The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the USDA Northeast Regional Food Business Center, has initiated a new program to support small and mid-sized farms and food businesses. The initiative, named Business Builder, offers $10 million in grants to strengthen regional food systems by providing direct funding to these businesses.
According to Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, “Pennsylvania’s prime location near four of the 10 largest U.S. markets, coupled with our outstanding transportation infrastructure gives our agriculture businesses an edge.” He added that the partnership with the NASDA Foundation’s USDA Northeast Regional Food Business Center will enhance the impact of investments made by Governor Josh Shapiro’s Administration.
The Business Builder program includes three funding tracks: Equipment Acquisition ($25,000 – $50,000), Business Development ($15,000 – $25,000), and Product & Market Expansion ($50,000 – $100,000). Applications opened on February 24 and will close on April 7. Awardees will be announced in July, with projects starting in August.
To assist applicants, a pre-recorded webinar is available online. Additionally, live informational webinars are scheduled for March 11, March 19, and March 27.
The USDA Northeast Regional Food Business Center was established in 2023 and is supported by several organizations including the NASDA Foundation and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement.
For more information on applying for the Business Builder subawards or to learn about related initiatives from Governor Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal for 2025-26, visit the respective websites provided in the announcement.
Media contact: Shannon Powers at shpowers@pa.gov or 717.603.2056
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