Oregon State University is getting a chunk of a $400 million federal
investment aimed at boosting farms and food-related businesses across the country. OSU and Colorado State University are set to co-lead one of 12 new federal food business centers, with the support of $30 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Most of the funding will go out on the ground to partners, both service providers and farm & food businesses themselves, including supply chain businesses,” said interim director of OSU’s Center for Small Farms & Community Food Systems Lauren Gwin, in an email to OPB. “That is the purpose of these centers and why we were trusted and selected as co-leads.”
Gwin plans to hire for one new position at OSU and involve two “theme leads” who are already university employees.
The program, called the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center, is expected to support six Western states — Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
The food center, to be jointly run by OSU and Colorado State University, is one of 12 centers opening with $400 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.