The U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicating $5.6 million to help Arkansas farmers and food distributors access new markets.

$4.2 million of the funding from the USDA’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program will go toward a grant program for producers and distributors in the state.

Jenny Lester Moffit, the USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary, made the announcement at the Arkansas Foodbank in Little Rock on Tuesday. She said the grants will help Arkansas farmers access new markets, and hopefully help improve the rate of food insecurity in the state.

USDA grants $5.6 million for Arkansas food supply chain improvements

*Daniel Breen/Little Rock Public Radio*
Jenny Lester Moffit, Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, speaks at the Arkansas Foodbank headquarters in Little Rock on Jan. 9, 2024.

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

The Arkansas rice industry donated 240,000 pounds of rice to the Arkansas Foodbank in honor of National Rice Month on Wednesday (Sept. 20). The donation from ten mills will provide nearly 1.8 million servings of rice to help feed families, children, and seniors across the state.

Participating rice mills are Anheuser Busch of Jonesboro, Arkansas River Rice of Pine Bluff, Isbell Farms of Humnoke, Poinsett Rice & Grain of Jonesboro, Producers Rice Mill of Stuttgart, Ralston Family Farms of Atkins, Riceland Foods, Inc. of Stuttgart, Riviana Foods of Carlisle, Specialty Rice, Inc. of Brinkley, and Windmill Rice Co. of Jonesboro.

“Arkansas rice farmers grow over 50% of the nation’s total crop and will produce rice on 1.4 million acres this year in over 40 counties, all of which are served by the food banks of Arkansas,” said Arkansas Rice Executive Director Kelly Robbins. “As rice harvest continues, our growers, try to be good stewards by giving a portion of their crop to hunger relief efforts in our state.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/09/arkansas-rice-industry-donates-240000-pounds-to-arkansas-foodbank/