09/19/06 Washington benefits from USDA grants

Washington Ag September 19, 2006 In the last week USDA's Rural Development has announced millions of dollars in grants some of which are coming to Washington State. Rural Development undersecretary Douglas Faulkner says one area of grants is for value added products. Faulkner: "I would characterize it as giving new vent to America's entrepreneurs for them to increase our global competitiveness for our home grown ingenuity and innovation. It is really related to agricultural production and those ideas come in and they get ranked. There is no kind of limit, nor should there be a limit, on the kind of ideas coming in the door." One of the four value added grants Washington is receiving is going to Wilcox Farms. They will apply their nearly 45-thousand dollar grant toward completing a marketing and communications plan for organic liquid egg products to be marketed to consumers, to bakers and other businesses requiring all organic ingredients. Under another grant program for cooperative development centers, the Northwest Cooperative Development Center is receiving over 233-thousand dollars, the fourth in as many years. Under broadband community connect grants, the community of Springdale, Washington is receiving over 529-thousand dollars to connect the police department, medical center and community center. Washington is also receiving economic impact grants for several communities that will benefit emergency first responders. I'm Bob Hoff.