Huron, S.D., Sep 8, 2020 – The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $594,038 to help four South Dakota agricultural producers develop new products and expand their business lines.
“This funding helps agricultural producers generate new products, creating and expanding marketing opportunities that will ultimately improve the bottom line of their operations. The Value-Added Producer Grant program is especially useful to beginning farmers and smaller farm operations,” said USDA Rural Development South Dakota State Director Julie Gross. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has been working tirelessly to be a strong partner to rural South Dakota in building stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Successful recipients include:
- DX Beef, LLC near Eagle Butte will receive $44,288 to use as working capital to increase sales through processing and marketing of value-added beef products. DX Beef, LLC will optimize sales opportunities of their grass-fed beef to include processing, packaging, and labeling of the locally produced beef. This will include sales at local businesses, farmers market events, and through their online ordering platform.
- Farm Life Creamery, LLC near Ethan will receive $49,750 to use as working capital to optimize sales by adding an additional product line into the business and expanding an existing line. Farm Life Creamery, LLC will be bottling pasteurized whole Grade A milk, along with expanding the Artisan cheeses in production.
- Evergreen Specialty Foods, LLC near Custer will receive $250,000 to use as working capital to take a raw commodity of Criollo beef cattle and process into grass-fed, grass-finished beef products. The processed and packaged products will be sold to consumers, restaurants, retailers, and health and education institutions.
- Lemmonmade, Inc. based in Lemmon will receive $250,000 to use as working capital for the processing of Heritage Berkshire hogs into retail cuts of meat. Lemmonmade, Inc. was established April 12, 2018 and provides the community with local food cuts of heritage meats. The pork will be processed, fabricated, smoke-cured-seasoned, and vacuum packed.
Today’s funding is being provided through USDA Rural Development’s Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. VAPG grants may be used for planning activities or working capital expenses related to producing or marketing a value-added product including feasibility studies, business plans, processing of the value-added product, logo and website development, and marketing and distribution. Funds cannot be used for agriculture production or the purchase of land, buildings, or equipment.
Independent agricultural producers, farmer or rancher cooperatives, and producer-controlled entities are eligible to apply. Veterans, socially disadvantaged groups, beginning farmers and ranchers, operators of small- and medium-sized family farms and ranches, and farmer and rancher cooperatives are given special priority.
If you have questions about the VAPG program, contact South Dakota’s USDA Rural Business and Cooperative Programs Director Grant Konechne at (605) 352-1142 or grant.konechne@usda.gov.
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/sd or call (605) 352-1100.
If you’d like to subscribe to South Dakota USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
Follow us on Twitter @RD_SouthDakota.
#
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.