$4M in grants aim to support supply chain infrastructure in South Carolina

More than $4 million is available in grants to support supply chain infrastructure for domestic food and farm businesses through a new partnership in South Carolina.

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture and the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service are offering grants under the Resilient Food System Infrastructure (RFSI) program. The grants will support expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally produced food products, according to a news release.

Eligible products include specialty crops, dairy, grains and other row crops for human consumption, aquaculture, wild-caught seafood, and other food products excluding meat and poultry.

“Strengthening the middle of the food supply chain in South Carolina will provide stronger markets for local farmers, increase stability for consumers, and help ensure a strong future of agriculture in the state,” S.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers said in the release.

Two award types are being offered: Infrastructure Grants ($100,000 to $3 million); and Simplified Equipment-Only Grants ($10,000 to $100,000).

SCDA is taking applications through Feb. 9 for the equipment-only application and through March 1 for the infrastructure program.

Through a statewide outreach effort including a listening call, survey, in-person outreach meetings and a month-long comment period, SCDA identified funding priorities for the RFSI program. Those priorities will include:

• The construction, expansion or modernization of cold and dry storage facilities.
• The creation of additional transportation to move product and the expansion of distribution channels through the construction, expansion, or modernization of distribution facilities.
• Increasing processing capacity through the creation of new distribution channels and markets.
• Purchasing and/or modernizing middle-of-the-food-supply-chain equipment, packaging and food safety and labor needs and increasing local processing and distribution capabilities.

More information and applications are available at agriculture.sc.gov/rfsi. Questions can be directed to [email protected].