WSDA Resilient Local Food System Infrastructure Grants Input and Interest Form

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Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Regional Markets Program supports regional food systems and local food value chains development. WSDA has various programs to support this work, including:

Local Food System Infrastructure Grants managed by our Regional Markets Program, and
Resilient Food System Infrastructure Grants in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

We are interested in making continual improvements to our grant offerings and invite your interest and comments on investing in local food system infrastructure.

The purpose of the Local Food System Infrastructure grant program is to support local food supply chains and market access for farms, ranches, food processors, and food distributors. The intention is to fund projects that expand and strengthen collaboration across linkages in the regional food supply chain. This includes planning, equipment, and facilities that support on-farm post-harvest handling, aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, distribution, and sale of locally and regionally produced food products.

Thank you for your interest in improving local food system infrastructure. This is critical to economic viability of Washington’s small and mid-size farms and ranches. Please share your thoughts and sign up to be notified about future WSDA Regional Markets Programs and grant opportunities.

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* 1. Which best describes the organization or business are you are affiliated with?

Farm or ranch

Non-farm food processing business

Non-farm food storage/distribution business

Non-profit organization that works in the food system or provides agricultural resources or assistance

Local government agency that works in the food system or provides agricultural resources or assistance

Tribal entity that that works in the food system or provides agricultural resources or assistance

Other (please specify)

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* 2. What Washington region do you primarily work in?

Northeast (Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, or Stevens County)

Southeast (Adams, Asotin, Columbia, Garfield, or Whitman County)

South Central (Benton, Franklin, Klickitat, Kittitas, Yakima, or Walla Walla County)

Southwest (Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania, or Wahkiakum County)

Peninsula/Coastal (Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, or Pacific County)

South Puget Sound (Mason, Pierce, or Thurston County)

North Puget Sound (King, Kitsap, Snohomish, or Island County)

Northwest (San Juan, Skagit or Whatcom County)

North Central (Chelan, Douglas, Grant, or Okanogan County)

Statewide

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* 3. Select the Washington grown agricultural food products you primarily work with.

Produce or other specialty crops (vegetables, fruit, tree nuts, mushrooms, culinary herbs, honey, legumes, or pulses)

Meat or poultry

Dairy (eggs, milk, or cheese)

Grains (for human consumption)

Seafood / aquaculture

Other (please specify)

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* 4. In your experience, what post-harvest infrastructure investments would remove the biggest barriers for small and mid-size farms or ranches in your region?

In other words, what specific kinds of post-harvest infrastructure are small and mid-sized growers needing most?

And Why?

(Post-harvest can include food processing equipment/facilities, food storage facilities, food distribution vehicles, food marketplace improvements, and applied food value chain coordination or assistance)

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* 5. What type of technical assistance support would help you/your community apply for and be successful with this investment of grant money? Select your top 3.

Someone who speaks my language/understands my culture to help me throughout the process.

Time to ask grant application questions

Provide offline or paper application formats

General business planning support

Grant project feasibility and design assistance

Food processing science / product development assistance

Help understanding and complying with food safety requirements (like GAP/GHP, HACCP, or Food Processor Licensing)

Help planning food processing facilities or operations

Connecting with producers or processors in my region for co-packing services or as customers or suppliers for my operation

Cooperative business development support

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Under existing state law, WSDA grants must be reimbursement-based. Grant recipients need to spend money and submit receipts before they receive the grant funds from WSDA. Which of the following best describes the impact of this rule for you/your community?

(Note: Even though we are not able to change this rule, it still helps us to know how this barrier is impacting potential applicants.)

My business or organization is able to provide the up-front cash needed for a meaningful reimbursement-based grant project

My business would need funding support from a third party to have the up-front the cash needed for a meaningful reimbursement-based grant project.

It is impossible for my business or organization to participate in a meaningful reimbursement-based grant project that requires up-front spending.

Please tell us more, including anything that might make a reimbursement-style grant easier for you to participate in.

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* 7. The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program, allows for grants up to $3 million in funding. However, USDA requires grant recipients to contribute matching funds from 25% to 50% of the total proposed project cost. To qualify for the reduced match, the applicant business must be owned and operated by historically underserved farmers and ranchers or qualify under SBA categories of small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, or veteran-owned small business.

Given this information, which answer best describes your interest in applying for a large grant (over $500,000), select all that apply:

Interested and looking forward to applying

Interested, but would need support with a project plan for such a large-scale project

Interested, but would need more information and/or support on how to qualify for the reduced match requirement

Interested, but would prefer to partner with a local community organization to assist with the project

Not interested in a grant larger than $500,000

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* 8. Are you interested in learning more about Regional Markets Programs and being notified of future grant opportunities?

Yes

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* 9. How would you like to receive updates on WSDA Regional Markets offerings including grant application announcements and application deadlines? (Select all that apply)

Postal Mail

Newspapers

Phone call

Poster/flyers

Social media

Please write in your preferred newspaper or social media sites, or other answer.

WSDA Resilient Local Food System Infrastructure Grants Input and Interest Form

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* 1. Which best describes the organization or business are you are affiliated with?

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* 2. What Washington region do you primarily work in?

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* 3. Select the Washington grown agricultural food products you primarily work with.

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* 5. What type of technical assistance support would help you/your community apply for and be successful with this investment of grant money? Select your top 3.

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* 8. Are you interested in learning more about Regional Markets Programs and being notified of future grant opportunities?

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* 9. How would you like to receive updates on WSDA Regional Markets offerings including grant application announcements and application deadlines? (Select all that apply)

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* 10. What is your first and last name?

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* 11. What is a good email address to reach you at?

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* 12. What organization are you affiliated with?