The USDA is inviting avocation Farmer to employ for Value - Added Producer Grants . The program merge two years ’ worth of funding , making $ 37 million uncommitted for unexampled note value - added projects . Hobby farmers wish to apply for grants must submit their project proposals by Aug. 29 , 2011 .
“ Value - added , niche markets are one of the best strategy for produce and maintaining profitability for beginning and small and mid - sized family farmers and ranchers , ” says Traci Bruckner , assistant theatre director of insurance policy at the Center for Rural Affairs . “ Those applier that suffer the commencement , modest or mid - sized family farm measure will automatically get 10 point out of a amount of 100 . ”
VAPG is a competitive grants program that awards grants to producer to help oneself them develop farm - relate businesses that add time value to canonic agrarian products through branding , processing , product differentiation , labeling and certification , and marketing . VAPG include projects that market inherently economic value - added production , such as constitutional crops , grassfed farm animal , and topically produced and marketed food for thought products . VAPG also funds regional food for thought - supply web that benefit small- and mid - sized farms by incorporate the producer into large farm - to - plate time value chain .
Grants may be used to develop byplay plan and feasibility studies ( including merchandising program ) require to institute practicable marketing opportunities for value - added products or for work capital to lock a value - added stage business venture or alliance .
“ One of the hit engine block of belated to farmers and groups of farmers seeking VAPG support is the one - for - one matching grant requirement , ” Hoefner say . “ In a major win for granger that National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition fight for , farmers may now provide up to half the match necessary through effort equity — the farmers ’ time in developing or implementing the project . This is an important new ontogenesis that should make it easier for granger to give for program funding . ”
“ Congress made a ripe choice in targeting VAPG funds to small- and medium - sized family farms as well as to beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers , ” observe Ferd Hoefner , NSAC policy director . “ Ten percentage of computer program funding is reserved for local and regional food - supply networks that link farmers with other processors and distributors that market economic value - add up products in a manner that improves small- and average - sized farm profitability . Ten percent is also reserved for projection mainly benefit beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and rancher . ”
The VAPG program was initiated by Congress as part of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 and extended and revised as part of the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills . Funding in financial yr 2010 was more than $ 20 million , but financing was reduced to just less than $ 19 million as part of the Continuing Resolution for fiscal year 2011 . The agricultural appropriations bill passed by the House of Representatives in mid - June would slash the program by more than a third to $ 12.5 million .
“ We urge the Senate to refuse the House - passed cut to VAPG and to asseverate backing for this modern , market - base , Job - make programme , ” Hoefner order .
The Center for Rural Affairs is operate a Farm Bill Helpline to assist hobby Fannie Merritt Farmer and other producers as much as possible during the program process . It provide unmediated access to staff with cognition about the program rules who can help oneself farmers understand the software process .
The agency estimates it will make about 250 awards , which are wait to be announced by the end of November 2011 .
Applicants may submit a planning grant ( up to $ 100,000 each ) or a work cap proposal ( up to $ 300,000 each ) . The delegacy is estimating , based on old experience , the average size grant award will be $ 116,000 . In the last round of award , 41 percent of total award were under $ 50,000 .
Applicants may project any time frame for the projection , cater it does not outstrip three year . he make out covering packet will be uncommitted from the USDA Rural Development internet site .
