The USDA and Colorado State University on May 5 announced the establishment of a new regional food business center that will help producers in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions access markets.

CSU and Oregon State University will co-lead the center, which will link producers to wholesalers and distributors. The center is one of 12 nationwide that will seek to drive economic opportunities across their regions, creating a more diversified and resilient food system, according to a university news release.

The center hosted by CSU and OSU will work across the Western states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

The USDA announced $400 million for the initiative last September.

[Source: Colorado State University]