Press Release
U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $2 Million to Boost Food-related Manufacturing, Workforce Development and Entrepreneurship in Southern Maine
Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
October 31, 2017
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2 million grant to St. Joseph’s College of Standish, Maine, to help establish the Institute for Local Food Systems Innovation. The Institute will encourage and support manufacturing, innovation, entrepreneurship and workforce training to boost Maine’s food and beverage industry.
“The Trump Administration is setting the stage for a revival of American manufacturing in communities which have gone ignored for far too long,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “St. Joseph’s College’s Institute will help to spur new manufacturing ventures in the Standish region while training new workers to support these efforts.”
The project will help to build barn, greenhouse, classroom and entrepreneurial space, a biomass heating plant and related facilities to support business growth, workforce development, and entrepreneurship in the food value chain of production, processing, packaging, and consumption, including in the restaurant and hospitality industries.
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 makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.