RICHMOND, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Two area food and farming projects are among almost a dozen across Virginia that are getting state funding.

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the 11 projects as part of his kick-off for Virginia Ag Week on Monday.

According to a release, the funding will support new investments into infrastructure supporting local food and farming systems.

The funds. were awarded through a competitive matching grant program from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industry Development Fund.

They aim to address the missing infrastructure that is keeping small-scale farmers and producers from growing their operations.

“As we begin this week-long celebration of agriculture, Virginia’s largest industry, I am pleased to partner with our local governments through the AFID Program to make strategic investments into the infrastructure our farmers and food producers need to be successful,” said Youngkin. “It is through innovative partnerships like these, where the private and public sectors come together to identify and address critical needs, that we can keep the Commonwealth moving forward.” 

The release says these funds support meat processing, grain milling, oyster production, food and beverage, and shepherding as well as new and expanded farmers’ markets and a commercial kitchen.

Locally, Deep Roots Milling in Nelson County is getting $22,500 to grow its retail and wholesale sales. The money will be used to upgrade the mill’s third floor in order to create a sifting room and to buy new bagging equipment.

DRM operated Woodson’s Mill, which was built in 1794 and is the only water-powered mill that is still in operation in Virginia.

And in Orange County, Piedmont Processing is getting $25,000 to increase its meat processing capacity.  This will help both the company and the area producers that rely on it to process their meat locally.

At this time, Piedmont Processing’s growth is limited by cooler space for aging beef, so the money will be used to buy a walk-in freezer to increase that space by 40 percent.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services created the AFID Infrastructure Grant Program in 2021 to make awards of up to $25,00 in partnership with local governments to develop infrastructure that will support local food production and sustainable agriculture.

For more information on the other projects getting funding, click here.