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| Dr. Dawn Mellion-Patin, Director |
Baton Rouge, La - Southern University Agricultural Research &
Extension Center among recent recipients from the USDA. The SU Ag Center
received the sum of $300,000 in funding toward “Outreach and Assistance to
Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers in Louisiana.”
On August 8, 2012, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the
award of 70 grants to tribes, educational institutions and non-profit
organizations across the country to conduct training, outreach and technical
assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, and landowners. The
awards are being made through the Outreach Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged
Farmers and Ranchers (OASDFR) Competitive Grants Program, known as the
"2501 program."
"USDA continues working
to help improve the success of minority farmers and ranchers in today's agricultural
economy," said Vilsack. "These grants provide crucial assistance to
help institutions who are helping American producers build capacity and
increase profitability, and thereby create stronger rural communities."
As authorized in the 2008
Farm Bill, the grants awarded will bring $19 million in new and additional
funding to programs and organizations to bolster assistance for socially
disadvantaged farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. Grants will enable
recipients to work with prospective farmers as they acquire, build and operate
farms and ranches, revitalize the rural economy, and create new, sustainable
economic opportunities in the region and nation.
Recipients include new awardees and qualifying programs and
organizations that have previously benefited from Department assistance in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Delaware, District of
Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii,
Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
For further detail, contact Dr. Dawn Mellion-Patin, project
director, at 225-771-3532 or dawn_mellion@suagcenter.com
The full story is available at: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdamediafb?contentid=2012/08/0266.xml&printable=true&contentidonly=true
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Contact:
Bridget Udoh
(225) 771-5714
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