Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program

The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program 2025, administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), aims to enhance the resilience of the food supply chain in California. The program focuses on supporting infrastructure improvements in the middle stages of the supply chain, specifically processing and aggregation and distribution. This initiative is part of a broader effort to provide more market opportunities for small farms and food businesses, support the development of value-added products, and create new jobs within the agricultural sector. The program is designed to fund projects that maintain and improve the resiliency of the food and agricultural supply chain in California. Eligible projects must focus on the processing and aggregation and distribution stages of the supply chain and benefit crops grown within the state. The program excludes meat and poultry products, which are supported by other USDA programs. The CDFA anticipates awarding approximately $2.3 million to projects that expand the capacity of the middle-of-the-food-supply-chain for locally and regionally produced foods, offering new revenue streams and market opportunities to small and mid-sized producers, including underserved producers. Eligibility for the program extends to a variety of entities, including agricultural producers or processors, nonprofit organizations, local government entities, tribal governments, and institutions such as schools and universities. All applicants must be domestically owned, and their facilities must be located in California. Additionally, the program is open only to new applicants, as prior recipients of RFSI funding are not eligible to apply again, even under a different business entity or Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). The funding is available as Simplified Equipment-Only Grants, which are fixed-price grants intended to cover the cost of a single equipment purchase, up to a maximum of $100,000. Equipment with a total cost exceeding $200,000 is not eligible for funding, even if the applicant can cover the excess costs. No matching funds are required, but they are allowable for costs above the maximum award amount. The grant will be disbursed through advances and reimbursements, with 10 percent of the total project award withheld until the completion of the final report and resolution of any audit findings. The application process opens on June 13, 2025, with projects expected to commence upon USDA approval and take place in the first half of 2026. The award announcement is anticipated between December 2025 and March 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Lauren McCawley at the CDFA for more information, either via email at grants@cdfa.ca.gov or by phone at 1-916-657-3231. Further details and updates can be found on the CDFA’s official website.