Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program

2024 RFSI Awards Announced

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has partnered with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to award $21.5 million for 117 projects through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI) to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain and strengthen local and regional food systems.

USDA and California Award $21.5 Million to Projects that Strengthen Food Supply Chain Infrastructure | Agricultural Marketing Service

Program Overview

The purpose of the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program is to build resilience in the middle of the food supply chain; to provide more and better markets to small farms and food businesses; to support the development of value-added products for consumers, fair prices, and fair wages; and create new and safe job opportunities.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), will conduct a competitive solicitation to award RFSI funds to projects that maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. Projects should support infrastructure in the middle-of-the-supply-chain for California food and farm businesses and other eligible entities. The food supply chain involves the following stages: 1. Production, 2. Processing, 3. Aggregation and Distribution, and 4. Markets and Consumers. RFSI proposals must support the middle of the supply chain, which refers to stages 2. Processing and 3. Aggregation and Distribution. This program supports food system crops and products meant for human consumption (excluding meat and poultry products, which are funded through other USDA programs).

For more information on the funding source, please visit the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service program webpage.

Please sign up for the RFSI email list if you would like to be notified of future RFSI funding updates.

Applicant Resources

• Request for Proposals (RFP)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Recipient Resources

• Grant Recipient Resources
• December 2024 Awards