Southeast Regional Food Business Center

In regional solidarity

Communities across the Southeast region are faced with a long and difficult recovery from the devastation of Hurricane Helene. The Southeast Regional Food Business Center partners offer our support as food and farm businesses – and the communities they serve – rebuild and recover. We’ve gathered information on resources to support recovery efforts on this Recovery Resource Page. We will continue to update the information and think of additional ways to provide support both in the short and longer term. For now, we stand with you through this challenging time.

Locus, GA MON and the SE RFBC Partners

We are actively planning and designing the Center’s programming. Watch for more details in early 2025. To receive more information, please complete our Contact Form.

The USDA Regional Food Business Centers are designed to: create opportunities for targeted, region-specific solutions, maximize locally driven investment impact, complement and support other USDA programs, collaborate with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service to ensure ongoing, regionally appropriate support and coordination. Learn more about the initiative: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional/rfbcp

Our Vision

We envision more just, equitable, and inclusive local and regional food systems that build wealth from farm and food businesses and ensure affordable, healthy food access for all.

Our Mission

We address inequities and barriers in local and regional food systems by collaborating as grassroots partners to create a network of resources, build capacity for farm and food businesses, and provide access to capital that will advance local and regional projects and priorities.

Two hands holding South Carolina EBT card. — South Carolina EBT card. Photo credit: USDA

Farmers Market in North Carolina. Photo credit: USDA

Our Values:

We center and prioritize the aspirations of farm and food businesses throughout the Southeast region.
We commit to honesty and transparency as we pursue our mission.
We practice accountability and integrity in our work.
We build long-term partnerships with our partners and communities.
We strive for trust and mutual respect across all of our stakeholder groups.

Lead Entities

The mission of Georgia Minority Network, Corp (GA MON) is to connect with similar organizations to assist minority rural and urban landowners in fostering sustainability of their natural resources. GA MON will also assist limited resource, underserved, rural and urban, minority, veteran, ranchers, farmers, producers, and landowners in fostering resilience and sustainability of their natural resources as well as provide education and technical assistance to improve their standard of living by enhancing their land and natural resources.

The parent organization for Locus Bank, Locus Impact Fund, Locus Capital, and the Community Investment Guarantee Pool – creates equitable access to capital by developing community partnerships and innovative tools that tackle systemic challenges and advance promising opportunities. As a community development financial institution, we advance high-impact, community-led projects that support racial equity, small business growth, housing affordability, climate and resiliency, and regional food ecosystems.