Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure

New grant to strengthen Louisiana's food supply chain

Application period open Feb. 7 - Apr. 15, 2024

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 will coordinate 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 may 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

* Dates subject to change

How to apply

Review Request for Proposals (RFP)

Applicants should review the Request for Proposals (RFP) document before applying for either type of RFSI grant:

1. Complex Infrastructure Grant

2. Special Purpose Equipment-Only Grant

Submit all required documents by April 15

Each grant requires a different set of forms and documents. See the dropdown menus below for a complete checklist of required application documents for each grant.

Get help with your proposal

Small Business Development Center

As part of the Louisiana Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure grant program, LDAF and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center are offering 30-minute phone calls with experts who can listen to your questions and assist you as you prepare your proposal.

Use one of the links below to sign up for assistance completing your proposal.

• https://calendly.com/mushroomharvestprovisions/rfsi-technical-assistance

• https://calendly.com/distefano1/30min

• https://calendly.com/kathy-vp8/louisiana-rsfi-technical-assistance

Applicant resources

Outreach meeting information

Complex Infrastructure Grant

Special Purpose Equipment-Only Grant

Related links and resources

Contact info

Louisiana Agriculture Finance Authority

1(866) 295-0081
RFSI@ldaf.state.la.us

Related links

• LDAF is now accepting applications for Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant

• LDAF partners with USDA to award over $4 million to strengthen Louisiana’s food supply chain infrastructure