This directory, produced by the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, provides an overview of various sources of financing that may be available to food hubs and other food-related businesses. This directory is a partial listing of what may be available across the United States.

The Iowa State legislature announced that as part of proposed cuts to fix a $118 million budget shortfall, it would eliminate the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture funding, causing it to shut down almost immediately. The move was surprising, since the center's two main sources of funding—about $1.5 million from a tax on nitrogen fertilizer and $400,000 from the Iowa Board of Regents—had essentially been on autopilot for three decades.

Growers and handlers of organic agricultural products can recover part of the cost of their USDA certification in AL. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries will be allocating funds from the USDA to reimburse producers and handlers who either obtain or renew their organic certification in the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.

Yuma, Arizona, which Almark called their western "flagship location," will be home to a new 120,000 square-foot building on a 17-acre property Almark purchased from the city in December for about $1.46 million. About 200 total construction jobs will have been created throughout the whole project.

The State of Maryland and its more rural counties have made efforts to find some balance by providing incentives to farmers for preserving agricultural land and our rural areas. Agriculture still remains an important industry in the State of Maryland, so the State has found ways to encourage and sustain the agriculture industry while providing financial assistance and incentives to farmers to preserve farmland for those important agricultural uses and benefits.

Reinvestment Fund, an S&P AA rated CDFI, announced the pricing of $50 million in general obligation bonds. Proceeds from the Impact Investment bonds will support small businesses, grocery stores, and childcare centers in struggling communities, helping to bring much needed jobs and boost local economic growth.

Muskegon is taking the first bite out of its plans for a food hub that uses rail, highways and the Muskegon Lake deep water port. Efforts will be kick started with a $40,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation, which was presented at the launch event Tuesday. 

The Legislature in Minnesota is being asked to fully fund the Good Food Access Program. This is a program that is designed to provide loans, grants and technical assistance to communities lacking access to healthy and affordable food to help them create locally based solutions working in concert with businesses.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order that looks to help the US agriculture business by establishing a task force to identify impediments to the business' growth.

Eligible dairy farmers will be able to access loan guarantees at more favorable terms than WHEDA's current agricultural loan guarantees. Qualified dairy processors will have access to an 80 percent loan guarantee up to $750,000. Revolving working capital loans offer an 80 percent loan guarantee up to $200,000.

The CDFA & OSU Webcast was a special one time offering. The webcast covered the Energy Finance Landscape and explored how its successes may be applied to the Food Systems Landscape. This webcast was run by students taking the graduate level Sustainable Financing class in the Department of City and Regional Planning at The Ohio State University.

South Florida's crop-growing regions are disappearing due to a number of different factors, causing many farmers to lose large amounts of capital.

Continued growth in agriculture production is the driving force behind business expansion in North Iowa. North Iowa agriculture accounts for more than $8 billion in annual total sales and contributes more than 23,000 jobs.

Beginning this month through the end of the year, 14 businesses in southern Minnesota will get advanced training courses and personal coaches from Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. The organization chose the Smart Start participants from a group of applicants who were part of SMIF's other programs for business owners.

CDFA is accepting session submissions for the 2017 National Development Finance Summit in Atlanta this November. Session submissions on deals, projects or programs that include multiple funding sources are highly encouraged. Submissions are due by May 12, 2017.