Urban Food Enterprise
Input Invited on Urban Food Enterprise Center
Officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are seeking stakeholder comments on a new program created in the 2008 Farm Bill that is to be initiated this year, known as the Healthy Urban Food Enterprise Development Center or HUFED. A total of $1 million per year for three years is available for the non-profit organization that wins the competitive award for HUFED funds.
According to a notice published in the Federal Register of March 3, 2009, the main mission of the Center will be to increase access to healthy affordable foods in underserved communities. The Center will also “collect, develop, and provide technical assistance and information to small and medium-sized agricultural producers, food wholesalers and retailers, schools, and other individuals and entities regarding best practices and … assistance for aggregating, storing, processing, and marketing locally produced agricultural products.” Sub-grants to other groups may be made to provide the listed services.
Comments on HUFED may be submitted by email, fax, or regular mail and are due by April 2, 2009. For further details, refer to the Federal Register notice at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-4384.pdf.
