Delta Advantage Center wins USDA planning grant; seeks county point of contact for mobile market and retail initiatives

Delta Advantage Center told the Washington County Board of Supervisors it was among 45 national awardees selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a Healthy Food Financing Initiative planning grant and will use the award to plan mobile markets, retail enhancements and producer/processing hubs across a seven‑county region that includes Washington County.

The center said the planning grant began in December and runs through July, and described three core elements: a mobile food market accepting SNAP and other payment methods; retail support aimed at helping small stores stock fresh produce and obtain equipment such as freezers; and aggregation/producer hubs to connect local producers with regional retail. The organization said it has an operations base at the old Allen Canning Company in Morehead for storage and distribution and noted partnerships with Mississippi Valley State, Mississippi State, community colleges, Dollar General and other public‑private partners.

Delta Advantage Center requested that the county designate a single point of contact so the center can coordinate mobile market locations and logistics without returning to the board for each stop. The board agreed staff will provide a contact and planned to get a list of local food pantries and partners to the group to explore potential pilot projects and freezer‑assistance applications. Officials said execution of retail equipment and distribution would likely come later in the grant cycle and include modest per‑person costs during implementation.