GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Nearly $30,000 is heading to the Franklin County Community Development Corporation, a non-profit in Greenfield that offers manufacturing space and resources to help small businesses.

The funding will go towards staffing as the organization helps farmers take their product from ground to grocery store shelves.

Congressman Jim McGovern visited the western Massachusetts Food Processing Center Tuesday, they were in the process of cleaning, cooking and freezing butternut squash. Executive Director John Waite said this new funding through the USDA will be used to train more employees to help growers, which helps provide local food for people to buy but also boosts local jobs.

“As the grow their business, they’re hiring more people and then the consumer has more choices to buy local too,” said Waite.

Congressman McGovern told 22News, “It’s worth the investment. I mean the return is incredible. I mean we’re helping local farmers I mean we’re getting great local products to consumers here.”

This adds to the millions the Franklin County CDC has received in loans and grants from the USDA, many designed to promote rural development and business.