The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced awards for 17 Hawaii projects totaling $2.6 million under the Resilient Food System Infrastructure program.
Four of the projects are on the Big Island.
The RFSI program is aimed at strengthening middle-of-the-supply chain operations and local food systems by supporting processing, manufacturing, storing, transportation, wholesaling and distribution of agricultural products.
Through this program, the state Department of Agriculture will fund four infrastructure grants and 13 equipment grants to support middle-of-the-supply-chain infrastructure.
“This RFSI initiative offers Hawaii a unique opportunity to strengthen processing capacity across our island state, while adding value to locally grown products,” Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture, said in a press release. “Through this grant program, agricultural businesses in both rural and urban areas will receive support to scale up their new and existing products, open up market opportunities, create jobs and generate new revenue streams.”
The Hawaii Island companies and organizations receiving funding are:
— Ahualoa Family Farms, $498,141;
— Hawai‘i ‘Ulu Producers Cooperative, $311,899;
— Tea Hawaii &Company, $100,000;
— Kawamata Farms LLC, $100,000.
This awarded funding is part of the $420 million available through the RFSI grant program to build capacity within the middle of the supply chain and support local and regional producers. It is funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.
