Value Added Producer Grant Program Accepting Applications
The United States Department of Agriculture is now accepting grant applications for the Value-Added Producer Grant program, with applications due July 1. A total of $44 million is available nationally to support agricultural producers entering into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of value-added products, significantly more than in recent years.
Applicants can apply for up to $250,000 to support direct marketing opportunities and up to $75,000 for market research and planning projects. All grant funding must be matched dollar for dollar. Awards are anticipated to be announced September 30, 2016 with projects beginning shortly thereafter.
The Value Added Producer Grant aims to help farmers and ranchers, agricultural cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups expand value-added activities. Generating new products, creating and expanding marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income are the end goals of this program.
Morrison has significant experience with this program, and collectively we’ve helped our clients secure more than $12 million in VAPG funding over our history, achieving a more than 90 percent success rate for program with about a 20%-25% national success rate.
Morrison has limited space to assist additional applicants with this program for this funding round, and will be finalizing our applicant list around the end of the week; any prospective applicants that we cannot assist immediately will be placed on a waiting list.
If you have interest in applying please contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764 by Friday April 15.