The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service announced it has partnered with the Wisconsin DATCP to award $3.1 million for 41 projects. This is through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) to strengthen local and regional food systems.
Through this program, DATCP will fund 41 projects with Equipment Grants to support middle of the supply chain infrastructure.
Examples of funded projects
- Heartland Craft Grains, a family-owned farmstead mill and grain processor near Lodi, WI. They will purchase equipment to automate the handling, batching, and dispensing of their finished, value-added processed grains into packaging. These ingredients are then used to add value, as well as flavor and nutrition to other food businesses. These businesses include bakeries, restaurants, tortillerias, pasta makers, brewers and distillers, and more.
- The Sokaogon Chippewa Community in Crandon, WI, will purchase manoomin (wild rice) processing and storage equipment. Doing this will provide opportunities for at least 20 underserved, tribal producers. Manoomin production capacity is currently severely limited by lack of larger-scale, collective processing equipment.
- The Driftless Berry Grower group, under the leadership of Good Thunder Farm in Richland Center, WI, will purchase 12 pieces of equipment. These will be for storage, juicing, freeze drying and distilling elderberries, aronia berries, and currants. This group of 12 small, beginning berry farmers will build middle of the supply chain infrastructure for processing these crops, strengthening rural economies.
- Northeast Wisconsin Hmong Professionals of Appleton, WI, will purchase a delivery vehicle and cold storage equipment. This will be to establish a Hmong Food Hub for distributing cultural and specialty crops. This project will support wholesale readiness, provide cold chain distribution access, and enhance market opportunities for local, underserved producers.
- Stock Family Farm of Helenville, WI, recognizes the shared challenges faced by small-scale farmers in their region. Seeing this they will purchase cold storage and distribution equipment to serve as a hub for locally produced food aggregation. Centralizing transportation infrastructure will enhance the resilience of an estimated 10 individual farms, and strengthen the entire local food system in Southeastern Wisconsin by establishing a more reliable and accessible source of local food for communities falling within classified food desert boundaries.
