731,607

Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association (MDVA) will modernize and expand dairy processing and distribution capabilities of locally sourced milk from Virginia's dairy farmers. MDVA will purchase and install five refrigerated trailers and upgrade two aging unrefrigerated milk silos with larger-capacity silos that are equipped with advanced refrigeration technology and insulated lines. The project will increase Maola Newport News' economic viability as a local processor and benefit over 400 dairy farmers in Virginia and surrounding states.

New Hill Development Corporation

Charlottesville, Virginia

Infrastructure - $962,958

New Hill Development Corporation will construct a shared-use commercial kitchen in Charlottesville. The 11,300-square-foot facility will serve producers in the surrounding region with equipment and space to process locally grown produce into new value-added products. The company plans to create 65 new jobs, benefit 125 producers and 70 food businesses, and establish five new market outlets, to include institutional food service operators.

George Washington Carver Agriculture Research Center

Rapidan, Virginia

Infrastructure - $1,205,965

George Washington Carver Agriculture Research Center will expand processing and cold storage capacity at the Carver Food Enterprise Center (CFEC). By renovating and purchasing specialized equipment, the CFEC's 6,883-square-foot multi-use food business incubator and community commercial kitchen will be better equipped to serve Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock counties. The CFEC will provide value-added processing and market access to a minimum of 60 local and regional agricultural producers, develop at least 20 new local and regional value-added products, reduce food waste, and create jobs.

Riverstone Produce LLC.

Floyd, Virginia

Infrastructure - $72,722

Riverstone Organic Farm will upgrade their existing facilities and equipment to expand capacity for washing, packaging, and storage, to deliver their products and that of other producers to customers. Riverstone provides specialty produce to retailers, aggregators, and value-added producers in a region where access to local produce by middle-of-the-supply chain stakeholders is challenging.

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