Transportation and Marketing 

Local Food Promotion Program 

Fiscal Year 2019 

Description of Funded Projects 

Number of Grants Awarded: 42 

Amount of Funds Awarded: $11,749,400.13 

For more information, please visit the grant program's website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/lfpp 

NOTE: The below project descriptions were provided by the grant recipients. 

Alabama 

Recipient: Auburn University Award Amount: $99,625.00 

Auburn, AL Match Amount: $31,032.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $130,657.00 

Improving Food Hub Viability in Alabama 

Local food sales, including direct-to-consumer and intermediated sales, grossed $8.7 billion in 2015 and have shown 

continuous growth over the last couple decades. Although nationally Food Hubs have a high success rate, currently, there is 

only one Food Hub listed on the USDA Local Food Compass Map in Alabama. Alabama Food Hubs report that their struggles 

are centered around failing to properly financially plan and lacking knowledge of the food industry. This project directly 

addresses this problem by educating Food Hub entrepreneurs on the means to achieve financial viability and plan for the 

incorporation of social programs in a financially sustainable model. A face-to-face and online curriculum will be developed 

using the 2016 USDA Rural Development series, Running a Food Hub, as a guide to support entrepreneurs with the business 

strategies needed to run a financially viable food hub. The program will result in Food Hub entrepreneurs being better 

financially prepared to begin or expand their businesses and will serve to create a horizontal system of coordination among 

Food Hubs in Alabama. The program will be piloted, rolled out, evaluated, and made available for immediate implementation 

in other regions. 
Arizona 

Recipient: Barrio Grains, LLC Award Amount: $99,741.37 

Tucson, AZ Match Amount: $33,344.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $133,085.37 

Southern Arizona Local Wheat and Wheat Flour Promotion Program 

Rural communities in Southern Arizona have persistently high rates of poverty especially on Native American Reservations. 

Historically, local wheat growers have very limited ways to direct market their products. This feasibility study will explore the 

possibility of establishing a community-based local grain enterprise to engage numerous local producers to: 1) increase 

domestic access and consumption of local grains and related value-added products; 2) develop new market opportunities for 

local grains; 3) improve the economic viability of small producers and food business owners; 4) ensure food safety; and 5) 

stimulate the rural economy. We will retain professional consultants and develop an implementation plan for the 

establishment of a community-based local grain enterprise, which will aggregate, market, and distribute locally grown/ 

processed wheat and wheat flour in Southern Arizona. We will also provide outreach, training, consulting, and technical 

assistance to local producers and food business owners in the region. It is anticipated that the grain enterprise will aggregate 

and distribute a minimum of 70,000lbs of local flour/year in the beginning years. We expect it will create 4-5 new careers and 

retain 8-10 new or existing jobs. We will assist 10-20 local food entities through collaborative marketing, and provide 

education to 80-100 groups/individuals in rural or LI/LA communities through outreach and education. 

California 

Recipient: Community Alliance with Family Farmers Award Amount: $288,605.00 

Davis, CA Match Amount: $72,281.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $360,886.00 

Value Chain Connections: A Regional Response to Farm to Institution Demand 

Data and experience show that California’s institutions are an economic force with increasing demand for local products. 

However, farmers, food hubs and institutional buyers have limited capacity to address technical challenges throughout the 

value chain, slowing the expansion of farm to institution sales. These challenges must be addressed in order to continue to 

grow local purchasing among Institutions. This project will build farmer capacity, increase market access and supply, build 

food hub viability via training, purchasing planning, new sales, and food safety support and support more institutions to 

purchase local foods through technical assistance and brokered connections. Additionally, we will share procurement best 

practices and develop resources from concerted work with three regional food hubs via the California Food Hub Network 

(CFHN) to promote replication. We will increase regional food economy participation by connecting local growers with 

regional food hubs that sell directly to institutions. This work will result in more local food for school children and university 

students, in 3 regions of California: Sacramento area, Fresno Area, and Mendocino/Lake Counties. Success will be measured 

via sales tracking metrics at both the institution and hub levels, resource utilization, and through the tracking of farmer, hub, 

and school participants. 
Recipient: Five Marys Farms, LLC Award Amount: $500,000.00 

Fort Jones, CA Match Amount: $172,491.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $672,491.00 

Establishing a Local Meat Storage and Processing Food Business to Meet the Needs of Rural Northern California Producers 

Rural Northern California meat producers are currently unable to meet market demands for their value-added meat, due to 

constraints in the local food system relating to the storage, processing, packaging, and marketing of meat. Five Mary's Farms, 

LLC, a beginning farmer-owned agricultural business, seeks to remedy this critical need for these producers – often small, 

limited resource farmers and ranchers – by serving as an intermediary business and establishing a regional cold storage and 

USDA-inspected slaughter, cut, and wrap facility. The purpose of this project is to better support the processing, distribution, 

and storage of locally and regionally produced meat; to encourage the development of value-added products by local and 

regional meat producers; and to develop new marketing strategies for producers of local and regional meat products. This 

project’s goal is to expand an existing food business that supports local and regionally produced food, with expected 

outcomes of providing critical access to meat storage and processing services to an additional 60 producers in the rural 

Northeast California region. This would contribute to increasing customers of local and regional agricultural products by 

6.25% and increasing sales revenue by 100%, directly benefiting local and regional meat producers served by this project. 

This project would immediately create six new jobs in a low income and low access area. 

Recipient: Trust for Conservation Innovation (DBA Multiplier) Award Amount: $99,579.09 

Oakland, CA Match Amount: $26,271.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $125,850.09 

Strengthening the Bay Area Foodshed from Farms to Institutions via Food Hubs: A Kitchen Table Advisors Planning Project. 

