USDA Southwest Regional Food Business Center

The Southwest Regional Food Business Center is a five-year $35 million program funded by the USDA Regional Food Business Centers Program, connecting Food and Agriculture Initiatives across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. As part of the network of USDA Regional Food Business Centers, the Southwest Center is a hub for the region’s small and mid-tier food and farm businesses and local and regional food sector development initiatives.

In May 2022, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) was awarded by USDA to serve as the Southwest Center lead. Valley Vision, alongside UC ANR and UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology, serve on the Southwest Center Management Team. As part of the management team, Valley Vision leads communications, partnership development and coordination across the four states.

The Southwest Regional Food Business Center supports a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system by providing localized assistance to access local and regional supply chains, including linking producers to wholesalers and distributors. The Center provides capacity building, technical assistance, and coordination to assist in access to new markets, access to federal, state, and local resources, and overcoming barriers to market access, with a focus on underserved farmers, ranchers, and food businesses.