By: Jennifer Britt
The Parsons Advocate
Tucker County Development Authority Executive Director, Steve Leyh, presented board members with grant information from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) regional food business center. Leyh said, “Frostburg State University, Md., along with Potomac State College is working on a grant application called the Northern Appalachian Food Business Center. It is the USDA, basically, what they are looking at is a way to build up agriculture by using a hub sort of system with spikes going out and to build up food type of businesses/farming food businesses. It is a massive amount of money that does not require a match, so it is a big regional effort and Frostburg State University is leading it.
It could help with USDA inspection programs, technical expertise, and helping processes for businesses. This is actual money that could go to businesses if it is awarded. They help with inventory market access, cold storage, meat, dairy, incubation, logistics, and it includes a grant for up to $100,000.
It could be very beneficial for our county to participate in this.”
According to the www.ams.usda.gov website, “The USDA Regional Food Business Centers will support a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system. These Regional Food Centers will support producers by providing localized assistance to access local and regional supply chains, including linking producers to wholesalers and distributors. They will provide technical assistance needed to access new markets, access to federal, state, and local resources, and will assist small- and mid-sized producers in overcoming barriers to market access, with a focus on underserved farmers, ranchers, and food businesses. No match is required.
USDA Regional Food Business Centers will have three main responsibilities:
Coordination – The Regional Food Centers will act as regional hubs coordinating across geographic areas with USDA, other federal, state, and tribal agencies with relevant resources, regional commissions, stakeholders, and the other Regional Food Centers. They will engage with stakeholders and partners to develop and implement strategic and funding plans for serving the region through technical assistance and capacity building. They will conduct outreach to underserved communities and businesses.
Technical Assistance – The Regional Food Centers will provide direct business technical assistance to small- and mid-sized food and farm businesses (producers, processors, aggregators, distributors, and other businesses within the food supply chain) and food value and supply chain coordination. Each Regional Food Center will identify priority areas for technical assistance (e.g., aggregation/distribution, specialty crop processing for institutions) for the region it plans to serve.
Capacity Building – The Regional Food Centers will provide financial assistance through business builder subawards up to $100,000 to support projects focused on regional needs and businesses that are working towards expansion and other investment. These subawards may support staff time, business planning activities, software implementation, the purchase of special purpose equipment, such as food safety, processing and packaging equipment, and value chain coordination, and other expenses associated as outlined in the RFA.
This program is to operate a Regional Food Business Center through a cooperative agreement with USDA. The Regional Food Centers will coordinate, offer technical assistance, and provide capacity building grants to businesses in the region. The capacity building grants can be up to $100,000 and we anticipate that the Regional Food Centers will make multiple awards throughout the five-year cooperative agreement. An award to an individual organization can be a maximum of $100,000 over 5 years. The minimum award is $15 million, and the maximum award is $50 million.”
The deadline to apply is December 15, 2022. Leyh has already sent in the paperwork and will keep the board updated as to what the outcome will be. Leyh stated that the authority would help identify potential recipients if the award is funded, coordinate technical services, and serve on an advisory board for three or four meetings a year.
Leyh said, “It is huge. It can be a game changer for the region.”