This planning project will conduct a needs assessment and create a business development plan to guide Kitchen Table 

Advisors’ (KTA) work as a value-chain coordinator to connect local small and mid-scale farms and ranches with institutional 

buyers through local food hubs. This will help to effectively market and sell their agricultural products and increase consumer 

access to locally-produced food. Through research and stakeholder interviews, this project will study the needs of local 

producers, local market opportunities, and barriers to entry in three key institutional channels including corporate cafeterias, 

health care, and education. The project will develop a business development plan to guide Kitchen Table Advisors to become 

an effective value-chain coordinator between institutions, food hubs, and small and mid-scale local food producers; an 

external-facing summary of the study’s findings that will be suitable for wide distribution; and a visual map of the San 

Francisco Bay Area and surrounding region’s institutional market-access ecosystem. The external summary report and visual 

map will be widely shared so other organizations, institutions, food hubs, and small and mid-scale producers can benefit from 

KTA’s findings and adapt recommended strategies for increasing local food access in their communities.

Recipient: White Buffalo Land Trust Award Amount: $495,126.00 

Santa Barbara, CA Match Amount: $201,826.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $696,952.00 

Food Producers 

Our organization has identified the immediate need to provide opportunities for farm products to be preserved and valueadded in our community. We have witnessed multiple environmental disasters over the past decade including wildfires, 

debris flows (mudslides), and extreme heat and wind events. In these instances, the resilience of our regional food system 

has been tested as crops are damaged, distribution routes are blocked, and market access is drastically altered. The purpose 

of this project is to expand our capacity to aggregate and process farm products in order to create unique vinegars, dried 

meats, and distilled spirits that represent diverse agricultural systems and tell a story of our region. This project will grow the 

current product development line of wild fermented vinegars through our branding, marketing, and promotional efforts, 

while also expanding our agricultural production of climate appropriate crops to support product innovation and 

development. We will work with regional producers to aggregate and preserve farm products that may be unfamiliar or 

under-valued in the fresh and frozen food marketplace, or reliant upon cold-chain storage. 
Colorado 

Recipient: Bytable, Inc. Award Amount: $437,951.00 

Colorado Springs, CO Match Amount: $637,233.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $1,075,184.00 

Scaling Regional Infrastructure for Direct to Consumer Online Sales for Regenerative and Sustainable Food Producers

American independent meat producers are disappearing despite growing demand for ethically produced, sustainable meat. 

According to Open Markets Institute, approximately 17,000 cattle ranchers have failed yearly since 1980, 70% of hog farmers 

have vanished since the mid-1990s, and 71% of poultry producers live in poverty - with dire consequences for rural 

communities, environmental health, and consumer access to healthy, sustainable local and regional food. A University of 

Michigan study determined three major barriers to scaling operations for independent meat producers: limited access to 

slaughter services, HAACP rules limiting processing access, and limited or uncertain access to direct-to-consumer markets. 

This project will 1) Refine a scalable infrastructure model for online sales for regional and local food businesses 2) Adapt 

infrastructure model to a second region 3) Provide a targeted variety of services to food producers and niche meat 

processors 4) Publish consumer resources to promote understanding and accessibility for regional and local food systems 5) 

Provide consumers with easy and affordable access to well-produced regional and local food products. 

District of Columbia 

Recipient: CentroNia, Inc. Award Amount: $340,216.75 

Washington, DC Match Amount: $90,331.56 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $430,548.31 

Expansion of a Local Food Processing and Distribution Business Serving Early Childhood Education Centers in the District of 

Columbia 

CentroNía seeks to increase the consumption of local produce by offering affordable catering services to early childhood 

education (ECE) centers in the District of Columbia. Local producers will have a steady stream of income, and ECE centers an 

affordable, reliable supply and the opportunity to claim additional reimbursement through the Healthy Tots Act (HTA) for 

meals with a local component. CentroNía proposes to establish an additional service route to serve an initial target of 200 

additional children at 1-3 ECE centers and most importantly to extend our network into the District’s southeast quadrant, an

area with notoriously limited access to fresh foods. This project’s outreach component also entails ServSafe Food Handler 

Training for 60 community members per year to prepare early childhood educators and foodservice industry professionals, or 

those who aspire to enter foodservice, to prevent food sanitation risks and meet regulatory requirements and food safety 

best practices. 

Florida 

Recipient: Treasure Coast Food Bank Award Amount: $396,672.01 

Fort Pierce, FL Match Amount: $99,168.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $495,840.01 

Florida Agricultural Nutrition Collaborative (FANC): Local Produce Capacity Project 

The Treasure Coast Food Bank (TCFB) will utilize its Florida Agriculture and Nutrition Collaborative (FANC) Food Production 

Facility in Fort Pierce, Florida to provide small-scale local and regional farmers and growers (SSLRFGs) with new and 

strengthened market opportunities by increasing regional consumption of and access to five million pounds of locally and 

regionally grown produce (LRGP). Project goals include 1) increasing FANC’s capacity and long-term program sustainability

by increasing access to LRGP and amount of LRGP aggregated, processed (value-added) and/or distributed by the facility; 2) 

providing economic investment, reduce on-farm food waste, by offering new competitive market opportunities for

SSLRFGs’ off-grades, seconds, choice, imperfect, and surplus produce; and 3) diversifying and developing new sustainable 

markets for specific LRGP. 
 

 

 

Georgia 

Recipient: City of Atlanta Award Amount: $450,000.00 

Atlanta, GA Match Amount: $150,000.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $600,000.00 

AgLanta Grown: Atlanta Local Food Promotion Program 

AgLanta Grown will further sync the collective efforts of contributors and consumers in Atlanta’s local food system by 1) 

developing a trusted brand for the local agriculture economy; 2) increasing access to market for both AgLanta Grown 

producers and consumers; and 3) building a broad coalition of producers, consumers, and advocates to stimulate the local 

food economy and increase revenue for farmers. The project will leverage the success of the existing AgLanta initiative. To 

date the program has created a pathway for municipal land to be converted to urban farms and gardens, established the 

largest food forest in the country and plays host to large local food system events. AgLanta has forged partnerships with local 

tool banks, ride-share providers, and educational leaders to bring the local food system forward. This work is accomplished 

only by working in concert with place-based nonprofits, local residents, and urban agriculture leaders. We will ensure that 

85% of Atlanta residents are within a half-mile of fresh food by 2022. 

