Fall Quarter 2026

To our partner businesses, colleagues, technical assistance partners and friends across the Northwest and Rocky Mountain region, since July 2023 it has been our honor to work with you to support local and regional supply chain development. Although we are remiss to close this chapter of our work together, we are excited to announce the formation of the Western Food Business Collaborative (WFBC), a multi-state initiative that will continue to serve food and farm businesses in our region and beyond (leaning into the strong network of mission-minded organizations that came together under the former Center). 

As a first step in continuing our work at connecting and informing, the Western Food Business Collaborative (WFBC) asks you to join us at our upcoming webinar on October 20 and review our first WFBC newsletter to learn more about partner events and how we envision carrying on our collective food systems and business development work.

Dawn Thilmany, Colorado State University

Martha Sullins, Colorado State University



Over the course of the Business Builder Grant Program, the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center invested more than $2 million directly into 131 farms, ranches, and food businesses across our six-state region. But the impact of those investments reaches far beyond the grant dollars themselves.

Together, Business Builder awardees generated an estimated $5.4 million in total economic impact throughout the region. Grant-funded activities and investments also helped businesses create or retain approximately 302 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs, strengthening local economies and creating new opportunities within agricultural and rural communities.

A key goal of the Business Builder program was to direct resources toward producers and food businesses that have historically faced barriers to accessing capital and other business resources. Fifty-seven percent of awardees were new producers, while 72% were located in rural areas. For these businesses, Business Builder funding provided an opportunity to make investments that could accelerate growth—from equipment and infrastructure to product development, marketing, and market expansion.

The program also helped businesses reach new customers and markets. Eighty-eight percent of awardees reported accessing new market channels within their region as a result of their Business Builder-funded activities. For some, that meant expanding into new retail markets. For others, it meant attending trade shows, developing new products, building new relationships, or finding opportunities to take their products beyond their local communities.

Perhaps the most meaningful measure of the program's impact comes directly from the businesses themselves. Through more than 100 post-award interviews, awardees shared stories of new opportunities, expanded markets, job creation, and investments that are continuing to shape the future of their businesses.

One awardee shared:

“We now have specialty stores carrying our product in 8 states, because of the scholarships and support from the Center that allowed us to attend events and showcase [at] trade shows. The Purple Barley Bites with Oregon hazelnut was named top specialty for the trend from the Fancy Food Show last year. This year the Specialty Food Association featured our purple barley breakfast cereal in their outlook for 2026 as ‘sense maxing.’”

Stories like this demonstrate what can happen when food businesses have access to the right resources at the right time. The Business Builder program was an investment not only in individual businesses, but in the people, communities, and regional food systems that make our food economy stronger.

As the Business Builder program comes to a close, we are proud to celebrate the 131 businesses that turned these investments into new jobs, new markets, new products, and new possibilities—and grateful to have been part of their growth.

What’s the Ripple Effect?

A dollar invested in a local food business can go a long way. The Local Food Impact Calculator helps communities, organizations, and food businesses estimate the broader economic impact of investments in local food.

Curious about the impact of your own local food investments? Explore the Local Food Impact Calculator below.

For Fort Collins-based farmstead bakery The Pig and the Plow, the right equipment opened the door to new markets and new opportunities.

Through the Center’s Business Builder Grant Program, The Pig and the Plow received $31,488 to invest in refrigerators, proofing racks, crates, and a delivery van—critical infrastructure that helped the growing bakery expand its production and distribution capacity.

The investment paid off. The Pig and the Plow gained access to 6 new farmers markets, 7 new restaurants, and 1 new institutional buyer, while creating 2.5 FTE jobs. The business also attributed $17,423 in increased sales directly to its grant-funded equipment.

The impact extended beyond the bakery itself. The Local Food Impact Calculator estimates that the grant generated $121,688.79 in economic impact in Colorado during its first year, with the potential for continued impact as the purchased equipment serves the business for years to come.



The Pig and the Plow's story is a powerful example of how strategic investments in local food businesses can create ripple effects throughout the regional food system.

Funding provided by:

Center Leads: Colorado State University, Oregon State University

Regional/multi-state: Tahoma Peak Solutions, Network of Incubators and Community Kitchens (The Nick), Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, Luna Bird, The Food Corridor

Colorado: Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado State University

Oregon: Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon State University Food Innovation Center, Oregon Community Food Systems Network, Oregon Food Hub Network

Idaho: University of Idaho, Idaho Department of Agriculture, Future Roots, Arrowleaf Consulting Group

Montana: Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana State University

Washington: Washington State University, Washington State Department of Agriculture

Wyoming: University of Wyoming, Central Wyoming College

USDA: Ag Marketing Service Collaborators and NW-Rocky Mountain Regional Coordinator

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