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Food Business & Economy

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Empowering farmers, fishers, and food businesses and entrepreneurs.

The Council works to support an economically vibrant food system. We convene food system stakeholders to identify gaps and needs, build stronger network ties, share resources, and advocate for policy change. We also provide no-cost, tailored assistance (business counseling) to food businesses of all kinds, sizes, and stages, from farms, fisheries, and aquaculture, to food makers, manufacturers, and retailers.

RIFPC seeks to engage with government, nonprofit, and business organizations to improve access to capital for food businesses, market access for local food, and address labor and workforce education and issues.

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    Partnerships & Initiatives

    • LASA application help
    • Rhody Feeding Rhody Alliance
    • The Carrot Project
    • Center for Southeast Asians
    • Commerce RI
    • Fuerza Laboral
    • Hope & Main
    • Multicultural Innovation Center
    • Polaris MEP
    • RI Association of Conservation Districts
    • RI Black Business Association
    • RI Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
    • Social Enterprise Greenhouse
    • RI Nursery and Landscape Association
    • RI Small Business Development Center
    • Venture Mentoring Service, RIHub

    We prioritize:

    • Supporting local food businesses and the business support ecosystem
    • Increasing local food processing capacity and infrastructure investments
    • Connecting folks with and supporting minoritized (BIPOC) businesses
    • Cottage/home food production: educating and supporting the community
    • Increasing access to capital and access to local and institutional markets for farms, fishers, aquaculture producers, and other food businesses
    • Promoting local food and related tourism through unified branding
    • Workforce development and youth education for food sector career pathways
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    As a small state Rhode Island boasts an out-sized $12 billion food economy centered around an award-winning restaurant scene, a legacy commercial fisheries and aquaculture industry, and a stand-out food R&D ecosystem. We are committed to building a more local and equitable food system – and partners like the RI Food Policy Council are critical in helping to advocate and advance the needs of our food, farm and seafood businesses.”
    —JULIANNE STELMASZYK
    Director of Food Strategy, Rhode Island Commerce Corporation