Kansas food supply chain receives $5.6M investment

By Scout Nelson

Governor Laura Kelly has announced a significant investment of $5.6 million to support nearly 50 projects across Kansas, aimed at strengthening the state’s food supply chain. This funding is part of a broader effort to enhance the infrastructure and operations that are critical to the agricultural sector in Kansas, a state known for its central location and abundant agricultural production.

“Kansas’ central location and abundant agriculture production are critical to the nation’s food supply chain,” Kelly stated. “By investing in our producers and businesses in this sector, we are strengthening economic growth across the state.”

The funds, distributed through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program and administered by the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA), will be allocated to 49 projects.

Eight grants will focus on improving producer infrastructure, while 41 grants will enhance the middle operations of the state’s food supply chain, including food processing infrastructure, producer aggregation points, and product storage.

“These grants will help Kansas food and farm businesses and other eligible organizations create diverse local and regional market options and more economic opportunities for our Kansas communities,” said Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam. “With this financial support, we will see improvements across the middle of our state’s food supply chain.”

The $5.6 million in funding comes from the $420 million made available through the federal American Rescue Plan. The selected projects were chosen based on engagement and outreach efforts with underserved producers to address the specific needs of Kansas’ agriculture supply chain.

This investment is expected to generate significant improvements in the state’s food supply chain, contributing to the economic growth and resilience of Kansas communities.

Photo Credit:kansas-department-of-agriculture.