Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure
Get details on a grant to strengthen Louisiana's food supply chain
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) was awarded the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant program.
The goals of the RFSI program are to build resilience in the middle-of-the-food supply chain, provide more and better markets to small farms and food businesses, and support the development of value-added products for consumers, fair prices, fair wages, and new and safe job opportunities. RFSI will serve as an important component of USDA’s framework to transform the food system to benefit consumers, producers, and rural communities by providing more options, increasing access, and creating new, more, and better markets for small and mid-size producers.
RFSI funds exclude meat, wild-caught seafood, and poultry products (excluding eggs) as those products are funded through other USDA programs.
“The COVID-19 pandemic unearthed supply chain distribution challenges that the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program aims to resolve,” said the Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, DVM. “The program will help strengthen Louisiana’s food supply chain.”
Through the cooperative agreement, the LDAF is coordinating initiatives to build resilience across the middle-of-the-food supply chain in Louisiana. Funds will support expanded capacity for aggregating, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distributing locally and regionally produced food products.
Stakeholders include, but are not limited to, small and underserved business owners, historically underserved farmers or ranchers, and other businesses that qualify under the Small Business Administration (SBA) categories of small, disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, and veteran-owned small businesses.
Program Timeline
Activity | Important grant dates* |
|---|---|
RFP announced | February 7, 2024 |
Grant proposal submission period closes | April 15, 2024 (4:30 PM) |
Grant proposal competitive review | April 16 - June 11, 2024- UPDATED |
Applicants informed of USDA-approved, selected funded grants | July 31, 2025 ( tentative ) |
Funding period begins | September 1, 2025 ( tentative ) |
Special Purpose Equipment Only funding period concludes | December 31, 2025 |
Complex Infrastructure funding period concludes | December 31, 2026 |
* Dates subject to change
RFSI resources
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Missed the outreach meetings?
View a previously recorded session on LDAF's YouTube channel.
View a PDF of the presentation slides .
Required documents
Collaborator Organization Letter Template (if applicable)
Construction Documents (to be provided by the applicant, if applicable)
* Applicants must download the free version of Adobe and submit the USDA-provided fillable form. Please do not fill out the application and submit a scanned copy. Applicants are required to submit the USDA-provided fillable form. Instructions for downloading the form to your computer can be found here .
You can download Adobe at www.adobe.com/go/reader_download.
Required documents
Cost Estimate of Equipment from Equipment Vendor (to be provided by applicant)
* Applicants must download the free version of Adobe and submit the USDA-provided fillable form. Please do not fill out the application and submit a scanned copy. Applicants are required to submit the USDA-provided fillable form. Instructions for downloading the form to your computer can be found here .
You can download Adobe at www.adobe.com/go/reader_download.
USDA
Small Business Administration
Unique Entity ID, Quick Start Guide
Distressed Communities Index/Map
Contact info
Related links