$19 Million
in Grants for Value-Added Ag Ventures
(like EcoCover)
WASHINGTON, April 23, 2007 - Agriculture
Secretary Mike Johanns today announced
the availability of $19.5 million to
help independent agricultural producers
enter into value-added activities.
Potential uses include a wide range of
products that allow the producer to
enhance the revenue stream generated
from their crops and other production.
Examples include conversion to organic
production, processing of raw
commodities to a finished product, and
the conversion of farm crops to create
renewable energy sources.
"These
grants are a vital tool to help support
rural businesses, create new markets for
agricultural products and help the
United States become more energy
independent," Johanns said. "They
represent the exciting new direction
we're proposing for the energy and rural
development titles of a new farm bill
this year."
Value-Added Agricultural Product Market
Development grants, also known as
Value-Added Producer Grants, are
available to help agriculture producers
develop business plans to produce
biobased products from agricultural
commodities. Awards may be made for
planning activities or for working
capital expenses, but not for both. The
maximum grant amount for a planning
grant is $100,000. The maximum grant
amount for a working capital grant is
$300,000. Applicants must provide
matching funds at least equal to the
amount of the grant requested.
The grants
may be used for planning activities,
such as feasibility studies, marketing
and business plans needed to establish a
viable value-added marketing opportunity
for an agricultural product. They also
may be used to provide working capital
for operating a value-added business
venture, marketing value-added
agricultural products and for farm-based
renewable energy projects. Applicants
must be an independent producer,
agriculture producer group, farmer or
rancher cooperative, or
majority-controlled producer-based
business.
Since
2001, USDA has funded $139 million in
value-added grants for more than 940
recipients nationwide, including $25
million to develop and market renewable
energy projects in 33 states. Renewable
energy projects include biodiesel,
ethanol or wind energy production, or
the use of biomass to generate energy.
USDA Rural
Development's mission is to deliver
programs in a way that will support
increasing economic opportunity and
improve the quality of life of rural
residents. Rural Development has
invested more than $76.8 billion since
the beginning of the Bush Administration
to provide equity and technical
assistance to finance and foster growth
in homeownership, business development,
and critical community and technology
infrastructure. As a result, more than
1.5 million jobs have been created or
saved through these investments. Further
information on rural programs is
available at a local USDA Rural
Development office or by visiting USDA's
web site at
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov .
What's Up with EcoPins?
An
apparently insatiable demand for EcoPins
in New Zealand (over 100,000 sold to
date - all we can make) combined with a
record high value of the New Zealand
dollar versus the USA dollar has caused
us to delay the importation of EcoPins
to North America.
Small quantities can be purchased online
here or we can quote you a direct
from New Zealand delivery in the
interim. Pardon the delay.
Buy EcoCover Sample Material Online
There are
lots of folks who are interested in
trying EcoCover and we are having brisk
sales on samples delivered directly from
New Zealand.
You can order online here. The
number of Canadians purchasing samples
is almost equal to Yanks. It will be
interesting to see how EcoCover works up
north and elsewhere. We are looking
forward to your feedback.
The future
is EcoCover.
Cheers,
Ron Castle
EcoCover
Business Development
North
American Office
EcoCover
Developments Limited (NZ)
