U.S. Department of Commerce Invests Approximately $65.1 Million to Drive Agricultural Innovation in California’s Central Valley Through American Rescue Plan Regional Challenge

WASHINGTON – Today, President Biden will announce the Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation (F3) Coalition as one of 21 winners of the $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge, the most impactful regional economic development competition in decades. Funded by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan and administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), the Regional Challenge is awarding approximately $65.1 million in grants to the Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation (F3) Coalition, led by the Central Valley Community Foundation, to drive agriculture innovation in California’s Central Valley.

With $65.1 million in funding from EDA, the Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation (F3) Coalition aims to integrate technology into the agriculture industry to improve productivity and job quality for farmworkers, while also driving a more resilient and sustainable food system. EDA funding will support the launch of iCREATE, an ag-tech hub with the mission of accelerating the development and transfer of technology between researchers at local universities and farmers across the region. At the same time, community colleges throughout the Central Valley will receive access to training and new technology to equip students and workers with the skills needed to access higher quality, higher paying jobs in ag-tech—improving both farm productivity and wages.

“The Build Back Better Regional Challenge provides bold investments to transform local economies, revitalize industry, and create jobs.,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “California farmworkers are the backbone of our country’s food supply. This investment will help unite a coalition of partners from academia, labor, business, government, and philanthropy around a shared vision to build an innovative, equitable, and resilient agricultural industry in California that will benefit farmers, especially minority and rural farmers and farmworkers.”

“EDA is proud to support the vision of the FresnoMerced Future of Food Innovation (F3) Coalition and its partners,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This transformative investment will catalyze this initiative to drive agricultural innovation in one of the country’s most important food-producing regions.”

“Mendocino County is home to miles of stunning coastline and other natural wonders that draw visitors from far and wide,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “This grant will help further boost travel and tourism, supporting a state-of-the-art Ocean Science Center to provide hands-on education for visitors, advance innovative research in marine science and spur new opportunities to support the region’s economy.”

“California’s Central Valley boasts some of the most productive agricultural land, skilled agricultural workers and capable ag employers in the world,” said California Senator Dianne Feinstein. “The F3 Initiative will use its unique position to help create more sustainable food systems, increase ag productivity and improve the quality of life for farmworkers. California continues to lead the nation in a wide range of forward-thinking initiatives, so it only makes sense that we’re leading the way on modernizing our nation’s agriculture sector. This is particularly critical as climate change and drought place great pressure on our food systems.”

“This is an exciting moment for California and the Central Valley,” said California Senator Alex Padilla. “This significant award for the Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation Coalition will accelerate research and boost job training opportunities in the agricultural sector throughout the Central Valley. The Central Valley feeds the nation – and the world. I was proud to support the American Rescue Plan, which provides communities, large and small, funding for innovative projects that will uplift our economy and create good paying jobs.”

“This is a big deal for our Valley! I voted to bring federal dollars back home with the American Rescue Plan, which makes it possible to deliver transformative investments like this to boost our regional economy,” said Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16). “This $65 million grant will build a stronger, more resilient food system by integrating new technologies, improving farm productivity, and creating good-paying jobs. I have supported this project from the beginning and done all I can to advocate in Washington for the Valley to get more than its fair share. Combined with the Good Jobs Challenge grant, we have secured $88 million in federal funding. This is a significant investment for the future of our Valley.”

The Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation (F3) Coalition is one of 21 winners – each a regional coalition of partnering entities – that will receive awards between $25 million and $65 million to implement an average of six integrative projects that will enable each region's economic transformation and competitiveness.

The Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) is an unprecedented competitive federal grant program that provides each regional coalition with significant investments to tackle a wide variety of projects – including entrepreneurial support, workforce development, infrastructure, and innovation – to drive inclusive economic growth. Each coalition’s collection of projects aims to develop and strengthen regional industry clusters – all while embracing economic equity, creating good-paying jobs, and enhancing U.S. competitiveness globally. Projects span 24 states and include $87 million to two primarily Tribal coalitions and over $150 million for projects serving communities impacted by the declining use of coal.

The 21 BBBRC awardees were chosen from 60 EDA-designated finalists that each received approximately $500,000 in funding and technical assistance to continue developing their cluster strategies. The funding for each coalition is approximate, with awards to be signed later in September. Those 60 finalists were chosen from a Phase 1 applicant pool of 529 applications, which exemplifies the tremendous demand for transformational economic development approaches. EDA will continue to support all 60 finalists with the creation of a Community of Practice that will provide technical support, foster connectedness with peer regions and build capacity.

The Build Back Better Regional Challenge is one of EDA’s many programs aimed at building strong regional economies and supporting community-led economic development. EDA was allocated $3 billion in supplemental funding under the American Rescue Plan to assist communities nationwide in their efforts to build back better by accelerating economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and building local economies that will be resilient to future economic shocks. As a part of this funding, EDA allocated $300 million through a Coal Communities Commitment to support coal communities in pandemic recovery and help them create new jobs and opportunities, including through the creation or expansion of a new industry sector. Specifically, EDA has dedicated $100 million of its Build Back Better Regional Challenge funds and $200 million of its Economic Adjustment Assistance funds to directly support coal communities. Grantees for EDA’s full suite of American Rescue Plan programs will be awarded on a rolling basis through September 30, 2022. For more information, visit https://www.eda.gov/ARPA/.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.