The University of Idaho will be a key partner in creating a new federally funded entity that will help small- and medium-scale food producers in six Western states sell their products into local and regional food systems.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center will be based at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., and will serve producers in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, Montana and Colorado. Colorado State and Oregon State will lead the $30 million center, in partnership with teams from each participating state.
The USDA recently announced the project as one of a dozen regional food business centers spanning the country it has approved to help farmers, ranchers and other food businesses access new markets and navigate federal, state and local resources.
The award period spans from July 1 this year through June 30, 2028.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to transforming our food system to one that offers new market opportunities to small- and mid-sized farming operations through a strengthened local and regional food system,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release.
Idaho’s direct share of the federal funding will be about $1 million. Additional funding for Idaho projects will be available to producers through requests made to Colorado State.
During the project’s first year, UI will contract with Washington-based Arrowleaf Consulting on an assessment of statewide needs and resources to help guide the center’s food systems programming in Idaho. An Idaho steering committee has been created to help establish priorities. In years two though five, the Idaho team will develop and implement a process for awarding producers technical assistance, such as purchasing equipment to help them tap local markets or hiring a marketing firm to aid in their rebranding.
Leaders in the Idaho project include Moscow-based UI Extension educator Colette DePhelps and Katie Baker, executive director of FARE Idaho, which is a nonprofit trade association that represents independent food and beverage businesses statewide. Some of the funding will cover Baker’s time during the first two years of the project. Additional funding will cover wages of a halftime program coordinator.
As the leader of FARE Idaho, Baker aims to identify and resolve obstacles hindering small food producers seeking to sell their products through local and regional markets. For example, FARE Idaho helps small processors obtain access to meat processing facilities that often prefer to work with larger customers. The nonprofit organization is focused on workforce development solutions to address a shortage of local butchers.
Anyone wishing regular updates on the project may register for the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center mailing list, or contact DePhelps at (208) 885-4003.
