The Maui News

The state Department of Agriculture is seeking public input through Aug. 11 on how to best use federal grant funding to boost local food systems.

Hawaii has been earmarked for $3.2 million in block grant funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program. However, the program requires the state to conduct outreach to determine the priorities for the state application.

The purpose of the program is to develop and administer state-coordinated initiatives to build the resilience of the state’s food supply chain for food crops, according to a news release.

In partnership with the USDA, the state Department of Agriculture will seek bids and award grants to support infrastructure in the middle of the supply chain for local food and farm businesses and other eligible entities.

Funds will support expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling and distribution of locally produced food products, including specialty crops, dairy, aquaculture and other food products, excluding meat and poultry. Examples of eligible project objectives include:

• Modernizing processing and manufacturing equipment.

• Supporting the construction of a new facility.

• Modernizing or expanding an existing facility.

• Improving operations through training opportunities.

• Modernizing manufacturing, tracking, storage and information technology systems.

• Improving the capacity to comply with federal, state and local food safety requirements.

• Enhancing worker safety through the adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements.

For a full description of program objectives and eligible projects, see www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/RFSIFactSheet.pdf.

Comments may be submitted to hdoa.rfsi@hawaii.gov through 4:30 p.m. Aug. 11. The input will be reviewed and utilized to determine Hawaii’s priorities and will be submitted to the USDA.

Public listening sessions will be held in person and virtually from 5 to 6 p.m. Aug. 2 at the state Department of Agriculture Plant Quarantine Branch Conference Room at 1849 Auiki St. in Honolulu.

The public can view the hearing virtually via Zoom at: us02web.zoom.us/j/81948307291.

A video of the listening session will be posted later on the state Department of Agriculture YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/channel/UCu8ne-a4cg_kW3G-95P27KA.