NASDA Foundation Chosen by USDA to Establish Northeast Regional Food Business Center; Chris Jones Comments
ARLINGTON, VA - In a play to help farmers, ranchers, and other food businesses access new markets and navigate resources, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has selected the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Foundation to establish the USDA Northeast Regional Food Business Center. The new center will work with 11 states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
“The NASDA Foundation is thrilled to bring together state departments of agriculture in the Northeast and public-private partners Buffalo Go Green and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement to build the USDA Northeast Regional Food Business Center. Collaborative partnerships and aligned efforts will enable a more resilient food system and focused support for local communities in the Northeast,” said Chris Jones, NASDA Foundation Senior Director. “NASDA Foundation thanks the USDA, Under Secretary Moffitt, and Secretary Vilsack for the opportunity to facilitate this cooperative agreement, and we look forward to serving the region and communities in numerous ways to uplift small and mid-sized food and farm businesses. Together we can and will do remarkable things.”
Through the Regional Food Business Center program, USDA will establish 12 Regional Food Business Centers that will serve all areas of the United States. These centers will focus on historically underinvested communities and will provide coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building for farmers, ranchers, and other food businesses.
The NASDA Foundation helps to enhance the American food and agricultural communities through education, outreach, and research to create more resilient, diverse, and competitive food systems. These are central tenets of the USDA Regional Food Business Center program.
Stick with ANUK to see how this program continues to expand and the benefits it has for growers in the produce industry.
