The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is seeking public comment to help determine priorities for the $1 million Utah Food Security Processing grant (UFSPG). The purpose of the UFSPG is to increase in-state processing and storage capacity for locally produced agricultural products to strengthen local supply chain resiliency.
UDAF is seeking public comment to help determine priorities for the 2024 application period of the Utah Food Security Processing Grant through a brief online survey. The survey can be found at https://tinyurl.com/UtahFoodSecurity and will be open through April 15, 2024.
“Utah has severe processing deficits for local agricultural products,” said UDAF Commissioner Craig Buttars. “Supporting the development of processing infrastructure is key to the long-term viability of the state’s agricultural producers and ensuring consumers have access to nutritious local products. This program has made immense impacts to the state’s food supply chain and we are grateful for the continued support of the State Legislature.”
The UFSPG program was created in 2022 with an initial one-time $1 million investment by the State Legislature; the success of the program was continued with two additional $1 million appropriations during the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions. During the program’s first two years, $2 million in grant funding ranging from $1,900-$150k was awarded to 38 businesses across the state. This program has been highly successful, benefiting local farms and ranches, processing businesses, and consumers while reducing food waste and transportation costs.
Highlights of past funding rounds include:
• A Wasatch County cheesemaker increased their processing capacity by 1,000lbs/week
• A Rich County produce processor increased their production by 200%
• A Utah County produce processor increased their packing capacity 80%
• A Weber County processor increased production by over 800 beef and 300 pigs
annually
• A Utah County produce processor increased freezer storage capacity by 900%
The 2024 UFSPG will open May 1-31, 2024. If you are interested in joining the review committee for this or other grants, please contact Allison Ross at aross@utah.gov. For more information visit https://ag.utah.gov/foodsecuritygrant.
