The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service is collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture to enhance the state’s food supply chain. Together, they are providing $4.1 million in funding for 26 projects under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program. The initiative comprises four infrastructure projects and 22 equipment projects aimed at bolstering the middle of the supply chain while strengthening local and regional food systems.
South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers emphasized the importance of diversity and local involvement in the food supply chain. “We‘ve learned that the American food supply chain is strongest when it’s diversified, and when local farmers and other business owners have some ‘skin in the game,’” Weathers stated. He added that the RFSI grants will enable South Carolina agribusinesses to explore new markets, expand their operations, and develop a flexible food system.
The grants are intended to support various aspects of the food supply chain, including the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of food products produced locally and regionally. These products encompass specialty crops, dairy, grains, and other row crops for human consumption, as well as aquaculture and other food items, excluding meat, poultry, and wild-caught seafood.
Among the funded projects, the Catawba Farm and Food Coalition plans to enhance efforts in rural areas of the Upstate and Piedmont regions by expanding cold storage and delivery vehicle availability to better support local product distribution through producer partnerships. The RobinHood Group aims to establish a commercial kitchen in Union, South Carolina, addressing shortages of suitable kitchen facilities and equipment for processing local food and creating value-added products. This will enable local producers to diversify and access new market opportunities. Meanwhile, Ridgeville Okra Company in Dorchester County will collaborate with local producers to increase product distribution into new markets using a refrigerated delivery vehicle. Old Tyme Bean Co. plans to boost supply chain efficiency through improvements in storage and processing capacity, benefiting Midland farmers with more efficient operations.
Further details on the program and projects can be found at agriculture.sc.gov/rfsi. This initiative is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
