Providence, RI — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces that U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt will join Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee, members of Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation and state officials in announcing a Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement with the DEM and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under the agreement, DEM plans to subcontract with Farm Fresh Rhode Island, which is partnering with Southside Community Land Trust, the African Alliance of RI, and the RI Food Policy Council to purchase $474,500 worth of locally produced food from 90 local and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers for distributions to socially disadvantaged communities.
The LFPA program is authorized by the American Rescue Plan to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. Through this program, USDA will award up to $400 million through non-competitive cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments to support local, regional, and underserved farmers and ranchers through the purchase of food produced within the state or within 400 miles of delivery destination.
What:
USDA, Rhode Island officials to Sign Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA) to Support Local and Regional Farmers.
When:
1 PM, Friday, June 3, 2022
Where:
Farm Fresh Rhode Island
10 Sims Ave.
Providence, RI, 02909
Speakers:
- Co-Executive Director of Farm Fresh RI Sheri Griffin
- Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee
- USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt
- U.S. Senator Jack Reed
- U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
- Director of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Terrence Gray
Interested media are asked to RSVP by 11:30 a.m. ET on Friday, June 3, 2022, to USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service’s Public Affairs office at pa@usda.gov.
For more information on DEM programs and services, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@RhodeIsland.DEM).
