MB - USDA Now Accepting Applications for Value-Added Producer Grants
USDA Rural Development is accepting applications for grants to help agricultural producers add value to their commodities; applications must be postmarked by Nov. 30, 2009. About $18 million will be awarded nationwide.
USDA plans to award planning grants of up to $100,000 and working capital grants of up to $300,000 to successful applicants. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that use existing agricultural products in non-traditional ways or merge agricultural products with technology in creative ways. Businesses of all sizes may apply, but priority will be given to operators of small and medium-sized family farms – those with average, annual gross sales of less than $700,000. Applicants must provide matching funds equal to the amount of the grant requested. The competitive grants to be awarded under this notice are part of USDA Rural Development’s annual budget and are not funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Ten percent of the funding being made available is reserved for beginning farmers or ranchers and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. An additional 10 percent is reserved for projects involving local and regional supply networks that link independent producers with businesses and cooperatives that market value-added products.
“We encourage
Paper applications must be submitted to the Rural Development office at 111 E. Spring St. Monroe, GA 30655. Electronic applications must be submitted through www.Grants.gov. For additional information, see the Sept. 1, 2009, Federal Register, page 45165, or visit web site www.rurdev.usda.gov/ga/vadg.htm.
Last year, 144 recipients from 37 states received $19.7 million to implement innovative projects, including four from
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