The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a grant that will help fund studies that involve the proposed food innovation center in Wells County.
USDA Rural Development has announced the selection of Wells County Revitalization Inc. as a recipient of a $43,000 Rural Business Development Grant.
Wells County Economic Development Director Tim Ehlerding said the grant will provide part of the funding for an 11-county Northeast Indiana strategic plan for a proposed food network. The total cost of the study, Ehlerding said, is $62,500. The Regional Opportunities Council will provide $15,000, and the remaining $4,500 will be provided by the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership.
“This will provide a foundation for the possible Bluffton Food Innovation center in that it will develop a needs analysis for such a brick-and-mortar project,” Ehldering told The News-Banner.
The technical term for that study is the “Northeast Indiana Regional Foodshed Development Strategy,” the USDA explained in a news release. “Funds will be used to create a regional foodshed profile and create its own study-specific data including survey responses, community input, and feedback collected,” the statement continued.
“A collaborative regional approach to the food network will capitalize on the region’s agricultural strength and create opportunities for future growth,” the statement said.
The statement further quotes Philip Lehmkuhler, USDA Rural Development Indiana State Director: “The funding represents the ongoing efforts to create economic and job opportunities in rural areas by ensuring that strategic investments are made in our small towns and cities.”
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