Grant $$$ Available!

[luvrulz]

USDA Rural Development Announces Value-Added Producer Grants

Check out this link for info on VAPG grant $$ thru the USDA!
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-10424.pdf

SUMMARY:
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) has approximately $18 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year 2009 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. The deadline for paper applications for unreserved funds is June 22, 2009. The deadline for electronic applications for unreserved funds is July 6, 2009.

INFORMATION :
Awards may be made for planning activities or for working capital expenses, but not for both. The maximum grant amount for a planning grant is $100,000 and the maximum grant amount for a working capital grant is $300,000. The grant will fund one of the following two activities:

Developing feasibility studies or business plans (including marketing plans or other planning activities) needed to establish a viable value-added marketing opportunity for an agricultural product; or
Acquiring working capital to operate a value-added business venture or an alliance that will allow the producers to better compete in domestic and international markets.

[Jan in CO]

Thanks for posting this! I'd about given up on the USDA grants, but will now reconsider writing a proposed one and see how it goes! Jan in Co

[RosewoodfarmVA]

Seems to me that the philosophy of homesteading is the opposite of taking govt. money! I mean, we all believe in personal responsibility so why take "free" money that was taken (stolen) out of someone else's pocket? Just my opinion....


We have started from scratch and now make a fair income from farming. We have taken no govt. money or loans. Why? Because as young people (we're 26 and 23) we want to prove to other young people that farming IS a viable and productive lifestyle and financial venture. If all people see about farming is farmers destroying soil, taking government money because they can't manage their own properly, farmers complaining about this or that, why would anyone want to become a farmer?

Our whole point in this is to show young people that they don't have to leave the farm to make a decent living. It can be done, without govt money or big loans, by frugal living, hard work, and making due with outdated equipment and finding resources that save $$. If we were to take grant money we would just be proving to the world that farmers cannot stand on their own 2 feet but have to be propped up by government support systems,...something most people have come to realize over the years anyway.

[texican]

Sounds like you'd need to be a business to get this. Or, if you weren't a business, you'd need to be one, afterwards.

[WeaverRose]

My former neighbor got one of those grants, to cover the cost of fencing ($$$$$) acreage and running hair sheep, with rotational grazing, etc. I was drooling over the fact that he had a crew out there putting up wonderful fence and we have to patch ours with auction gates and pallets. His place sure looks nice, I hope the sheep survive (he's got a lot of book knowledge but manages to kill most livestock, maybe because he thinks he knows and sadly, he doesn't know what he doesn't know.) But I just have a bad feeling about letting govt control that close, once they pay for you to do something they may feel they own it.
OTOH, we've paid taxes for years, it may as well go to someone who shares our philosophy as opposed to bail-outs, so good luck to those who apply.

[Old Vet]

Any money that the government is giving away has a lot of strings attached to it. Before you apply ask your self is it worth it with all the strings.