Recipient: Global Growers Network, Inc. Award Amount: $99,983.10 

Avondale Estates, GA Match Amount: $26,274.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $126,257.10 

Increasing Food Access and Local Food Sales Through Global Growers Sales Enterprise Expansion 

The purpose of this project is to develop a plan for Global Growers Network to further increase market access for minority 

and socially disadvantaged farmers, while providing more local, healthy, and affordable foods to consumers. The goal of this 

project is to work with a team of partners and collaborators to conduct an overall program assessment and develop a plan for 

expansion of the sales enterprise. Project objectives include conducting farmer focus groups and individual interviews to 

gather feedback and input, analyzing markets and current buyer capacity, developing an operational assessment and financial 

analysis, evaluating governance structures and internal technology systems, and evaluating market readiness services and 

programs. 

Hawaii 

Recipient: Ma Ka Hana Ka 'Ike Award Amount: $67,592.00 

Hana, HI Match Amount: $17,099.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $84,691.00 

The HÄNA Community Food Assessment: Designing A Food System from the Ground Up 

Hāna is an isolated rural area on the east coast of Maui Island in Hawaii. As an “island on an island,” the food security issues 

that plague the rest of the state of Hawaii are magnified for Hāna’s residents. The economically distressed region is 

vulnerable to supply disruptions and its residents must pay for expensive imported food. Yet Hāna is a traditional agricultural 

area and remains a close-knit agrarian community. Hāna High and Elementary School’s cafeteria can anchor the region’s food 

system through the establishment of a farm-to-school initiative. Through consumer research we would like to better 

understand demand and how to shift consumer preferences to local food. Producer research will focus on supply capacity 

and constraints, and how to overcome them, as well as on assisting farmers in meeting the regulatory requirements to supply 

the school. In-depth interviews and community discussions combined with a design charrette will help us determine which 

processes (e.g. aggregation), entities (e.g. food hubs), information (e.g. supply chain coordination), business models (e.g. 

contract growing) and infrastructure (e.g. processing facility or certified commercial kitchen) would be needed to establish 

and expand a regional food system and mid-tier value chain. The ultimate aim is to formulate a plan with strong community 

input and engagement for taking Hāna’s food system to the next level.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Idaho 

Recipient: Jannus, Inc. Award Amount: $383,350.00 

Boise, ID Match Amount: $95,838.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $479,188.00 

Global Gardens Food Hub: Community Collaboration for a Stronger and More Inclusive Local Food System. 

Global Gardens will develop a Food Hub from its current pilot stage to the implementation stage to help farmers pursue 

agriculture sustainability, while overcoming cultural, linguistic, or economic barriers, which might prevent them from 

accessing land or becoming successful farmers. No food hub serves our project area in Boise, ID. We know from research 

and pilot work that local chefs, schools, and other buyers desire fresh, local farm products that are consistently available and 

accessible in price. Global Gardens will engage as an intermediary to aggregate products from multiple farms to make them 

more conveniently available to local buyers. Our goals are to develop the Global Gardens Food Hub with increased internal 

efficiencies and greater sales volume; engage community collaboration to support the aggregation and distribution of locally 

produced vegetables to restaurants, schools, and CSA members; and create greater career opportunities for beginning and 

socially disadvantaged farmers through training and additional market outlets. Expected outcomes include increases in 

availability and consumption of local products, sales and number of customers, market opportunities for farmers, and farmer 

knowledge and capacity. 

Illinois 

Recipient: Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council Award Amount: $98,805.60 

Chicago, IL Match Amount: $25,361.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $124,166.60 

Increasing Readiness of Regional Growers to Meet Good Food Purchasing Program Demand 

Leveraging the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP), the Chicago Food Policy Action Council (CFPAC) will support at least 

80 small and mid-sized local producers with their readiness to sell food to the City of Chicago and Cook County Government’s 

public agencies and departments. This project will conduct a feasibility study for a food aggregation and distribution hub that 

will serve to connect socially disadvantaged producers (minority-owned operations, women, and veterans) to the City of 

Chicago and Cook County’s public institutions. CFPAC will also use grant funding to research and compile institutional market 

insights, conduct outreach to producers, and host in-person events and workshops that will inform local producers about the 

different pathways and requirements for selling to local public institutions. 

Iowa 

Recipient: Lutheran Services in Iowa Award Amount: $329,534.00 

Des Moines, IA Match Amount: $82,407.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $411,941.00 

Diversifying Markets for Refugee Farmers through Food Hub Growth and Increasing Farmer Capacity 

Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) Global Greens will support refugee farmers through its Food Hub and refugee farmer 

incubator program. This project will address the need to build a sustainable food hub model in order to grow refugee farm 

businesses and to provide access to local and healthy produce in low-income urban areas in the Des Moines, Iowa. Building 

upon the prior planning grant, Global Greens will implement the expansion of the Global Greens Food Hub through 

increasing sales of community supported agriculture (CSA) shares and fostering relationships with restaurant and 

institutional buyers to build awareness and sales of both American and culturally-specific produce offered by Global Greens 

farmers. To support farmers that desire to sell to the Food Hub, restaurants and other institutions, LSI will provide training 

and technical assistance in marketing, food safety, business development, and the expectations of wholesale buyers. LSI will 

also increase marketing efforts by leveraging the Global Greens brand and partnership with the Des Moines Social Club 

through publishing a cookbook and developing promotional events, including cooking classes to increase awareness and 

sales of produce to restaurants and other wholesale buyers. 
Kentucky 

Recipient: Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Award Amount: $486,813.00 

Elizabethtown, KY Match Amount: $141,037.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $627,850.00 

Kentucky Local Food System Expansion Initiative 

The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD) proposes to launch the Kentucky Local Food System 

Expansion Initiative to connect and expand the work of multiple organizations who have laid a foundation in Kentucky on 

local food business development and use KCARD’s 18 years of experience with working with farmers and developing these 

businesses. Through this project, KCARD will address a need of Kentucky farmers and buyers alike to develop stronger 

distribution networks for local food. The Kentucky Local Food System Expansion Initiative will 1) establish a statewide local 

food point of contact to connect producers with buyers, facilitate strong institutional buying relationships, and serve as a 

key hub for partners; 2) increase local food access by developing sales connections; and 3) increase likelihood of continued 

local food business success by developing maps of distribution channels developed, clusters of local food economic growth, 

and local value chains and disseminating that information among partners, farmers, and buyers. The project will reach at 

least 1,500 producers with technical assistance and training, leading to an economic impact of over $7 million. 

