Funding Supports New York’s Local and Regional Food System and Beginning Farmers
Earlier this week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the importance of rural entrepreneurs to the U.S. economy and announced investments to help rural businesses grow, diversify and create jobs. USDA is investing $1.8 million to help 20 businesses in rural New York expand their operations and create new products to market.
The funding is being provided through USDA Rural Development's Value-Added Producer Grant program. The program helps agricultural producers grow their businesses by turning raw commodities into value-added products, expanding marketing opportunities and developing new uses for existing products.
"The funding we are announcing today will have far-reaching, positive impacts in rural communities throughout New York State," Vilsack said. "The investments will help businesses create new products, expand their operations, and support local and regional food systems. The new Farm Bill expands this program to provide even more of these opportunities."
Below is a complete list of recipients. Funding for each project is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the grant agreement.
|
McCollum Orchards, LLC |
$49,500 |
Funds will be used for marketing the farm’s new Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project. |
|
Goodale Farms Inc. |
$80,000 |
Rural Development funds will be used to promote its goat's milk cheeses and fresh pasteurized cow's milk to a primarily Long Island market. Goodale Farms is one of the only milk‐producing farms on Long Island. |
|
Casa Larga Vineyards, LLC |
$200,000 |
Rural Development funds will be used to launch operation of a new farmers' market, which will feature numerous local food products along with the winery's line of wines, ales, and sodas. |
|
Kriemhild Dairy Farms LLC |
$49,999 |
Rural Development funds will be used to assist the grantee with working capital funds related to packaging materials of their cultured butter, sour cream, creme fraiche, and buttermilk product lines. |
|
Patty Reagan's Boudoir, Inc. |
$10,710 |
Rural Development funds will be used to assist with working capital expenses to expand marketing and production of the grantee’s hard cider products. |
|
FarmieMarket Online LLC |
$24,490 |
Rural Development funds will be used to increase online customer base in an expanded geographic region for 16 small farmer members who produce a broad range of fresh foods that are aggregated, ordered, and sold online. |
|
Evans Farmhouse Creamery |
$46,977 |
Rural Development funds will be used to assist the grantee with working capital needs for their new organic line of Greek yogurt and aged cheese using milk from grass‐fed cows. |
|
Empire Farmstead Brewery, Inc. |
$200,000 |
Rural Development funds will be used to assist with working capital expense related to brewing, marketing, and bottling of the grantee’s new line of craft beers containing ingredients grown on their farm. |
|
Mace Chasm Farm LLC |
$30,707 |
Rural Development funds will be used to assist the grantee with purchasing packaging materials and labor associated with their on‐farm butcher shop and food truck ventures. |
|
Black Willow Winery |
$175,000 |
Rural Development funds will be used to pay for costs associated with the production and marketing of an estate peach wine made from peaches grown on the family farm. |
|
Blackman Homestead Farm |
$49,500 |
Rural Development funds will be used to produce and market a range of fresh fruit juices using excess fruit production from the farm. |
|
Ashlee Kleinhammer dba North Country Creamery at Clover Mead Farm |
$49,504 |
Rural Development funds will be used to expand sales of the farm’s locally marketed line of cultured dairy products and cheeses. |
|
RT Solutions, LLC |
$156,500 |
Rural Development funds will be used to brand and advertise their unique liquid vermicompost extract, a high‐value organic liquid plant fertilizer derived from worm castings. |
|
Lagoner Farms, Inc. |
$49,900 |
Rural Development funds will be used to pay costs associated with producing and marketing hard cider made from raw apples grown on the farm. |
|
5 Spoke Creamery, LLC |
$49,893 |
Rural Development funds will be used to pay for labor and marketing costs associated with the grantee's new kosher artisanal raw milk cheese from milk produced by grass fed cows. |
|
TreeCrisp2Go |
$200,000 |
Rural Development funds will be used for working capital expenses related to packaging materials and co‐packing fees as the orchard expands sales of their locally grown apples throughout New York State. |
|
Good Life Farm |
$49,818 |
The Good Life Farm owners will use grant funds to market their hard cider products in conjunction with other local cideries at a tasting room and retail outlet on the Cayuga Wine Trail. |
|
Victorianbourg Wine Estate |
$175,000 |
Rural Development funds will be used to pay for costs associated with the production and marketing of Muscat wine made from a new hybrid Muscat grape grown on the farm. |
|
Sarah Van Orden |
$37,000 |
Rural Development funds will be used to increase the retail and wholesale customer base for artisanal cheeses made from milk produced on this Finger Lakes dairy farm. |
|
Side Hill Farmers Cooperative, Inc. |
$199,426 |
Rural Development grant funds will be used for operating funds to expand consumer awareness of Side Hill Farmers Cooperative branded beef and pork products, which are marketed through the co‐op's retail store. |
Since 2009, USDA has awarded 863 Value-Added Producer Grants totaling $108 million. Twenty percent of the grants and 16 percent of total funding has been awarded to beginning farmers and ranchers. The 2014 Farm Bill increases mandatory funding for the program from $15 million to $63 million over five years (while also reauthorizing an additional $40 million in discretionary funding).
The grants can be used for a wide range of purposes. They can support local and regional food systems, further the development of the growing bioeconomy, and finance the distribution of local and regional products.
Value-Added Producer Grants are an element of USDA's Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, which coordinates USDA's work to support local and regional food systems. Previous Value-Added Producer Grants supporting local and regional projects are mapped on the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food compass.
The announcement of today's funding was made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve the quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.
President Obama's historic investments in rural America have made our rural communities stronger. Under his leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities.