COTTAGE GROVE – Federal funding freezes led to temporary delays in local programs for food makers and creators in Cottage Grove such as Bohemia Food Hub – which supports the growth and development of food and beverage businesses.
Kim Johnson, founder and food producer, said that a pause in the Regional Food System Infrastructure (RFSI) program, resulting from a federal spending cuts, stopped her business from expanding. She had already been notified last September of receiving $532,000 for construction and expansion of the building at 106 S. 10th St.
“Originally, it did freeze and cause a little bit of a scare and a panic, but we’re back on track,” Johnson said. “It was like all of these delays upon delays in rolling it out, and then the federal funding freeze earlier this year definitely put a pause on any forward momentum. It was recently lifted, and we’re in contract, and our funds will roll out.”
The project includes major renovation and construction for a new facility, a new addition to the kitchen, and the expansion of an existing program offering infrastructure for small and medium food makers.
Construction didn’t start before the funding freeze otherwise, “We would have had a big problem in not being able to cover the costs … Thankfully, we hadn’t broken ground yet,” she said.
“Our kitchen still continues to operate, but what the funding is giving us is a brand new and expanded facility to complement what we already have.”
Johnson said they have until the end of next year to complete the project.
“It’s a half a million-dollar project, so no pressure there,” she joked. “But, we’ve been planning this for so long that my contractors are confident that we’re going to be able to hit the ground running,” she said.