Maine 

Recipient: Gulf of Maine Research Institute Award Amount: $487,791.00 

Portland, ME Match Amount: $125,000.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $612,791.00 

A Regional Effort to Improve Quality and Market Opportunities for New England Finfish 

The goal of this project is to implement a suite of region-wide quality and food safety improvements that will improve the 

market demand and value for seafood harvested by New England fishermen. This project will increase local access to and 

consumption of local seafood, as well as give local fishermen an opportunity to capture more value for their catch. This 

project will facilitate coordination and collaboration across the seafood value chain to improve food safety, quality handling, 

and waste reduction. We will partner with a key aggregator in the region to improve handling and develop best practices at 

the processor level of the supply chain. Improvements to the availability and access to ice for fishing vessels in four New 

England ports, a critical and basic issue that impacts quality and safety will be made. A series of workshops to increase 

awareness and understanding of a range of quality, food safety, and waste reduction issues in order to collaborate on regionwide standards will bring together fishermen, processors, and buyers. These improvements are critical for our region’s 

seafood industry to grow and to compete with high quality imported seafood, which is currently the largest barrier to market 

access for much of the finfish harvested in New England’s waters.

Recipient: The Sustainability Lab Award Amount: $99,997.82 

Yarmouth, ME Match Amount: $29,337.78 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $129,335.60 

Fork Food Lab 2.0 

Home to 45 enterprises, Fork Food Lab, Maine’s premier commercial kitchen incubator, is nearing full capacity. As a result, 

the Sustainability Lab will develop the Fork Food Lab 2.0 Plan, a roadmap for a physical expansion that will 1) enable 

exploration of new food sectors, such as meat, fish, dairy, fermented products, and craft beer, wine and spirits; 2) help 

manufacturers access specialized equipment necessary to scale production; and 3) provide scaling businesses with dedicated 

space for manufacturing. By expanding the capacity of Fork Food Lab, will facilitate the development of value-added products 

from $1 million in Maine fish, meat, dairy, eggs, grains, and produce, resulting in the creation of 246 jobs and $15 million in 

economic impact by 2025. 
 

 

 

 

 

Massachusetts 

Recipient: Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) Award Amount: $497,804.00 

South Deerfield, MA Match Amount: $125,000.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $622,804.00 

Local Food Businesses Serving Local Communities: Technical Assistance to Support Food Access and Business Profitability 

A recent softening in direct market sales and increased pressure on traditional wholesale accounts threatens the future of 

many farms in western Massachusetts. Successful intermediary enterprises in our local food system like value-added 

producers and aggregators can backfill losses in historic direct sales and wholesale and help provide additional market outlets 

for local farms. Intermediary enterprises that succeed in meeting the needs of underserved customers, can achieve a triple 

win: expanding their customer base, increasing access to local agricultural products, and increasing sales and markets for 

local farmers. We will provide technical assistance and marketing support designed to help 115 local food enterprises meet 

these ends. Working closely with two partners we will ensure that enterprises led by minorities with limited resources and 

those serving low-income, low access communities get appropriate and effective technical assistance. As a result , 

participating value-added and aggregation enterprises will see a 5% increase in sales and a 10% increase in customer counts 

that will result in a stronger market for local farmers and increased access to local food for consumers. 

Minnesota 

Recipient: The Good Acre Award Amount: $321,597.00 

Falcon Heights, MN Match Amount: $80,912.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $402,509.00 

Scaling-up Supply & Demand to Achieve Food Hub Financial Viability 

Institutional demand for fresh seasonal food is growing. Gaps in wholesale supply chains limit the amount of local food 

reaching end consumers. Gaps include inability of schools to incorporate whole produce into dining services; distribution and 

logistical challenges when working with third-party food service management companies; increased food safety 

requirements for farmers; challenges adjusting farm operations to meet wholesale demand; and seasonal realities that limit 

fresh produce in winter months. As a mission-driven nonprofit food hub that increases market access for immigrant and 

underserved farmers, we will use funds to 1)provide technical assistance to the 60 farmers we support on adapting their 

farm business, improving food safety, achieving wholesale standards, and increasing production; 2) partner with schools to 

provide culinary training to existing and future kitchen staff to increase school capacity to incorporate whole produce; 3) 

work with the Central Corridor Anchor Partnership, a coalition of large higher-education and healthcare institutions, 

committed to increasing local food procurement, to develop ordering and distribution solutions that increase wholesale 

operational efficiencies; 4) engage buyers on the market opportunities of lightly-processed vegetables, which will expand 

produce availability year-round and create markets for seconds, completely safe but cosmetically unattractive produce often 

left to rot in fields. In addition to increasing access to local foods and diversifying markets for underserved farmers, our 

project will consult with Tera Johnson to evaluate our food hub, develop strategies to achieve a sustainable business model 

and create replicable models that other food hubs can utilize to bridge wholesale supply chain gaps. 

