Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper announced the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) has a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Grant Program. This initiative aims to strengthen Georgia’s food supply chain by providing funding for projects that enhance infrastructure and resilience. The GDA will accept applications for this grant opportunity until March 29, 2024, at 5 PM.

“The collaboration between the Georgia Department of Agriculture and USDA signifies a strong partnership that will support Georgia’s small farms and food businesses through the RFSI grant,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper. “Our funding priorities are centered on strengthening the food supply chain, with a particular emphasis on enhancing market opportunities for small farms and food businesses and increasing value-added opportunities. We firmly believe that these funds will help our state establish a more resilient food supply chain for all Georgians.”

The RFSI program, established under the American Rescue Plan, allocates $420 million to strengthen local and regional food systems nationwide. It focuses on enhancing market access for small farms and food businesses, promoting fair prices and wages, and fostering economic growth through job creation.

“This partnership between USDA and Georgia 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.”

The grants offered through the RFSI program will support a variety of initiatives aimed at improving the capacity and infrastructure involved in processing, storing, and distributing locally and regionally produced food. Priority will be given to projects involving dairy, grains, fruits, vegetables, dry beans, and aquaculture, as well as those submitted by farmer- and worker-owned enterprises and cooperatives.

Who is eligible for grant consideration?

• Agricultural producers or processors, or groups of agricultural producers and processors (including cooperatives or associations) 

• Small for-profit businesses 

• Nonprofit organizations 

• Local and tribal government entities 

• Institutions such as schools, universities, or hospitals  

Additional consideration will be given to eligible applicants who are historically underserved farmers and ranchers, small and underserved business owners, and other businesses that qualify under the U.S. Small Business Administration categories of small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, and veteran-owned small businesses.

Who is not eligible for grant consideration?

• Products including meat, poultry, wild-caught seafood, dietary supplements, tobacco, and food for animal consumption do not qualify for this program. 

• Businesses may have the above-listed product lines, but grant funds cannot be used to benefit these products. 

For complete program details and application guidelines, visit the GDA’s website at www.georgiarfsi.com.