Senator Sherrod Brown and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the creation of the Appalachian Regional Food Business Center in a conference call on May 3. The center, established with $40 million from the USDA, will be located in The Plains, Ohio, and will focus on assisting small and mid-size farmers in establishing and strengthening local food networks.
The center is expected to provide training and technical assistance resources to small farmers in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Debbie Phillips, CEO of Rural Action, Inc., spoke about the importance of building a more resilient food system in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruptions it caused in supply chains. She emphasized the need to assist small farmers in reaching markets and building more local food networks.
The new Regional Food Business Center will be funded over the next five years and will work with the Central Appalachia Network to build strong regional food systems. Secretary Vilsack hopes to see the program continue beyond its initial funding period. However, there are currently no plans to incorporate it into the 2023 Farm Bill, which is being written by Senator Brown, the Chairman of the Senate Agricultural Committee.
The center is expected to primarily benefit small and mid-size farmers who have been disproportionately left behind in a record year of profits for agricultural businesses. By strengthening local food networks, the center will help make the food system more resilient to supply chain disruptions and ensure a more sustainable future for small farmers in the region.
Photo Credit: Regional Food Business Centers
Categories: Ohio, Business, Government & Policy