Our Regional Food Business Center partnership is the foundation of our work. Our collaborations are building a better food system in Alaska.
The USDA Regional Food Business Centers are a new program from the United States Department of Agriculture. The Department describes them as: “supporting a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system by providing localized assistance to access local and regional supply chains, including linking producers to wholesalers and distributors. They provide technical assistance needed to reach new markets, access federal, state, and local resources, and assist small- and mid-sized producers in overcoming barriers, with a focus on underserved farmers, ranchers, and food businesses.”
The USDA Regional Food Business Centers are designed to:
- Create opportunities for targeted, region-specific solutions.
- Maximize locally driven investment impact.
- Complement and support other USDA programs.
- Collaborate with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service to ensure ongoing, regionally appropriate support and coordination.
The Islands and Remote Areas Regional Food Business Center (RFBC) serves local and regional food businesses in the Pacific islands of Hawaiʻi, Guam, CNMI, and American Samoa; Alaska, and the US Caribbean territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Each of these places shares similar opportunities and challenges. Traditional cultures and food systems are rich in opportunity, growth, and celebration. At the same time, current food system challenges include geographic isolation, food transport logistics, underdeveloped infrastructure, extreme climate change impacts, colonial histories, and legal issues that create a complex set of barriers to building resilient regional and local food systems and economies. Collectively, the region relies on imports for over 90% of its purchased food supply, leaving residents to contend with frequent supply chain disruptions and high food prices.
For the Islands and Remote Areas RFBC, tackling these challenges and growing our food businesses starts with a strong focus on our unique, strong, and rich cultures and traditional foodways in each subregion. Establishing an RFBC for these areas gives us a unique opportunity to invest in our food systems through collaboratively identifying locally-driven needs and seeing where we can meet those needs through this, and other, USDA programs.
USDA Regional Food Business Centers Responsibilities
All USDA Regional Food Business Centers have three main responsibilities:
Coordination
The Regional Food Business Centers act as regional hubs coordinating across geographic areas with USDA, and other federal, state, and tribal agencies with relevant food system resources. They also coordinate with regional commissions, stakeholders, and the other Regional Food Centers. Business Centers engage with stakeholders and partners to develop and implement strategic and funding plans for serving the region through technical assistance and capacity building. They conduct outreach to underserved communities and businesses.
Technical Assistance
The Regional Food Business Centers provide business technical assistance to small- and mid-sized food and farm businesses through partnerships and direct services. Each Regional Food Business Center identifies priority areas for technical assistance (e.g., aggregation/distribution, specialty crop processing for institutions) for the region it serves.
Capacity Building
The Regional Food Business Centers provide financial assistance through the “Business Builder” subawards to support food business projects focused on regional needs, expansion, and other investments. These sub-awards may support staff time, business planning activities, software implementation, purchasing of special purpose equipment, such as food safety, processing and packaging equipment, value chain coordination, and other expenses as outlined by each Business Center.
Our Business Center Partners
Lead Entity of the Islands and Remote Areas:
We join together—with a sense of urgency—to raise community voice and support one another in the belief that each and every person in Hawai’i can share in healthy, locally produced food.
Guahan Sustainable Culture (GSC) cultivates ideas and strategies of environmental sustainability within our local community through practical education, social engagement, and collaborative partnerships. GSC believes that environmental sustainability translates into the well-being of our island community.
The US Virgin Islands Good Food Coalition is dedicated to promoting local food systems by connecting food producers, distributors, and consumers. They ensure access to fresh, nutritious, locally–grown produce through farmers’ markets, educational programs, and partnerships with restaurants and grocery stores. Their efforts promote healthier lifestyles, support the islands’ economy, and preserve culinary heritage.
Our Alaska Business Center Partners
