Appalachia Regional Food Business Center

USDA Terminates Regional Food Business Center Programming

Operations to cease on September 15th, 2025.

July 18th, 2025

We are disappointed to receive notice that the US Department of Agriculture has decided to terminate the Regional Food Business Center program. We were notified that the Appalachia Regional Food Business Center, led by Rural Action and a large network of partners, is entering a 60 day wind-down period that will conclude on September 15th, 2025. We are proud of the work that our team has accomplished and their dedication to farms and food businesses across the Appalachian region and beyond.

We are just as devastated by this news as many of you are. This initiative was a first of its kind and one of a kind, and we are deeply sorry to share that it will not be moving forward in its original form – one that was committed to supporting over 15 technical assistance providers and was set to infuse more than $16 million into Appalachia through grants to food and farm businesses.

We are so grateful for the passion and commitment to this work demonstrated by our Partners, the incredible local farms and food businesses throughout the region, and the dedicated staff at USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, who have been so supportive of our work. We are in the process of establishing a path forward, with special attention to the farms and food businesses our Center has had the privilege to support over the past 2 years. A silver lining is that our Technical Assistance services will be available until conclusion of this cooperative agreement on September 15th, 2025. Our aim is to support farmers and food business owners in all possible ways until then.

The Appalachia Regional Food Business Center is in communication with the USDA and we will continue to gather and share more information as it becomes available. We’re currently waiting for confirmation from the USDA to move forward with Round 1 of the Business Builder Subaward program (BBS)

We welcome questions or comments sent to your closest C-TAP or to Info@appalachiaRFBC.org.

With gratitude,
The Appalachia Regional Food Business Center team

Our Region

The Appalachia Regional Food Business Center serves the following states and counties. Full States: Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee
Partial States: Pennsylvania, (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Butler, Cambria, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, Venango, Washington, & Westmoreland Counties) Virginia (Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Botetourt , Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Highland, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Rockbridge, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise & Wythe Counties), Maryland (Allegany, Garrett & Washington Counties)

For other Food Business Center geographies, visit the USDA Regional Food Business Center Program website.

Our Promise

The Appalachia Regional Food Business Center will support a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system throughout all of Appalachia. Our Center will support producers by providing localized assistance to access local and regional supply chains, provide the technical assistance needed to access new markets, and assist small- and mid-sized producers in overcoming barriers to market access.

With a long-standing commitment to the farms and food businesses in the region, the Appalachia Regional Food Business Center will work to foster a more robust, economically diverse, and sustainable food economy that benefits business owners, stakeholders, and consumers throughout the entire region.

Meet Our Partners

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