COLUMBIA, Tenn. — If
you’re a farmer interested in building or extending a value-added business,
take notice. The University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture,
together with specialists from UT Extension, USDA, AgLaunch and the Tennessee
Department of Agriculture among others, will conduct a workshop that may help
you get funding.
The Developing Value-Added Agriculture Businesses workshop will occur on
January 25. This all-day virtual workshop is designed to help producers with
value-added enterprises identify business planning resources and technical
assistance, grant opportunities and cost-share programs available to them. The
focus of the workshop will be on helping producers develop their ideas for
USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) program, a competitive program that
helps producers enter into value-added activities related to processing and
marketing new products.
USDA recently announced $33 million of available funding for the VAPG program,
explains Hal Pepper, financial analysis specialist with the Center for
Profitable Agriculture. “Our goal is to see Tennessee producers capture more of
these grant funds and build successful value-added businesses. Last year producers
in the state received twelve awards totaling $2.1 million.”
Pepper says grant and matching funds may be used for planning activities (such
as a feasibility study or business or marketing plan) or for working capital
expenses related to producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product.
Workshop participants will learn what’s needed to develop a successful
application and how to get started in the grant application process. Presenters
will explain how to complete the application and how proposals are reviewed and
scored. A grant writer/business planner will offer tips, and a producer who
previously received a VAPG award will discuss lessons learned from the
experience.
Register online for the Developing Value-Added Agriculture Businesses workshop.
Sessions will begin at 9 a.m. Central/10 a.m. Eastern and end by 3:30 p.m.
Central/4:30 p.m. Eastern. There is no fee to attend, but pre-registration is
required.
Through its land-grant mission of research,
teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.
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