Deadline for $700K in Grants for RI Farm, Food and Seafood Businesses Is November 30

Deadline for $700K in Grants for RI Farm, Food and Seafood Businesses Is November 30

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) reminds Rhode Island food, fishers, and farm businesses of the November 30th deadline to apply for the nearly $700,000 in Local Agriculture and Seafood Act (LASA) programming funding to help new and existing food businesses grow and flourish. 

These grants support projects that help with the entry, growth, and sustainability of small or starting green sector businesses. Since its enactment 10 years ago, LASA has provided more than $1.4 million through individual program grants up to $20,000.

“DEM is always working to get more home-grown food on the table and support local farmers and fishers in growing their businesses.,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “We urge new and beginning fishers, food, and farm businesses who seek to grow and support their local and fresh, sustainable food to apply for LASA so we can continue minimizing transportation costs, reduce carbon emissions, and boost the local economy while providing the freshest product possible to the consumer.”

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The 2022 programming funding priorities include the following:

 

- Supporting the entry, growth, and sustainability of small or beginning agriculture producers and fishers.
- Supporting agriculture producers and fishers that are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
- Supporting the development of new marketing, promotion, sales, and/or distribution channels.
- Supporting the development of new products, including value-added processing capacity.
- Fostering new cooperatives, partnerships, and/or collaborations among Rhode Island agriculture producers, fishers, and supporting organizations.
- Fostering and building capacity for markets connecting local farms and fishers with Rhode Island’s food-insecure communities.
- Protecting the future availability of agricultural land for producers, including farm transition planning and implementation, and assisting with on farm food safety improvements, including the developing of Food Safety Modernization Act and hazard analysis critical control point standards.

Technical and additional one-on-one technical assistance is offered by the Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC). Please visit their webinar or to request assistance, contact [email protected] or by phone at 401-490-5687.

For more information on the LASA Grant program, please visit DEM’s website. Applications should be completed online via the State of Rhode Island Grant’s Management System by Nov. 30, 2022, at 11:59 PM. Grant-related questions should be directed to Ananda Fraser, Chief Program Development in DEM’s Division of Agriculture and Forest Environment at 401-222-2781 or via email to [email protected].