MARBIDCO Relief Act Programs
Maryland Local Food Cold Storage Relief Grant Program
Designed to support local farms
The Local Food Cold Storage Grant Relief Program helps agricultural and rural food and horticultural business enterprises purchase the necessary cold storage equipment needed to continue to operate during and after the pandemic.
Overview
During the 2021 session of the Maryland General Assembly, Governor Hogan submitted, and the General Assembly passed the Recovery for the Economy, Livelihoods, Industries, Entrepreneurs and Families (RELIEF) Act bill which provides much needed immediate funding for Maryland’s families and businesses to help them continue to weather the pandemic. Part of the funding received by MARBIDCO has been used to establish the Local Food Cold Storage Grant Relief Program. Maryland’s farmers and watermen that adjusted their operations during the pandemic to provide their product to new markets found that the need for cold storage equipment was important to remaining economically sustainable
Eligible applicants include farmers and watermen with at least $1,000 of sales in agricultural or seafood products in the last calendar year. These applicants can include sole proprietorships, partnerships, cooperatives, corporations, and LLCs. Agricultural products include produce, livestock or horticultural products that are grown on the applicant’s farm property. Seafood products include those food products that are grown and harvested in Maryland.
Grant funds and matching funds must be used to purchase and install cold storage equipment, including:
- Walk-in refrigerator/freezer
- Reach-in refrigerator/freezer
- Large Ice Machines
- Large Coolers
- On-boat cold storage
- On-dock cold storage facilities
- On-truck cold storage (does not include costs related to purchase of truck)
- Costs related to installation of cold storage unit or construction of cold storage building
Grant Maximum: $15,000
The application deadline for Round 1 consideration is April 1, 2021.