Regional Food Business Center (RFBC)
The North Central USDA Regional Food Business Center (RFBC) focuses on expanding small and mid-sized agricultural value chains in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Center activities include technical assistance to create new value chain connections, expanding supply and demand to and from new and existing markets, improving viability and increasing market value of products, and boosting Upper Midwest regional food systems in response to supply chain weaknesses, small business challenges, and other difficulties exposed and exacerbated by the pandemic.
Our goal is to transform a region that primarily focuses on commodity and large-scale agriculture into an area that also supports smaller, more resilient farm and food practices, specifically focusing on the development of critical infrastructure for small and mid-size livestock processing, fruit and vegetable processing, and warehouse space and storage operations.
As a Regional Technical Assistance Provider for the RFBC, SECOG will:
- Develop a regional Action Plan that will include implementation and funding;
- Value chain/supply chain coordination, including networking and peer-to-peer sharing;
- Assist smaller-scale food producers and food and farm businesses in the middle of the supply chain in identifying and navigating third party financial assistance, particularly from federal, state, tribal, and other sources; and
- Write grant applications.
To view SECOG's Action Plan, please click here.