ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 25, 2025) ~ Annapolis, MD - The Maryland Department of Agriculture has announced a new partnership with the Northeast Regional Food Business Center to launch the first round of Business Builder sub-awards. This program aims to strengthen the Maryland and regional food systems by providing direct funding to small- and mid-sized farm and food businesses, including aquaculture and wild-caught marine businesses.

With a total of ten million dollars available in this round, the awards will range from $15,000 to $100,000. The funding will support businesses in scaling their operations, expanding markets, and connecting various segments of the regional food supply chain.

The Business Builder program will fund projects through three specialized tracks. The first track, Equipment Acquisition, will provide $25,000 to $50,000 for the purchase of specialized post-harvest equipment such as wash-and-pack stations, refrigerated vans, cold storage units, and food safety upgrades. The second track, Business Development, offers $15,000 to $25,000 for business planning, financial guidance, supply chain analysis, food safety training, workforce development and strategy development. Lastly, the Product & Market Expansion track provides $50,000 to $100,000 to assist businesses in expanding through new product development, market analysis packaging supplies kitchen appliances and software implementation.

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Applications for these sub-awards opened on February 24th and will close on April 7th. Awardees will be announced in July with funded projects beginning in August. To support prospective applicants with their submissions,the Center has published a pre-recorded webinar and will host four live informational webinars on March 3rd,March 11th,March 19th,and March 27thto answer technical questions and provide guidance on the application process.

The Northeast Regional Food Business Center was established in 2023 and is led by a collaborative structure that includes the Maryland Department of Agriculture,the NASDA Foundation,New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets,Maine Department of Agriculture,Conservation & Forestry,Buffalo Go Green,Cornell University's Center for Regional Economic Advancement,and various advisory councils.

For more details and to apply for the Business Builder sub-awards, interested parties can visit the Northeast Regional Food Business Center website. This is an exciting opportunity for small- and mid-sized farm and food businesses to receive direct funding and support in strengthening the regional food system.

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