By Kjersten Hyberger, former staff member
The Heartland Regional Food Business Center was established in 2023 as a resource for farmers and entrepreneurs. The program was created as part of a national initiative to strengthen America’s food supply, and in two short years, we helped more than 1,330 farmers and food entrepreneurs take steps toward building stronger local food systems and awarded more than $3.7 million in grants to small businesses.
Our momentum was suddenly interrupted in July 2025, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its intent to end funding for this initiative.
As the Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA), we were proud to be one of 14 key partners to make up the Heartland Center, along with 20 collaborators in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, and nine counties in northwest Arkansas. CFRA provided technical assistance to applicants and helped spread the word about available resources.
Fortunately, the folks at the Heartland Center aren’t the type to go down without a fight. Together, we decided to continue our mission under the new name Heartland Food Business Coalition.
Why and how we got our start
Empty grocery shelves during the Covid pandemic prompted conversations about local and regional connections in the food supply chain. As families worried about how to put food on their tables, we became acutely aware of just how reliant we were on a large-scale, national food system. Folks began to realize that shifting reliance toward local food sources was vital for community resilience.
The need for a stronger infrastructure to meet demand was clear. As a result, 12 regional food business centers were created to help support the local food supply chain.
The Heartland Center was the result of a competitive grant process led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and New Growth, a rural Missouri development corporation. It was composed of key partners and collaborators throughout the Midwest.
How our work was impacting farmers and food businesses
The federal grant contract awarded in June 2023 was expected to run through May 2027, providing seed funding for on-the-ground organizations to build ongoing support for local and regional farm and food businesses, including supply chain infrastructure such as delivery logistics, food processing equipment, and financing.
From its launch in 2023 to its abrupt end in September 2025 (three months after the termination announcement), the Heartland Center helped launch 39 new food businesses and awarded $3.7 million in Business Builder Grant subawards in its first round. These awards provided low- to no-cost business capital to fund projects like adding a commercial kitchen, upgrading freezers, adding refrigerated delivery vehicles, and upgrading product packaging.
Our impact went beyond funding. We also provided technical assistance to more than 1,330 individuals and facilitated 145 new partnerships and collaborations bridging agriculture with nutrition, health, and community development.
Funding disruptions and termination
The first funding disruption occurred in late January 2025 when the program was caught in the initial freeze of all federal grants implemented by the new administration in Washington, forcing us to scale back our work. Things like new contracts, travel, and educational events had to be paused, canceled, or altered while each partner determined what they could cover if federal program reimbursements didn’t end up coming through.
Then, after initially restoring program funding earlier in the year, the USDA issued a termination notice to all 12 regional food business centers in the nation on July 15, 2025, bringing several years of planning and implementation work to a sudden and unexpected halt.
Ours was considered a “modified termination,” effective Sept. 15. This allowed the first round of Business Builder grants to proceed on an accelerated project timeline of nine months, compared to the original 18 months.
We won’t stop
The loss of funding canceled round two of the Business Builder grant, which was a devastating blow to the farmers, producers, and food businesses planning to apply. Many were hopeful this round would help them take the next step in their business. Without this funding, new products won’t make it to our grocery stores, producers won’t be able to make the infrastructure improvements they had planned, and many first-time entrepreneurs will miss out on the opportunity to transform their ideas into viable businesses. These aren’t abstract losses—each one represents food that won’t be grown, processed, or sold locally.
When our producers are affected, the entire community feels it. Less support for local food businesses ultimately means more dependence on the long supply chains that are often fragile, expensive, and disconnected from our communities.
Round two of the Business Builder grant may have been canceled, but it has by no means stopped us.
“Our 32 partner organizations are committed to the work,” said Katie Nixon, New Growth food systems director and Heartland Coalition chair (former co-director of Heartland Center). “We will continue collaboration to the best of our ability and seek further investment in this important economic development effort.”
New name, same mission
As the Heartland Regional Food Business Center “closed,” the Heartland Coalition was created so we could continue to work with leaders from all six states to share ideas. We will find ways to increase our impact, despite what was initially a devastating blow. We operate the same way we always have: democratically and transparently, making decisions together.
“The knowledge and passion were there before the funding and will carry us through even without,” said Patty Cantrell, outreach and development director at the New Growth and Heartland Coalition network builder.
For now, the Heartland Coalition is funding all activities through the individual organizations that have dedicated staff and resources for this effort. The Heartland Coalition’s work aligns with the work of many of these organizations, so they are able to dedicate limited resources to supporting our reorganization. However, for most, continued participation will depend on future funding raised to support our work.
Together, we narrowed down the areas of work and assessed the viability of each based on capacity and potential roadblocks. Moving forward, we will focus on providing technical assistance for food producers and entrepreneurs, advocating for Rural Health Transformation Program funding, supporting food hubs, coordinating supply chain logistics, and coalition building.
Although capacity is diminished, our goal is the same: to provide technical assistance and act as a bridge between resources and the entrepreneurs seeking them. Small food businesses and entrepreneurs can still turn to the Heartland Coalition for guidance on taking the next steps and assistance in connecting with resources.
Turning toward the future
The Heartland Coalition proves that true agricultural resilience isn’t built on federal funding alone—it’s built on the determination of farmers, entrepreneurs, and communities who refuse to let setbacks define their future. The relationships forged, businesses launched, and knowledge shared through this initiative have created a network that transcends any single program.
Together, we’re pivoting so we can write the next chapter of food security and economic vitality in the Heartland, powered not by federal dollars but by the unwavering belief that our communities deserve resilient, locally rooted food systems.
You can stay up to date by signing up for the newsletter, following on Facebook, and joining the Farm to Fork Heartland group for events and resources. If you’re interested in supporting our coalition-building work, please contact [email protected].
This piece was written in collaboration with Jessie Eby, Communications Associate.
Center for Rural Affairs staff member Kjersten Hyberger served as secretary of the Governance Council for the Heartland Regional Food Business Center. She has since moved into a new role at CFRA in food systems lending, but remains committed to providing technical assistance and access to capital for businesses served by the Heartland Food Business Coalition.
