Rep. White Warns Closure of the Center for Innovative Food Technology Threatens Everyday Ohioan's Access to the American Dream

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Erika White (D-Springfield Township) today expresses deep concern in the wake of the closure of Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT), a nonprofit organization that works to connect the food and manufacturing industries. CIFT provided businesses of any size with an opportunity to participate in meaningful partnerships providing access to innovation, training, and pathways to market that were otherwise out of reach. 

“For so many small business owners in Northwest Ohio, CIFT helped turn the American Dream into something tangible: jobs created, families supported, and local economies strengthened,” said Rep. White. “When we take away resources like this, we’re not just closing a door; we’re making it harder for working people to move forward through honest work. For Ohio’s small business owners-especially in the food and agriculture sector-every resource matters. Without access to the testing, training, and commercialization support CIFT provided, too many entrepreneurs will now face higher barriers to growth and competitiveness." 

On Friday, December 5th CIFT leadership was notified that federal and state MEP funds would be suspended immediately. The suspension followed an audit conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce of the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Ohio MEP) Program, which is administered through the Ohio Department of Commerce. The audit has not been published and CIFT was not given opportunity to respond but claimed material compliance issues have been vaguely cited as the reason for the freeze. The lack of transparency or explanation for the halt makes it difficult to trust the rationale.  

On Friday, December 12, 2025, Governor DeWine sent a letter to Department of Commerce Howard Lutnick requesting further information. 

Rep. White is calling on economic development partners, labor leaders, state agencies, and community stakeholders to work collaboratively to continue that promise and ensure Ohio remains a place where hard work still leads to opportunity. Responsible use of funds does not and cannot require arbitrary halt of critical and successful programs without actual explanation.  

“Ohio should be a place where effort is rewarded, dreams are achievable, and innovation is accessible-not reserved for those with the most capital. CIFT is the promise of America in action-hard work met with opportunity-and Ohio must not abandon that promise now! We must work together to fill this gap and protect the future of small business and innovation in Ohio,” concluded Rep. White. 

Budgets aren’t abstract-they shape real lives. The closure of CIFT makes that painfully clear. In Northwest Ohio, this decision directly affects workers, manufacturers, and families who rely on these programs for jobs, training, and economic stability. Small businesses, farmers, and manufacturers depend on access to expertise, safety testing, and pathways to market to stay competitive. Leveling the playing field for Ohio’s small businesses, entrepreneurs, farmers, and working people who are building something of their own is a hand up—not a handout. Cutting funding for an essential program without notice or the chance to respond continues a troubling pattern of broken promises to support American innovation, manufacturing, and the Ohioans who make it possible. 

EDITOR’ S NOTE: Additional pictures of Rep. White at CIFT are attached here and here.