Baton Rouge, LA – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on
November 25, 2013, the availability of nearly $10.5 million in U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) grants to help agricultural producers enter into
value-added activities designed to give them a competitive business edge. Click
here for the full news release.
"U.S. agriculture is connected to one in 12 American jobs,
and value-added products from homegrown sources are one important way that
agriculture generates economic growth," Vilsack said. "Supporting
producers and businesses to create value-added products strengthens rural
economies, helps fuel innovation, and strengthens marketing opportunities for
producers – especially at the local and regional level."
The funding is being made available through the Value-Added Producer Grant program. Grants
are available to help agricultural producers create new products, expand
marketing opportunities, support further processing of existing products or
goods, or to develop specialty and niche products. They may be used for working
capital and planning activities. The maximum working capital grant is $200,000;
the maximum planning grant is $75,000.
Eligible applicants include independent producers, farmer and
rancher cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups. Funding priority is
given to socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers or ranchers, and to
small- to medium-size family farms, or farmer/rancher cooperatives.
The project is supplying emerging markets with locally grown
produce to enhance production, marketing and distribution infrastructure among
women and minority landowners in persistently poor rural communities.
Additional examples of how VAPGs assist local and regional food
producers are available on the USDA Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass,
which is searchable by zip code and key word.
Grant applications are due
by Feb. 24, 2014. More
information about how to apply is available on page 70260 of the November 25 Federal Register,
or by contacting any USDA Rural Development state office.
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Contact:
Bridget Udoh
(225) 771-5714
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