Missouri 

Recipient: West Central Missouri Community Action Agency Award Amount: $481,552.00 

Appleton City, MO Match Amount: $127,668.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $609,220.00 

West Central Missouri Food Value Chain Project 

West Central Missouri Community Action agency will lead a collaborative team on a 3-year implementation project to 

increase local/regional food purchasing, supply, and infrastructure in the greater Kansas City, MO wholesale local and 

regional food market. To work toward this goal, the project will use mid-tier food value chain facilitation and coordination, 

connecting enterprises along the farm-to-fork food supply chain and supporting their business-to-business collaboration with 

market information and relationship building. 
Nebraska 

Recipient: Community Crops Award Amount: $86,460.00 

Lincoln, NE Match Amount: $21,615.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $108,075.00 

Developing a Kitchen Incubator for Lincoln, Nebraska Food Entrepreneurs 

Together, Community Crops and Recipe Box Inc. are developing Lincoln, Nebraska’s first and only full-scale shared 

commercial kitchen and food business incubator (“kitchen incubator”), which will launch and grow food and beverage 

businesses in Lincoln and surrounding areas. Currently, there are limited opportunities for local and regional food business 

enterprises to start and expand, as kitchen incubator space is not available, but significant demand has demonstrated a need 

for this project. The project will result in a needs assessment, feasibility study, business plan and marketing plan for a kitchen 

incubator. In the process of gathering information from stakeholders to develop these plans, the partners will build 

community support for the project and prepare for implementation. The future kitchen incubator will provide a one stop 

shop for current and emerging entrepreneurs to launch, grow, market, and scale food and beverage related businesses. 

New Hampshire 

Recipient: Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success Award Amount: $88,545.20 

Manchester, NH Match Amount: $22,136.30 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $110,681.50 

Fresh Start Farms Food Hub Planning Grant 

The Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (ORIS) and its Fresh Start Farms incubator farm program, propose this 

project to (1) assess the feasibility of an incubator farm program in southern New Hampshire; (2) model an appropriately 

scaled and structured business entity; and (3) prepare ORIS and Fresh Start Farms farmers for the launch of such an 

enterprise. The resulting Food Hub will allow 30 refugee beginning, socially disadvantaged farmers and an additional 10 area 

farmers to sell the majority of their produce directly to the Food Hub, for the Food Hub’s aggregation, storage, packaging, 

distribution, and sale. The resulting Food Hub will allow participating farmers to (1) spend less time individually selling 

produce at farmers markets; (2) spend more time producing crops that CSA, mobile market, and institutional buyers order 

ahead of time; and (3) take full advantage of the new farm land that ORIS recently acquired. 

New Mexico 

Recipient: New Mexico Community Capital Award Amount: $497,750.00 

Albuquerque, NM Match Amount: $125,000.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $622,750.00 

The Native Agribusiness and Food Security Initiative 

New Mexico’s Tribal communities are at the center of our State’s agricultural traditions, and represent great potential for

agricultural revitalization. While for thousands of years tribal communities farmed and subsisted from the land, hundreds of 

years of forced assimilation and the introduction of processed goods systematically dismantled traditional foodways. Tribal 

community members still suffer disproportionately from the loss of generations of farmers and a lack of healthy foods (1 in 4 

Native Americans are food insecure, compared to 1 in 8 across the US, according to Feeding America). However, New 

Mexico’s food economy is in great demand for local food, with many restaurants, institutions and local businesses looking for 

new producers/aggregators. While growing the economic viability of local, native farm businesses, this project will 

simultaneously build food delivery systems to increase food security for Tribal community members. This project will support 

25 Native farmers in western Pueblo communities to develop and grow their farm businesses to aggregate for 10 new 

wholesale markets, and to develop 12 new Food Access Points that serve Tribal community members. Access points will be 

provided through MoGro’s healthy food delivery program at Native community health and wellness centers, as well as 

through Farm Stands and Markets. 
 

New York 

Recipient: Cornell University Award Amount: $433,412.00 

Ithaca, NY Match Amount: $108,909.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $542,321.00 

Farm to Institution Expansion in Western NY 

Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY (CCE-HNY), which is a statewide agricultural extension team aimed at growing the 

NY food and farm economy, will expand their Local Foods program area, with the specific goal of increasing institutional 

procurement of local farm products. The primary institution targeted through this project will be public K-12’s, though 

assistance will be provided to any interested institutional partner. Through recent New York State legislation, a financial 

incentive is now available to schools that can meet 30% local purchases through their lunch program, which is creating 

tremendous demand for locally grown, raised, and/or processed food products that contain a minimum of 51% New York 

ingredients. CCE-HNY will partner with eight county-level Cornell Cooperative Extension offices in Western NY to provide 

direct assistance and education to farmers and food producers interested in selling to institutional markets, and to 

institutions interested in localizing their food supply chain. By hiring a dedicated Farm to Institution Program Coordinator 

who has expertise in developing Farm to Institution programs and deploying evidence-based strategies, this project will 

greatly expand Farm to Institution programming across the region and will ultimately (1) strengthen the local economy via 

the institutions’ investment of millions of dollars into the local food and farming sectors; (2) benefit tens of thousands of 

consumers through increased healthy food access; and (3) leverage millions of dollars in State reimbursement to strengthen 

individual school districts. 

Recipient: National Young Farmers Coalition Award Amount: $69,349.50 

Hudson, NY Match Amount: $17,337.38 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $86,686.88 

Ready for the Big Time: Creating the Next Generation Agricultural Supply Chain 

New trends in consumer demand for food products are opening opportunities for family farms to link with corporate supply 

chains. Yet family farms that supply local food markets, and particularly young and beginning farmers, are not typically 

prepared to sell to food product manufacturers, restaurant chains, or the intermediaries–meat processors, produce brokers, 

grain co-ops, etc., that transact within these value chains. The 2017 Census of Agriculture identified a considerable decline in 

the number of farms capable of accessing corporate supply chains, and many technical assistance programs do not prioritize 

training direct-to-consumer and beginning farms to access these new market opportunities. Our planning project will 

convene managers from major food and beverage companies, the farmers who currently supply their ingredients, and the 

intermediary processors within this value chain, to identify the major barriers that limit corporate procurement from family 

farms. We will conduct focus group interviews with farmers and companies, and review current vendor requirements, to 

generate a needs assessment that we will validate at an in-person convening. This convening will create dialogue between 

farmers and corporate food purchasers that will inform a roadmap for a collaborative initiative to increase market access for 

family farms and beginning farmers in the mid-tier value chains that supply nationally-recognized consumer food and 

beverage brands. We recognize the complexity of corporate procurement and the scale of the challenge. This research and 

convening effort will serve primarily to develop a collaborative initiative, funded by participating companies, to build the next 

generation agricultural supply chain. 

Recipient: Research Foundation for SUNY Award Amount: $490,883.00 

Albany, NY Match Amount: $224,545.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $715,428.00 

Expanding Access to Processing Infrastructure and Value Added Markets for New York Dairy Producers 

This project will facilitate transition of regional dairy farms struggling with the price and scale realities of commodity markets 

to processing and marketing of farm and regionally-branded value-added products. Funds will be used to purchase or lease 

additional processing and distribution equipment and expand the reach of product development and marketing assistance 

currently offered through the College’s Farm and Food Business Incubator (FFBI). Project goals include enhanced viability of 

regional dairy producers; a thriving regional value-added dairy product brand; and a larger volume and variety of value-added 

dairy products marketed out of the region to dense consumer populations in the Northeast. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North Carolina 

Recipient: Seal the Seasons, Inc Award Amount: $480,000.00 

Chapel Hill, NC Match Amount: $120,000.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $600,000.00 

Expanding Distribution and Marketing of Locally and Regionally Grown Frozen Vegetables to Grocery Customers across the 

United States 

Family owned farms require additional markets to sell their vegetables in order to increase on-farm revenue. A second need 

for producers are markets for on-farm produce waste. On-Farm produce waste occurs when farmers don’t have markets that 

match the quality or quantity of their vegetables. Seal the Seasons is a regional food business enterprise that partners with 

farmers and grocers to supply locally and regionally grown products. The project goal is to expand Seal the Seasons by 

developing multiple lines of locally and regionally grown frozen produce across the United States. We will locally purchase, 

locally freeze, and locally sell 8 distinct lines of regional frozen vegetables. Our goal is to engage as intermediary between 

producers and grocers to help increase access and availability of regionally and locally grown frozen vegetables for consumers 

in major grocery stores. Help farmers reduce on-farm vegetable waste through the purchase of mid-sized, cosmetic defect, or 

misshapen product. We will expand mid-tier value chains by selling regionally grown vegetables across eight regions serving 

48 states. This project will generate jobs for farmers and other regional food business enterprises. The project will improve 

income and economic opportunities for producers and help strengthen capacity for consumers. 

Recipient: Toe River Aggregation Center Training Organizational Regiona Award Amount: $160,000.00 

Burnsville, NC Match Amount: $50,000.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $210,000.00 

Implementing a Place-Based Marketing Plan for Sweet Corn 

Toe River Aggregation Center Training Organization Regional Inc. (TRACTOR Inc.) is a food hub connecting 44-member 

farmers in Western North Carolina with markets throughout the Southeast. This project focuses on expanding sales of sweet 

corn using a place-based marketing program. Place-based marketing programs for food products have been demonstrated to 

expand on-farm income and economic growth to rural areas. Examples of other place-based marketing initiatives include 

Vidalia Onions (Vidalia, Georgia)and Olathe Sweet Corn (Olathe, Colorado). Growers in the region use carefully selected 

varietals of sweet corn and, because of higher elevation in the region, the sweet corn has a higher sugar content and matures 

later than sweet corn from other areas of North Carolina. Genetics and climate, in combination with uniform handling 

procedures across supply chain, ensure overall product quality, resulting in a highly differentiated sweet corn. The goal of the 

project is to expand sales of this unique sweet corn and ultimately increase on-farm income and spur overall economic 

growth in the region. Funds will be spent on sales and marketing expenses associated with launching the Yancey Sweet Corn 

brand and expanding sales in the Carolinas. 
Ohio 

Recipient: Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen Inc. Award Amount: $307,060.00 

Cleveland, OH Match Amount: $86,206.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $393,266.00 

Expansion of The Culinary Launch and Food Kitchen Inc. 

Cleveland Culinary Launch and Kitchen (CCLK) is a local food business incubator that connects entrepreneurs, non-profits, 

farmers, and consumers with the goal of expanding the use of and access to local foods in the creation of new food products. 

CCLK supports a regional food economy that is sustainable and valued across Northeast Ohio. Since 2006, CCLK has provided 

training and technical assistance to more than 400 Cleveland-area entrepreneurs and has assisted 90 businesses in 

connecting with local farmers and moving successfully from start-up to full-scale operation. Now, with a growing number of 

participants, including women and minorities, CCLK needs to increase the accessibility of its business incubator program to 

meet the needs of a large and diverse audience while strengthening the network of regional farmers that provide the 

produce necessary for food production. The goals of this project are to 1) make CCLK a model local food incubator, known for 

its accessible approach to developing infra-structure to support emerging entrepreneurs and 2) contribute to Northeast 

Ohio’s regional food economy and network of farmers markets by supporting the ability of entrepreneurs to scale their 

businesses in sustainable ways. Among the expected outcomes of this project are a 35% increase in the number of 

entrepreneurs involved in CCLK’s incubator program. 

Recipient: Indie-Peasant Enterprises, LTD Award Amount: $67,300.00 

Athens, OH Match Amount: $22,435.88 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $89,735.88 

Taking Stock and Charting the Course: “The Next Chapter for Local Bean and Grain Farming

This project seeks expert assistance to develop a viable growth plan that doubles Ohio-grown bean and grain product sales 

over the next 3-4 years. The project will research, analyze, and model the feasibility and return on investment for at least 

four distinct growth approaches, considered both comparatively and together as complimentary stages in Shagbark’s 

comprehensive growth strategy. This modeling will include lean manufacturing, supply and demand alignment, marketing, 

distribution logistics, and capitalization costs. By determining a plan for transitioning out of start-up phase, Shagbark seeks to 

demonstrate a replicable model for fiscally sustainable regional bean and grain systems for any region. 

Pennsylvania 

Recipient: Chatham University Award Amount: $499,997.00 

Pittsburgh, PA Match Amount: $243,797.33 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $743,794.33 

The Food & Agriculture Innovation Grain Program: Promoting a Local Grains Economy in Western Pennsylvania 

Chatham University’s Center for Regional Agriculture, Food, and Transformation (CRAFT) proposes supporting local grain 

processors and producers through its Food & Agriculture Innovation Lab’s Grain Program. The program seizes a currently 

untapped market opportunity to grow and sell local grains and grain products in Western Pennsylvania. Currently, nearly half 

of all value-added food processors in the region are grain processors. However, very few of these processors are currently 

sourcing grains locally, due to a number of identified barriers including flour consistency in moisture, gluten, and protein 

content, relatively high cost, and low available volumes for purchase, limited knowledge among local processors about 

working with and milling local grains, and a general lack of coordination between farmers, millers, and other value-added 

processors. Through product development services provided on a sliding-scale fee schedule targeting small to mid-sized grain 

processors, workshops and training opportunities that provide knowledge and skills in baking and cooking with local grains 

and food safety, networking events for stakeholders throughout the regional mid-tier grain value chain, and a community 

outreach and marketing campaign, the Grain Program will 1) remove barriers for processors around working with and 

sourcing local grains; 2) foster business partnerships between regional farmers, millers, and other value-added processors, 

and; 3) increase consumer awareness and consumption of local grain products. 
 

Recipient: The Pennsylvania State University Award Amount: $193,006.00 

University Park, PA Match Amount: $48,253.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $241,259.00 

Allegheny Grass-Fed: A Grass-Fed Meat Marketing Initiative for NW Pennsylvania 

The purpose of this project is to help a group of Northwestern Pennsylvania farmers form a grass-fed meat cooperative, 

develop a market for locally produced, natural grass-fed meat, and provide training and outreach opportunities for this 

initiative. Goals of this request are to 1) formalize the creation of the cooperative Allegheny Grass-Fed and its local, natural 

meat production label in Northwest Pennsylvania; 2) solidify market research, develop a customer base and promote the 

local, naturally produced meat products; and 3) offer training and outreach on grass-fed meat production. At the end of 3 

years we expect a self-sustaining farmer cooperative that will be selling 400 locally raised, grass fed beef steers (and possibly 

other types of meat) per year in the region and has established a customer base. We will have trained 500 individuals in grassfed production and reached out to 10,000 potential customers through a variety of channels. 

Puerto Rico 

Recipient: Semila, LLC Award Amount: $483,149.00 

Arecibo, PR Match Amount: $120,800.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $603,949.00 

 Increasing the Income of Farmers in Puerto Rico through Cocoa. 

Cocoa production is an emerging agricultural opportunity in Puerto Rico. Fine cocoa is an alternative to increase the income 

of the local farmers but infrastructure is needed to grow this industry. Puerto Rico has a quality seed scientifically validated 

and the ideal growing/climate conditions to harvest superior quality cocoa. The cocoa industry of Puerto Rico has the 

potential to compete in the cocoa markets for the quality and not for price. The fine cocoa has a global uncovered demand of 

a 58%. The farmers in Puerto Rico believe in this industry and have already started harvesting. This project will increase 

income for Puerto Rican cocoa farmers by expanding cocoa processing and educating farmers about cocoa industry in Puerto 

Rico.

Rhode Island 

Recipient: Ayers Foundation Award Amount: $198,946.00 

Westerly, RI Match Amount: $57,600.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $256,546.00 

Value-added Processing and Storage Facility: Advancing the Hillandale Food Hub 

This project will create a value-added kitchen, storage and processing center for the Hillandale Food Hub, a project of the 

Ayers Foundation. A variety of value-added products will be created using local produce and proteins, including preserves, 

dry-aged beef, salsa, maple syrup, canned vegetables, and cryo-packed meat, providing stable markets for farm produce that 

otherwise might go unsold, thus reducing food waste. Products made in the value-added kitchen will be marketed to 

retailers, schools, colleges, hospitality businesses, other institutional customers, and households within a 50-mile radius of 

Westerly, Rhode Island. Expansion of the food hub will provide increased market channel options for 10+ farmers in the area, 

while providing customers access to a greater variety of local, organic products. 
 

 

 

Texas 

Recipient: Revolving Kitchen-Dallas, LLC Award Amount: $404,601.00 

Garland, TX Match Amount: $110,000.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $514,601.00 

North Texas Community Culinary Facility and Local Product-Producer Integration Hub 

North Texas food businesses face a diminished supply of licensed commercial kitchens and lack the infrastructure and 

educational awareness to obtain high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. Such businesses need an affordable community 

kitchen to expand value-added food production capabilities; an educational outreach program to enhance local product 

awareness and food safety training; and an integrated online marketplace to facilitate local food product transactions and 

coordinate delivery logistics. Our project will expand growth of and direct transactions between North Texas farms, food 

distribution hubs and food entrepreneurs and provide local food businesses an affordable and reliable licensed aggregated 

community kitchen space. Our goals will 1) establish and expand capabilities of our 25-unit food incubator and community 

kitchen for the benefit of North Texas food businesses; 2) develop an integrated online local food marketplace and ecommerce portal; and 3) implement an educational outreach program to raise local food product awareness and expand safe 

food practices. This will result in an increase in the number of commissary kitchen members who utilize locally sourced food 

products to 75 businesses by end of the grant performance period. Maintain at least sixty percent (60%) of our customer 

base purchasing from local food producers. Conduct development seminars and institute educational outreach module 

focused on locally sourced and sustainable food practices and food safety for the benefit of 480 individuals in the North Texas. 

Virginia 

Recipient: Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission Award Amount: $85,000.00 

Staunton, VA Match Amount: $50,295.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $135,295.00 

Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Enterprise Center Feasibility Study 

This project will fund a feasibility study to determine if a certified, commercial, shared-use Agricultural Enterprise Center 

located in the central Shenandoah Valley of Virginia is possible, practical, and viable. The study also will identify what 

components will be the most successful and beneficial to the region. This project has the potential to reduce common marketentry barriers for new food-related startups and aid in the growth of existing food businesses. A feasibility study will begin 

the process of identifying the ideal location and infrastructure to serve as a business model for business incubation, food and 

nutrition workshops, and economic development. This project is focused on smaller producers and is intended to support 

diversification and growth through value-added products and the delivery of agricultural goods and products to new markets. 

The study will consider what type of facility would best serve the region’s agricultural and food-based businesses. The study

will explore physical locations for the facility, structure a business plan, and determine the necessary business resources to 

make this a successful project for the region and its food entrepreneurs and farmers. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Washington 

Recipient: North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development Co Award Amount: $39,535.00 

Port Angeles, WA Match Amount: $9,884.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $49,419.00 

Developing Regional Wholesale Markets for Farmers on the Olympic Peninsula 

This project will identify the most effective strategies for an intermediary business enterprise to expand regional wholesale 

markets for producers on the geographically isolated, economically distressed North Olympic Peninsula of Washington. The 

project seeks to increase wholesale purchases of local produce and value-added foods from Clallam and Jefferson Counties by 

identifying and addressing barriers to local purchasing experienced by restaurants, grocers, institutions and community-based 

organizations in the region and by identifying and addressing barriers preventing area producers from accessing wholesale 

markets. A key part of this strategy will be to recognize neighboring counties, especially Kitsap, as a first step market 

opportunity. This planning grant will design a model suited to the unique challenges of the rural, isolated and distressed 

North Olympic Peninsula, a model that develops a mid-tier value chain involving communities across the Peninsula and that 

responds to challenges of limited transportation networks, small-scale farming and production and access to capital. By 

developing a model tailored to this region, farmers and producers will be better able to withstand adversity and to scale their 

operations efficiently and cost effectively as desired. Buyers will better understand the capacity of producers within the 

region and have better access to them. There will be improved access to fresh, healthy, seasonal local food for all sectors of 

the population, especially geographically isolated and low-income communities. 

Recipient: Thurston Economic Development Council Center for Business Award Amount: $85,380.00 

and Innovation Match Amount: $24,000.00 

Lacey, WA Total Project Amount: $109,380.00 

Project Type: Planning 

Southwest Washington Food Hub Development Project 

The purpose of this project is to plan the development of aggregation, distribution, and value-added processing infrastructure 

in a manner that directly addresses the needs of regional producers. This project will facilitate the development of a formal 

producer committee trained on the formation of a cooperative business model, complete a business plan specific to the 

development of aggregation and distribution services and value-added processing infrastructure, and offer training for 

producers and buyers to facilitate participation, including food safety training. This project will provide education and 

outreach for buyers, sellers, and communities, through workshops, conference presentations, and buyer/seller networking 

events. The expected outcomes are an engaged body of qualified producers with a charter, invested in the development of 

aggregation/distribution services and value-added processing infrastructure; and the completion of a guidance document and 

business plan, which support future funding and implementation and provide an accurate assessment of the cost of 

development and projected financial benefits of participation in an aggregation and distribution system with the capacity for 

value-added processing. 

West Virginia 

Recipient: Eastern College Workforce Opportunity Regional Ctr & Svcs Award Amount: $211,980.00 

Moorefield, WV Match Amount: $73,825.00 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $285,805.00 

Developing the Potomac Highlands Food Co-op 

This project seeks to develop a local farm products co-operative to operate in the six county area of the Potomac Highlands 

of Eastern West Virginia. The goal of this project is to select the right co-operative model based on needs and resources 

available, develop member educational and business support services, and start operation of the co-operative by year three 

of the project. This project will strengthen the local food system on a number of levels: 1) It will build a solid collective sales, 

marketing and distribution system for farmers to jointly sell their products to larger buyers such as restaurants, schools and 

institutions; 2) It will be a reliable sales source for farmers to plan crops for direct sale, and a reliable buying source for larger 

scale buyers to consistently find local products. 3) It will increase farmers’ income, operation quality, and quantities produced

by providing supportive services such as business training and coaching, technical assistance and certification training such as 

GAP. 
Recipient: Grow Ohio Valley Award Amount: $214,530.69 

Wheeling, WV Match Amount: $64,271.97 

Project Type: Implementation Total Project Amount: $278,802.66 

The Food Hub: Expanding the Upper Ohio Valley Local Food Value Chain 

The overarching goal of this proposal is to strengthen and expand revenues for farmers selling fresh and value-added farm 

products. Grow Ohio Valley will provide support for local and regional food producers to scale-up and diversify. It will use 

targeted coalitions to enhance identified links in the value chain, including wholesale account management, critical 

processing and cold storage infrastructure, value-added capacity, food safety compliance, and multi-farm production 

planning, thus achieving greater market share in regional wholesale markets. Outcomes will include 1) increased sales for 

farmers of $285,000; 2) development of 24 new value-added products; 3) Increased local production coordination; 4) greater 

implementation of food safety and sound account management; and 5) improved marketing/branding of fresh and shelfstable farm products. 

Wisconsin 

Recipient: REAP Food Group Award Amount: $90,180.00 

Madison, WI Match Amount: $23,810.00 

Project Type: Planning Total Project Amount: $113,990.00 

Creating Local Minimally-Processed Vegetable Supply Chains for Farm to Institution in Southern Wisconsin 

This project addresses institutional demand through new supply channels that provide a logistical coordination role, valueadded processing, and a relatively focused geographical market. REAP Food Group will convene a project team around an 18-

month planning and feasibility analysis for the creation of a commercial regional processing facility so we can grow the 

regional food value chain in the greater Madison (8-county) region in Wisconsin. By the completion of this project, we intend 

to 1) identify market demand for both minimally processed and other value added processing of vegetables; 2) lay out a 

business and sustainability plan for scaled up commercial vegetable processing; and 3) strengthen the network of institutions 

and producers in the value chain.