7-26 FB Value Added

  $37 Million Available for Value-Added Producer Grants 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that $37 million is available for the Value-Added Producer Grant program. A special reserve is set aside for beginning farmers and ranchers and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. The deadline to apply is August 29, 2011.? "Any farmer or rancher needing planning or working capital funds to move their value-added ideas forward should check out the Value-Added Producer Grants program," said Traci Bruckner, Assistant Director of Policy at the Center for Rural Affairs.??"The 2008 Farm Bill made some important changes to the Value Added Producer Grants Program by giving a priority to projects from beginning and small and mid-size family farmers and ranchers," added Bruckner. I asked Center for Rural Affairs  spokesperson Elisha Smith what value added was"Value-added, niche markets are one of the best strategies for creating and maintaining profitability for beginning and small and mid-size family farmers and ranchers. Those applicants that meet the beginning, small or mid-size family farm criteria will automatically get 10 points out of a total of 100."??Agricultural producers, businesses majority-owned by agricultural producers, and organizations representing agricultural producers are eligible to apply for Value Added Producer Grants for business planning or working capital expenses associated with marketing value-added agricultural products.