Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, Jan. 18, 2024 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has a cooperative agreement with Alaska under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, USDA and Alaska are working together to offer over $1.9 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain. Alaska is accepting applications for this Infrastructure Grant funding through March 15, 2024.
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 Alaska 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, the Alaska Division of Agriculture will fund projects that construct new facilities, expand processing capacities, equip facilities with specialized processing, sorting, packaging, and labeling equipment, modernize equipment and facilities, and increase storage space, including cold storage. These projects will not only benefit the subgrantee recipients, farmers, and processors but all Alaskans by building resiliency in the state’s food supply chain and making Alaska less reliant on imports. The state’s priorities are informed by stakeholder engagement and outreach to underserved producers to better understand their needs.
“We would like to thank our partner USDA Agricultural Marketing Service for this grant opportunity as food security is critical in Alaska,” said Alaska Division of Agriculture Director Bryan Scoresby. “These funds will be available to provide our small to mid- size agriculture and food processors with essential infrastructure like increasing processing capacity, purchasing new equipment, expanding current facilities, and improving storage. Alaska needs this infrastructure now more than ever as our agriculture production continues to grow and put more food on Alaskan tables.”
Those interested in receiving a subaward should apply directly through the Alaska Division of Agriculture by March 15, 2024. AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities.
For more information, visit the AMS Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure webpage.
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