Farmers in Georgia producing crops such as peanuts, pecans, and blueberries have lost access to federal funding and technical assistance following the termination of the Southeast Regional Food Business Center.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture ended the Regional Food Business Centers program on July 15, except for existing Business Builder grants, which will continue. The Southeast center, which supported producers and food entrepreneurs, ceased operations on September 15.
Lauren DeSimone, director of food systems development for Locus, a Community Development Financial Institution based in Richmond, Virginia, said the closure impacts farmers and food businesses across the region. Locus co-led the Southeast center with the Georgia Minority Network.
"When the termination was announced, it felt like another gut punch to all of these businesses, community members, you know, food system advocates who for so long have wondered, 'What are we going to do?'" she said.
According to DeSimone, the national Regional Food Business Centers program was funded at US$400 million, while the Southeast center represented a US$30 million share. She said much of this funding was intended for grants of up to US$100,000 for food and farm businesses.
DeSimone added that while federal support has ended, local and regional partners will continue their efforts. "Everyone, despite being able to be reimbursed for their effort, is out in their communities supporting business growth, supporting the solvency of farmers, of dieting and shepherding collectively their local food systems towards resiliency and really stability. And that will not stop," she said.
She emphasized that the need for collaboration remains. "The federal funding changes that we've experienced more recently won't affect the continued need for us to come together as resource providers, whether we're CDFIs, philanthropy, municipalities, technical assistance providers, to understand the needs of our communities, in this case the food and farm businesses, and to rally together with a common North Star to provide those resources," she said.
Source: WABE
