Supporting Small & Mid-Sized Farmers

Supporting Small & Mid-Sized Farmers

Supporting Small & Mid-Sized Farmers. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture.

In this day and age it seems like the little guy is always struggling. You have the big box stores and then the little boutique who are always playing catch up. It's the same for farming and ranching operations. Now USDA's is targeting small and midsize farmers with a focus on technical help and advice according to Under Secretary Doug O'Brien.

O'BRIEN: This is all about helping these small farmers be successful, to improve their business plan and their business strategies.

O'Brien says these programs are designed to support both small and mid-sized agricultural producers and beginning farmers.

O'BRIEN: We were fortunate to have the farm bill recently signed. It includes a number of programs that help small farmers and organizations that have a mission to help beginning farmers and so USDA Rural Development has a few of those programs. The first one being the Small and Socially Disadvantaged Producer Grant program. Eligible projects in this program include market research, product and or service improvement feasibility studies, training and the implementation of business plans.

And he talks about another program.

O'BRIEN: Another program that we're announcing is the Rural Cooperative Grant program, an important program to support those organizations that help farm entities and farm cooperatives. Eligible projects include those that improve the economic condition of rural areas by supporting the startup, expansion or operational improvement of rural cooperatives and other business entities.

That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.

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