$6.7 million in grants available to strengthen food

supply chain infrastructure

The?Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA)?announced it has a cooperative agreement with?U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)?under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, the two entities are working together to offer over $6.7 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain.

The purpose of this program is to improve food supply resilience in the middle of the food chain through increasing distribution, aggregation, storage capacity, market expansion and facility updates/expansions. Following federal guidance, the project performance period will be June 2024 through May 2027. Applicants must demonstrate how this project will improve resilience in the middle of the food chain.

Click below to read the full release.

Cover Crop Premium Discount Program available to Hoosier farmers

The?Indiana State Department of Agriculture,?The Nature Conservancy?and the?United State Department of Agriculture?s Risk Management Agency?have joined forces to implement the Cover Crop Premium Discount Program for the fourth year in a row.

This program will reward farmers who plant cover crops by providing a reduced premium on their crop insurance. The discount program was designed to promote planting additional acres of cover crops that are not covered by other state or federal incentives. This program is eligible for 26 out of the 92 counties in Indiana.

Over the last year, this program has had great success with 117 farmers participating, translating to more than 35,000 acres of cover crops on Indiana farmland in the watershed.?

Click below to read the full release and see if your county is eligible.?

Purdue University, Purdue Extension and Slaughter Farms awarded grants for specialty crop research

The?Indiana State Department of Agriculture?(ISDA) announced three Indiana specialty crop projects received a total sum of $446,169 through funding provided by the?United States Department of Agriculture?s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP).

Annually, Specialty Crop Block Grants are available to non-profit and for-profit organizations, governments, public or private colleges and universities for up to a three-year project term and will fund specialty crop research, education and market development. To qualify, projects must aim to benefit the industry as a whole, rather than one product, individual or organization. Applications undergo a competitive scoring process, including review by an external scoring committee.

Click below to read the full release.

Indy Fresh Market opens in Indianapolis food desert

Earlier this month, ISDA Director Lamb and several staff members visited Indy Fresh Market on the East side of Indianapolis. This new market is the only full grocer within an 8 mile radius of its location.

Indy Fresh Market is committed to tackling food insecurity and providing access to affordable, nutritious food. The team at Indy Fresh has certainly established a successful model that will positively impact the community and address its needs.

Click here to read more about the grocer.

$100,000 awarded to Indiana's Kuehnert Dairy farm

Recently announced,?Kuehnert Dairy?in Fort Wayne, Ind., received a $100,000 grant from the?Dairy Business Innovation Alliance?(DBIA) for a new value-added facility on their farm. The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA), a partnership between the?Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association?(WCMA) and the?Center for Dairy Research?(CDR), awarded 41 grants totaling nearly $4 million to farmstead operations and dairy processing businesses across the Midwest.

The funding awarded to the Kuehnert?s will be used to create a cheese curd manufacturing facility on its farm.

Click here to read the full release.

Think globally! USDA FAS promoting U.S. companies in global markets

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service is hosting seven agribusiness trade missions in 2024 to facilitate U.S. agricultural exports. USDA FAS is inviting U.S. companies to participate in business-to-business meetings with buyers in target markets to expand their international sales. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture is seeking agribusinesses, including food and beverage companies, interested in participating in agribusiness trade missions to the following markets:

• Angola | Feb. 26-29
• South Korea | March 25-29
• India | April 22-26
• Canada | June 17-22
• Colombia | July 29 ? August 3
• Vietnam | Sept. 9-13
• Morocco | Dec. 2-6

For more information on USDA FAS agribusiness trade missions and instructions on how to apply, contact Drew Sherman ([email protected]) or click here. Don?t see your target market on this list? Let us know your priority export markets, there may be upcoming opportunities for your company.

Financial assistance is available for exporters

For existing exporters, your company may be eligible for 50 or 80 percent cost-sharing reimbursements on your international marketing activities. Connect with ISDA to learn more about how to effectively double your international marketing budget. Applications are considered while funding lasts. Learn more:

• Branded Program | Food Export-Midwest
• IN-STEP | Indiana State Trade and Export Promotion

Jan. 2: Cover Crop Premium Discount Program available to Hoosier Farmers
Find the full release?here

Jan. 10: Purdue University, Purdue Extension and Slaughter Farms awarded grants for specialty crop research
Find the full release?here

Jan. 17: Indiana Grown Commission announces 2 new members
Find the full release?here

Jan. 18: $6.7 million in grants available to strengthen food supply chain infrastructure
Find the full release?here

Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI)
Find more information here

Indiana Specialty Crop Block Grant (RFSI)
Find more information here

Cover Crop Premium Discount Program
Find more information?here

Farm Storage Facility Loan Program
Find more information?here

Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants
Find more information?here

Grain Regulatory Analyst - Indianapolis, IN
Find more information here

Feb. 17-24, 2024 | National FFA Week
Find more information?here

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.