A cooperative agreement between Guam and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service has made over $2 million in competitive grant funding available under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, USDA announced recently in a press release.
“Through this agreement, USDA and Guam are working together to offer over $2 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain. Guam is accepting applications for this Infrastructure Grant funding through April 5,” USDA said in the release.
“This partnership between USDA and Guam is allowing critical funding to reach areas of the supply chain that need it most,” Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA under secretary of marketing and regulatory programs, said in the release.
With RFSI funding, the Guam Department of Agriculture can fund projects that help the underserved local farmer and producer, USDA said in the release.
“Using RFSI funding, the Guam Department of Agriculture will fund projects that enhance storage, transportation, aggregation and distribution of agricultural products,” USDA said in the release.
“The projects funded through this program will create new opportunities for the region’s small and midsize producers to thrive, expand access to nutritious food options, and increase supply chain resiliency,” Moffit said.
“Guam’s cooperative agreement under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program will serve not just as a bridge but a lifeline for connecting families to fresh fruits and vegetables. It will do this by dismantling barriers for our farmers – barriers such as processing, storage and transportation. By nourishing our communities with foods grown here and not flown or shipped here, we are cultivating resilience, ensuring that no family is left behind in the pursuit of health and well-being,” Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said in the release.
Funded projects also will provide training on climate change, optimizing farm operations, safe food handling, record-keeping and business formalization, USDA said in the release.
According to the release, Guam’s priorities for the funding “are informed by stakeholder engagement and outreach to underserved producers to better understand their needs.”
