USDA Partners with the District of Columbia to Award $1.4 Million to Strengthen Food Supply Chain Infrastructure

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has a cooperative agreement with the District of Columbia under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, USDA and the District of Columbia are working together to offer over $1.4 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain. The District is accepting applications for this Infrastructure Grant funding through Jan. 12, 2025.

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.

Using RFSI funding, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) will fund projects that build resilience within the middle-of-the-food-supply-chain and are targeted at the expansion of aggregation, storage, processing, and manufacturing of food. The District's priorities are informed by stakeholder engagement through one-on-one conversations, listening sessions, and surveys with underserved producers, businesses, financiers, and residents.

"We are excited to expand the District's Nourish DC Fund offerings through this partnership with the USDA which will support businesses and residents in growing our food system resilience," said District of Columbia Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Nina Albert. "These critical investments will ensure that the District continues to increase food access and stands out as the best place to do business in the region."

Those interested in receiving a subaward should apply through Capital Impact Partners who are operating the grant program on behalf of DMPED by Jan. 12, 2025. 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, DMPED 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 webpage.

AMS administers programs that create domestic and international marketing opportunities for U.S. producers of food, fiber, and specialty crops. AMS also provides the agriculture industry with valuable services to ensure the quality and availability of wholesome food for consumers across the country and globally. AMS services and its significant grant investments create opportunities by supporting American farmers, ranchers and businesses across the supply chain, and drive economic development in small towns and rural communities.

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