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WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is partnering with Reinvestment Fund to invest nearly $6 million to improve access to healthy foods in underserved communities across the country.
The investments are being made through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Planning Grant Program, which provides grants to organizations for healthy food retail or food retail supply chain projects in early-stage planning and pre-development phases.
"No matter where you live in our country, you should be able to get affordable, fresh, and healthy food close to home," Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small said. "USDA is working with farmers and ranchers, food retailers, and other stakeholders to strengthen the local and regional food systems we all count on. Reinvestment Fund has been a key partner to USDA in these efforts and today's investments will ensure more communities get the nutritious food we all deserve."
This announcement is part of USDA's comprehensive set of efforts, bolstered by funding made available through the American Rescue Plan Act, to create more and better markets that benefit both producers and American consumers.
HFFI is designed to support new and expanded markets for a diversity of growers while helping people across the nation access affordable, healthy foods.
The announcement includes investments that will support planning activities for 45 projects to develop or expand food retail and food retail supply chain business models.
Projects announced will increase access to healthy food for people living in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.