The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced a cooperative agreement with Washington under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) to award over $7.3 million in competitive grant funding. 

Using RFSI funding, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) will fund projects that expand capacity for processing, aggregation, and distribution of agricultural products to create more and better markets for producers.

“This partnership between USDA and Washington 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.”

Through the program and in addition to the Infrastructure Grant funding, WSDA will support supply chain coordination and technical assistance to farmers and food businesses operating in processing, aggregation, and distribution.

Last year, 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, food system and distribution activities, or commerce activities in states or U.S. territories.

Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture, Derek Sandison, underscored the significance of this partnership. “These federally-funded infrastructure grants provide a unique opportunity to complement the work that our agency has already committed to support the local food supply chain for farms, ranches, food processors and food distributors,” he said.

Those interested in receiving a subaward should apply directly through WSDA by July 15, 2024. AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities.