State of Maine
09/13/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/13/2024 11:37
Maine DACF Announces Grant Opportunity for Food System Infrastructure Equipment: Up to $2.5 Million Available to Boost Local Food Supply Chain Resilience
September 13, 2024
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
AUGUSTA- The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is seeking applications for funding through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Equipment-Only Program (RFSI).
AUGUSTA- The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is seeking applications for funding through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Equipment-Only Program (RFSI).
The RFSI Equipment-Only Program is a partnership between DACF and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide competitive grant funding of up to $2.5 million for eligible special-purpose equipment purchases to build food supply chain resilience, enhance market access, and expand value-added processing infrastructure within Maine.
Equipment funding will support expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of Maine-produced food and beverage products within five targeted product categories:
- Foods and beverages inclusive of 51% or more Maine-grown and harvested specialty crops.
- Foods and beverages inclusive of 51% or more Maine dairy or eggs.
- Foods and beverages inclusive of 51% or more Maine grains.
- Foods and beverages inclusive of 51% or more Maine-farmed aquaculture.
- Maine-produced specialty food and beverage products containing one or more Maine-grown and harvested ingredients.
Grant awards will range from $10,000 to $100,000 and will fund post-harvest food and beverage equipment. Other expenses, such as personnel, facility updates, and non-equipment costs, are not eligible for this funding opportunity. Applicants are not required to provide a matching contribution.
All foods and beverages processed on RFSI-funded equipment must meet the following criteria:
- Substantial transformation (processing) of the ingredients in the product occurred in Maine.
- The company's headquarters, which manufactures the product and will operate and maintain the equipment, is in Maine.
- No meat, poultry, foraged, or wild-caught ingredients may be included in food products funded in any manner through the RFSI program.
"These equipment-only grants are the result of farmer and food producer feedback stressing the lack of available funding for equipment purchases and upgrades to support Maine food and beverage production," said Michelle Webb, Maine DACF Agricultural Resource Development Director and Program Coordinator. "We are incredibly excited to have this opportunity to offer equipment grants that do not require applicants to provide a matching contribution. This investment in Maine's farm and food production infrastructure aligns well with the State's goal to increase the amount of food consumed in Maine from state food producers."
The Request for Applications (RFA) document includes application instructions and forms. It also provides the criteria for selecting the awarded applicants and the contractual terms governing the relationship between the state of Maine and the awarded applicants.
For more information and to download the RFA, go to the Maine RFSI webpage. For questions, applicants must refer to the RFSI Equipment-only RFA and ask clarifying questions via the Submitted Questions Form provided in the RFA.
In May 2023, USDA announced the availability of up to $420 million through RFSI to strengthen local and regional food systems nationwide. Through this program, AMS has entered into cooperative agreements with state agencies, commissions, or departments, including DACF.