NEWS RELEASE United States Department of Agriculture • Rural Development 1221 College Park Drive, Suite 200, Dover, DE 19904 Phone: (302) 857-3580 • Fax: (302) 857-3640 • TDD: (302) 857-3585 • Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov Committed to the future of rural communities. "USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender." To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

 

Grant Workshop in Delmar for Farmers and Small Businesses

Dover, DE February 8, 2008 –The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development will host a free workshop to provide information to Delaware and Maryland agricultural producers and small businesses on how to apply for a Value-Added Producer Grant and Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grant.

The workshop will be held on Thursday, February 28, 2008 beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Delmar Public Library, 101 North Bi-State Blvd, Delmar, DE. To register, please call (302) 857-3580 or email shari.sterling@de.usda.gov.

USDA Rural Development is currently accepting applications for 2008 Value-Added Producer Grants through March 31, 2008. A total of $18.4 million is available to agricultural producers, producer groups and farmer cooperatives. Funds can be used for determining the viability of a potential value-added venture or for working capital. A maximum of $100,000 is available per planning grant; $300,000 is the maximum per working capital. The grant can help pay for up to 50% of eligible project costs. For more information on this program visit our website at www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm.

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grant Program can pay up to 25% of the costs for an agricultural producer or small business to implement a renewable energy project or make energy efficiency improvements to their farm operation or business. An example of an energy efficiency improvement could be to simply replace lights and cooling fans in a poultry house with more energy efficient lighting and ventilation. For a small business such as a restaurant, it could be updating cooking and refrigeration equipment with energy saving appliances.

USDA Rural Development is committed to the future of rural communities. Last year, the agency returned more than $139 million to rural Delaware and rural Maryland. They have a variety of loan, grant and loan guarantee programs that support agriculture, business opportunities, home ownership, home repair, rental housing, broadband technology, public safety, health care, education, social and cultural needs and energy related projects.