The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is accepting applications for the second round of Wisconsin Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program Equipment-Only Grants.
Applications must be received by 5 p.m. July 21, and awards will be issued through a competitive review process. Previous RFSI Infrastructure and Equipment-Only Grant subrecipients are not eligible for this award.
The purpose of the RFSI Program is to expand capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally produced food products, including specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, aquaculture, and other value-added food products. Funding for the program is provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Simplified Equipment-Only Grants in this second round can range from $10,000 to $99,999 to fund equipment for middle-of-the-food-supply-chain activities in the following four categories:
- food processing equipment
- cold storage
- forklifts and skid steers
- special-purpose delivery vehicles.
Equipment may be new, used, or refurbished, and must be purchased on or before Dec. 31. No match is required for these grants. RFSI grant project proposals must expand middle-of-the-food-supply-chain capacity for locally and regionally produced foods and offer more and better market opportunities to small and mid-sized agricultural producers.
To learn more about the RFSI Program and access the request for proposals and application materials, visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/RFSI.aspx.
