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SACRAMENTO, November 4, 2025 - The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is partnering with CDFA to award $3.1 million for 37 projects through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain and strengthen local and regional food systems.
"One of the goals of the State Board's "Ag Vision for the Next Decade" is to foster local resilient food systems to provide more consumer access to healthy CA GROWN foods," said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. "The USDA funding is important for enhancing market opportunities for small and mid-size growers which also helps local economies!"
The overall goal of the Resilient Food Systems Program is to create more and better processing options for local and regional producers. Additional goals are to build resilience in the middle of the food supply chain; provide more and better markets to small farms and food businesses; support the development of value-added products for consumers as well as fair prices and fair wages; and create new and safe job opportunities.
Projects selected include organizations planning to purchase packaging equipment, including several focusing on low-cost, low-impact packaging options to expand offerings to food banks and budget-conscious grocers. Several projects will reduce food waste through activities including dehydration, juicing, and milling. Other projects will increase returns to small growers by modernizing small- and mid-size packaging and processing centers throughout the state. Value-added products created will include tempeh patties, ice-cream cups, fermented vegetable beverages, and collard chips, among many others. Finally, several non-profit and cooperative organizations were awarded refrigerated vehicles for aggregating product from small growers in their regions who otherwise cannot reach markets for their crops.
The 2025 RFSI project abstracts are available online: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/rfsi/docs/rfsi_2025_Awards.pdf
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