LoBiondo Announces New Grant for Bridgeton’s Food Innovation Research Extension (F.I.R.E.) Center
Center will get $497,906 to help Rural New Jersey Food and Agribusiness

"I am pleased to see the Rutgers F.I.R.E. Center receive this important grant so they can continue their good work for the community," said Rep. LoBiondo. "It is my hope that rural communities in the 2^{nd District will benefit from the agricultural business training and education network established by the Center with these new funds."}

This is the second grant the F.I.R.E. Center has received. In September of 2003, the Center received a $1 million USDA grant to assist rural businesses, farmers and ranchers in developing value-added agricultural businesses. Last year’s grant was used primarily for operating expenses that were necessary to build the program. In the previous two years, the F.I.R.E. Center has helped over 220 clients throughout New Jersey to expand existing agricultural businesses and start new ones. This new grant will be used by the F.I.R.E. Center to establish a Training and Education network from its planned business facility in Bridgeton to satellite sites in rural communities in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties.

The F.I.R.E. Center provides business development and technology support to the agricultural and food industries of New Jersey, in order to stimulate economic growth and prosperity for these important business sectors and the region. The Center will be awarded a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fund agribusiness distance learning centers in rural South Jersey. Located in the heart of Southern New Jersey’s agricultural and food processing industry, the F.I.R.E. Center is the first service-based and rural-targeted university food business program in the United States. The USDA grant will help the center fulfill its mission to stimulate business creation and expansion, by transferring key technologies and business development expertise to farmers, food business entrepreneurs and small and mid-size food processors.

Lou Cooperhouse, Director of the Rutgers University Food Innovation Center the grant would be good news for the community. "We are pleased to be the first New Jersey recipient of this funding from USDA's Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program.  This will allow us to significantly expand our capabilities in providing business and technical services to the agricultural and food industry community.  In addition, this funding will now enable us to provide access to additional higher education opportunities to residents throughout Southern New Jersey."

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