Tuesday, Jun 18 2013 3:23PM
New USDA grants may help improve agriculture in rural communities.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking grant applications from cooperatives to provide technical assistance to small and socially disadvantaged agricultural producers in rural areas.
The grants will be distributed by the USDA Rural Development's Small, Socially Disadvantaged Producer Grant program (SSDPG), and can be used to provide training and resources to agricultural producers who lack the same resources and opportunities as producers in larger areas. In order to obtain the grants, eligible applicants must be cooperatives, groups of cooperatives and cooperative development centers where a majority of the governing board or board of directors is comprised of individuals who are members of socially disadvantaged groups.
To obtain grants from the chosen cooperatives, farmers, ranchers, loggers, agricultural harvesters and fishermen must have averaged $250,000 or less in annual gross sales of agricultural products in the last three years.
"These grants will jumpstart small business hiring and help producers in areas facing economic challenges get the tools they need to succeed," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Small businesses are the engines of job growth and innovation in America."
The maximum grant amount will be $200,000. USDA grants have been essential in bolstering economic community development in rural areas, and agricultural grants in particular have helped professionals shape their businesses, invest in new cost-saving technology and improve business operations.
For more information, check out this resource: The U.S. Department of Agriculture