BISMARCK, N.D., June 9, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for North Dakota Erin Oban announced today that the Department has partnered with Reinvestment Fund to invest $200,000 to improve access to healthy foods in North Dakota.
The investments are being made through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI), which helps bring grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved urban and rural communities.
“This program provides such an important service to support our North Dakota producers, large and small, and to improve and increase access to fresh, locally grown and raised food for people in our community,” said Oban. “Projects like the BisMan Food Coop are a shining example of a community working together and increasing opportunities to enjoy fresh produce, and we’re thrilled to support their efforts.”
- The BisMan Community Food Cooperative (BCFC) operates a full-service grocery store and deli. With support from HFFI, BCFC will increase its cool storage, light processing, and transportation capacity to source from local farmers, expand light processing activities, and offer delivery to bring locally grown fresh vegetables to retail customers.
Background
Many low-income communities lack adequate, affordable access to healthy food. HFFI provides grants and loans to entities that offer healthy foods in communities that are underserved by grocery stores and other food retailers. The program increases access to healthy foods, provides new market opportunities for farmers and ranchers, stabilizes small and independent retailers, and creates quality jobs and economic opportunity in low-income communities.
Reinvestment Fund serves as the National Fund Manager for USDA. It raises capital; provides financial and technical assistance to regional, state and local partnerships; and helps fund projects to improve access to fresh, healthy foods in underserved areas.
Today’s announcement builds on Secretary Vilsack’s announcement that USDA is committing an additional $155 million to HFFI that will also be delivered it in partnership with the Reinvestment Fund.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, promoting competition and fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.