COLUMBUS, Ohio — The United States Dept. of Agriculture is investing $60 million in food retail supply chain projects throughout the next five years.

What You Need To Know

  • Food retailers and food retail suppliers can apply for the funding
  • Loans range from $500,000 to $5 million 
  • Each week, Spectrum News 1 anchor Chuck Ringwalt and agriculture expert Andy Vance discuss an aspect of the state's agricultural landscape

According to the USDA, the money may be used for "predevelopment, land acquisition, renovations and equipment purchases."

“People across this country deserve fresh, healthy and affordable foods,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a release. “Through this program, the Biden-Harris Administration is partnering with food retailers to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, delicious foods while also supporting local farmers and ranchers. We are revitalizing the food systems in this country and increasing access for those that need it.”

The Food Access and Retail Expansion Fund is a part of the USDA's Healthy Food Financing Initiative.

"This kind of program is targeting that whole supply chain because particularly for healthy foods...there's a multiple step process," agriculture expert Andy Vance said.

The funding was made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act.

"People all up and down that chain could be eligible for these funds. It's all about improving that supply chain. It gets even more complicated if we're talking about the cold chain. If we look at dairy and fresh meats, you've got the refridgeration aspect of this as well, so the cold chain can be even more of a challenge than the fresh fruit and produce side of things."

To learn more, you can visit the USDA's reinvestment fund webpage.

If you have an idea for the Ag Report, a question for Chuck and Andy or you’d like to send a photo of your farm and the work you do, email charles.ringwalt@charter.com.

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