Investment will Help Charleston County Ag Producer Increase Sales and Customer Base
Columbia, S.C., October 13, 2020 – The Trump Administration, along with Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for South Carolina Debbie Turbeville, today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $250,000 to help a Low-Country Ag Producer located in Wadmalaw Island, S.C. increase their sales and customer base. USDA is providing the funding through the Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program.
“This investment will help the Barrier Island Oyster Co. create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income. In addition, it is expected that this project will create two new jobs,” said South Carolina USDA Rural Development State Director Debbie Turbeville. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has been working tirelessly to be a strong partner to rural South Carolina in building stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
When asked about how this investment will benefit the Barrier Island Oyster Co., Josh Eboch, from Sales and Marketing said, “Through the Value-Added Producer Grant, our small oyster farm has gained access to vital financial resources we can invest into the creation of new jobs and the expansion of our local wholesale and retail markets. As the only farm of our kind in Charleston, Barrier Island Oyster Company is humbled to have the strong support of our vibrant local culinary community, and we're thrilled about the continued growth of our business that has been made possible by this grant and the support of our partners at the USDA,”
Recipients of the VAPG can use funds for planning activities or for working capital expenses related to producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product. Examples of planning activities include conducting feasibility studies and developing business plans for processing and marketing the proposed value-added product. Working capital expenses include processing costs, marketing and advertising expenses, and some inventory and salary expenses.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/sc.
If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
#
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender