USDA providing $6.3 million
in grants for rural co-op
development in 24 states
ural cooperative development
in 24 states got a
$6.3 million boost from
USDA Rural
Development in
September, when Agriculture
Secretary Ann M. Veneman
announced the recipients of 2004
Cooperative Development Grants.
“Viable cooperative ventures are
important to increasing economic
development in rural areas,”
Veneman said. “These funds are
important to ensuring farmers and
ranchers have added opportunity
to fully use their natural resources
to create value-added ventures.”
The grants were awarded on a
competitive basis and are intended
to foster rural cooperative development
through projects that provide
rural residents with education and
technical assistance in areas of
cooperative startup, marketing and
managing, and other self-help tools.
In Pennsylvania, for example,
Veneman said the Bush administration
is providing grant funds to the
Keystone Development Center of
State College, which is working to
support the formation of 11 farmer
alliances and cooperatives. The
effort includes developing cooperatives
for forest-owners, biodiesel
production and other natural
resource-based ventures.
Another example is the Center
for Rural Cooperative Business
Development (CRCBD) at South
Carolina State University, which
received a $146,656 grant to help
rural residents start new co-ops
and to develop marketing plans and
improve co-op management practices.
In 1999, South Carolina State became
the first historically black college or
university to house a CRBCD. In
2001, the Center launched a farm-toschool
produce project which encourages
school districts to buy fresh fruit
and vegetables from local co-ops of
small farming operations.
