Rural development grant to help farmers do value-added foods

Ben Shapiro's picture

Hi all.  I recently came across a grant from Rural Development to help farmers create or expand value added goods.  http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_VAPG.html

If there's problems with eligability, Common Wealth helped start a famer cooperative so we might be able to help, or you could search for a farmer or farm cooperative to partner with in your area.

Here's the synopsis from the website:

The primary objective of the VAPG program is to help agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of bio-based value-added products. Generating new products, creating and expanding marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income are the end goals of this program. You may receive priority if you are a beginning farmer or rancher, a socially-disadvantaged farmer or rancher, a small or medium-sized farm or ranch structured as a family farm, a farmer or rancher cooperative, or are proposing a mid-tier value chain, as defined in the Program Regulation. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis.

Eligability:

You must meet the requirements of one of the following applicant types: Independent Producer, Agricultural Producer Group, Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, or Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Venture.  Your proposed value-added product must also fall within one of the five product categories, and you must also comply with all the other eligibility requirements detailed in the Program Regulation and NOFA.

Take Care,

-Ben

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