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Value Added Producer Grant


USDA Supports Uncle Jerry's Farm on its Path to Prosperity

June 08, 2023 staff of USDA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Uncle Jerry’s Farm, LLC.’s humble beginnings stretch back to 2015, when a health-conscious consumer, Debora Coleman, decided to devote a small patch of her land on the outskirts of Jackson, Mississippi, to the growing shiitake mushrooms. She shared the yield with friends and family members...

Equity Farming Initiatives

National Co-op Month: How USDA Rural Development Supports Cooperatives

October 04, 2022 Darrah Perryman, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA Rural Development

Cooperatives are a vital pillar of the U.S. economy and contribute essential goods and services to rural America. Many communities rely on cooperatives to provide locally grown food, housing, electricity, financial services, internet, retail services, and so much more.

Rural

Returning Veterans Put Down Roots with USDA

November 15, 2016 Sam Rikkers, Administrator, Rural Business Service

After 21 years of dedicated service in the United States Air Force, Jim and Laura Leffel looked to establish their “forever home.” Both natives of the Midwest, they moved to a small farm south of Eau Claire, Wisconsin to plant their roots, quite literally. Laura and Jim are now owners of Leffel...

Rural

USDA Supports Rural Small Business in Missouri

May 06, 2016 USDA Rural Development Missouri State Director Janie Dunning

In Fulton, Missouri lies a hidden gem, a meat-lover’s dream to say the least. Starting out as a small processing center, the Brinker family expanded their business, Central Missouri Meat and Sausage, into a retail store and food court. Filled with the aroma of smoked pork, tender beef and a large...

Rural

USDA Helps Small Business Grow Into Something Big

May 02, 2016 Sam Rikkers, Administrator, Rural Business Cooperatives Service

Corwin Heatwole describes himself as quite the stubborn - though innovative - teenager. Leaving home at 17 years of age, this hardworking young man from Harrisonburg, Va. started several successful businesses in his early 20s before he discovered that there was a growing demand for organic chicken...

Rural

Mutually Beneficial Cooperation: The Three Sisters

November 30, 2015 Sam Rikkers, Acting Administrator, Rural Business Service, USDA Rural Development

USDA celebrates National Native American Heritage Month in November with a blog series focused on USDA’s support of Tribal Nations and highlighting a number of our efforts throughout Indian Country and Alaska. Follow along on the USDA blog . For centuries, Native Americans have cultivated the soil...

Initiatives Rural

From Tomatoes to Yarn: Value Added Producer Grants Help Agriculture Entrepreneurs Get Ahead

June 05, 2015 Katharine Ferguson, Chief of Staff, Rural Development

“When you are a small farm, you don’t have a lot of capital.” says Julie Donnelly of Deepwoods Farm, a small tomato farm she runs with her husband in Bradley County, Arkansas. Despite being in an area known for its tomatoes, Deepwoods Farms was having a hard time getting ahead. “We couldn’t get past...

Food and Nutrition Farming Rural

No Sour Grapes for a Nebraska Vinegar Crafter

October 21, 2014 Maxine Moul, Nebraska State Director, USDA Rural Development

Fifteen years ago, George Johnson and his daughter, Emily, began their first foray into winemaking, vinifying local wild grapes and other fruits in their home in rural Cody, Nebraska. At the suggestion of a family friend, they began to experiment with turning their uniquely flavored wines into...

Rural

Fermentation Fest - Innovation and Creativity in Rural Wisconsin

October 02, 2014 Stan Gruszynski, Wisconsin State Director, USDA Rural Development

As we enter the autumn season, the harvest is on most Wisconsinites' minds. I'm particularly excited to be participating in an upcoming gathering in Reedsburg where the Wormfarm Institute’s annual Fermentation Fest will be taking place from October 4 th through the 13 th. In addition to workshops on...

Food and Nutrition Farming Rural

Value-Added Grants Help Minnesota Pork Farm Meet Growing Demand

December 26, 2012 Adam Czech, Minnesota USDA Public Information Officer

“We think that fresh air and sunshine are the best health guarantee.” That’s the quote you’ll see after opening a brochure from Pastures A Plenty Farm. Spend an hour with the VanDerPol family and you quickly understand that those words are much more than just a marketing slogan. It’s the family’s...

Food and Nutrition Farming Rural
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