NEWS
RELEASE
United States Department
of Agriculture Rural Development
3001 Coolidge Rd. 2nd Floor North Suite 200 East Lansing, MI 48823
Phone: (517) 324-5204 Fax: (517) 324-5225
alec.lloyd@mi.usda.gov
Contact: Alec Lloyd
(517) 324-5204
EAST LANSING, June 8, 2010 U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Director for Michigan James J. Turner today announced two Value-Added Producer Grants for businesses in Manistee and Montcalm counties.
Douglas Valley in Manistee will receive a $150,000 grant to develop a line of hard ciders, wines and goat milk made with organically grown ingredients, expanding their current market to the restaurant, specialty food and wine shops industry.
Sietsema Farms, L.L.C. in Allendale will receive a $149,165 grant to gasify turkey litter, creating electricity, steam and ash.
The grants are part of $22.5 million in grants to recipients in 45 states. Michigan has seven projects totaling $814,815.
Funds may be used for feasibility studies or business plans, working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy projects. Eligible applicants include independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups. Value-added products are created when a producer increases the consumer value of an agricultural commodity in the production or processing stage.
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages more than 40 housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of 6,100 employees located in the nations capital and 500 state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $138 billion in loans and loan guarantees.
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