PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Agriculture and seafood businesses throughout Rhode Island have been awarded grants to help them start or expand their operations.
The state Department of Environmental Management says 21 local food businesses will be awarded a total of about $210,000.
The Local Agriculture and Seafood Act grant program is funded by the state and charitable foundations.
The grants of up to $20,000 are meant to help grow Rhode Island’s local food economy.
The Urban Greens Food Co-op received one of the larger grants of nearly $20,000 for a kitchen to process and use local ingredients.
The African Alliance of Rhode Island received about $15,000 to support community gardens and farms.
The grant program is now in its fifth year. The department says more than $1.1 million in grants have been awarded.
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