$196 million in USDA funding to support 185 projects in 37 states

Projects supporting a tomato greenhouse and processing facility in South Carolina and an almond and nut processor in California are among those funded by a new round of $196 million in USDA investments.

The agency is investing in 185 projects in 37 states and Puerto Rico as part of the Biden Administration’s efforts to bolster America’s supply chains and lower costs for families, according to a news release. The investments were announced Nov. 27 during the inaugural meeting of the newly formed White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience.

The latest funding builds on USDA investments to increase competition and lower costs by enhancing independent meat, poultry and other food processing capacity, strengthening local and regional food systems, and expanding domestic fertilizer production, according to the release.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is championing America’s farmers and ranchers by helping expand businesses and supporting more robust American supply chains,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “Today’s investments in agricultural producers and rural entrepreneurs will create better economic opportunities that bolster food supply chains across the country and increase competition.”

Examples of projects supported by Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program grants and other USDA funding include:

• Agricultural Scientific LLC will use a $29.6 million loan to support the development of a 35-acre tomato greenhouse and processing facility in Hampton County, South Carolina. In 2020, the county announced a $314 million, 1,000-acre agriculture technology campus slated to include greenhouses for locally grown, pesticide-free tomatoes, leafy greens, blueberries and other produce; a 150,000-square-foot distribution center; and a co-packing facility.
• California Custom Processing will use a $29.5 million loan to help finance a $33 million expansion of a new facility. The expansion will allow the almond and nut processor located near Madera to increase processing by 30% to more than 100 million pounds of almonds annually, according to the USDA.
• FlexCold USA will use an $8.2 million loan to purchase mobile racking equipment for a cold storage facility in Jacksonville, Florida. The facility will allow waitlist customers to house their meat, packaged goods, poultry, frozen produce and seafood products. FlexCold, which provides services including multi-temp warehouse, blast freezing and repacking, announced plans to build its second U.S. facility, a $50 million import-and-export warehouse in Charleston, South Carolina, in January.