Providence Group Gets $193K Grant To Support Local Food System

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has awarded over $1 million in grants to four local food businesses and organizations, including one in Providence.

DEM officials said recipients of the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grants "support the development of Rhode Island products and will support expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally produced food products, including specialty crops, dairy, grains for consumption, aquaculture, and other food products, excluding meat and poultry." The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"I'm glad the state is distributing these federal RFSI funds that were made available under the Biden Administration to local projects that will strengthen the resilience in Rhode Island’s food system and create new revenue streams for small and mid-sized farmers and producers," U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) said. "This federal investment will benefit food producers statewide and help get more fresh, Rhode Island-grown food and products to tables, grocery stores, and restaurants across the region and beyond."

Providence's recipient was Farm Fresh Rhode Island, which secured a grant of $193,463. Farm Fresh Rhode Island will use the money to upgrade equipment, expand processing capabilities, and modernize IT systems to build resilience in the center of the supply chain and increase new market opportunities for RI and regional farmers with wholesale and institutional customers.

In this scope of work, FFRI will pilot Rhody Red Sauce, a product that will incorporate locally grown food into a sauce for K-12 cafeterias. FFRI will also improve the Market Mobile Food Hub Technology system that updates and improves our overall systems for the sales, and aggregation and distribution of local food to institutions and wholesale customers.

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