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Olive Branch Gardens seeks AFIN infrastructure match to scale food production
Summary
Olive Branch Gardens (a small organic farm) asked the EDA to support a local match of $15,850.45 for an AFIN infrastructure grant to scale pizza production using a shared‑use kitchen; the state decision is due Dec. 15 and staff said they will pursue formal action only if the state awards the grant.
Olive Branch Gardens, a small organic farm that produces pizzas at a shared‑use commercial kitchen (Beacon Kitchen), requested support for an AFIN infrastructure application to scale equipment and production. Staff presented the farm’s planned equipment needs—dough divider and mounter, dough press, commercial freezer, generator and food processor—and said the operation would add two staff positions to support expanded production.
The farm requested a local match of $15,850.45, which staff said would be matched by the state (the transcript listed a combined total in a slide as "31790¢," which staff and presenters indicated reflected the intended state/local match). Staff noted the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will announce awards on Dec. 15; if Olive Branch Gardens receives the state award, staff will return with formal written action to the EDA to support match payment.
Board members asked whether the AFIN process is competitive, how many businesses from one locality can be supported and how shared‑use kitchens fit state preferences for regional or cooperative projects. Staff said the infrastructure grants typically run in the fall (sometimes spring), are competitive but not exclusive to one locality, and that shared‑use production can strengthen applications because equipment benefits multiple regional producers.
No formal EDA funding action was taken during the meeting; staff emphasized follow‑up would occur only if the state awards the AFIN grant.
