The Central Illinois Farm-Fresh Enterprise Development Cooperative (FARMFED CO-OP) received a $239,565.60 Project Grant award from the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service under the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (FMLFPP) to complete planning and establish operations. FARMFED CO-OP will connect rural producers in Central Illinois to institutional and retail buyers through processing and freezing local produce. Project outcomes will include a marketing plan, market analysis, processing facility design, protocols for transparency of produce values, and establishment of contracts with growers and buyers for the inaugural 2023 season. The FMLFPP supports expansion of local and regional food systems through competitive grants, consistent with FARMFED CO-OP's mission to fill infrastructure gaps limiting growth of small to mid-scale regional produce farmers and access to high-quality local food.