THE SOUTHEAST USDA REGIONAL FOOD BUSINESS CENTER (SURFBC) WILL CREATE AND CATALYZE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS BY PROVIDING TRUSTED SUPPORT FOR SMALL AND MIDSIZED FARM AND FOOD BUSINESSES. OUR WORK INCLUDES COORDINATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING THAT TOGETHER FORM THE CORNERSTONE OF FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN DEVELOPMENT RESULTING IN REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS THAT ARE RESILIENT DIVERSE AND COMPETITIVE IN SOME OF THE MOST MARGINALIZED AND MOST PERSISTENT POVERTY COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY. THE CENTER WILL CREATE AND CATALYZE FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS THAT ARE RESILIENT DIVERSE AND COMPETITIVE BY IDENTIFYING NEEDS AND GAPS IN THE REGIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN AND PROVIDING WELL COORDINATED EXPERT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES AND TARGETED CAPACITY BUILDING INVESTMENTS. WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH EIGHT KEY PARTNERS ACROSS OUR REGION ADDITIONAL COLLABORATORS AND WITH THE OTHER REGIONAL BUSINESS CENTERS WE WILL CREATE SCALABLE SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES FOR COORDINATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING THAT SUPPORT DURABLE BUSINESSES ACROSS THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN BOTH THE SHORT AND LONGTERM.