The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is providing nearly $1.7 million to rural Oregon farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs to help them develop new product lines, announced State Director Vicki Walker today. These awards are part of a national announcement of $45 million in investments in 325 projects through USDA’s Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program.
“By helping agricultural producers develop new product lines and access new markets, USDA is contributing to business expansion and job creation in our rural communities,” said Walker. “Through their innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit, these small businesses are growing local economies and helping rural America to prosper.”
Value Added Producer Grants can be used to develop and market new product lines from raw agricultural products or to promote additional uses for established products. 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.
TMK Farm in Klamath Falls is receiving a $228,000 grant to produce and market artisan cheese at its creamery in Canby. This family farm will purchase processing materials and supplies, as well as hire a design consultant to help the business expand into new markets. Overall, the grant will provide the resources this rural business needs to hire two additional full-time employees and develop five new cheese varieties.
In Applegate in southern Oregon, Thompson Creek Organics is receiving a $100,000 grant to develop and market apple wine and Pommeau. The business will use this funding to purchase bottles and labels for its new products. Additionally, Thompson Creek Organics will create advertising materials and a website to promote its new beverages. Overall, this effort will help to strengthen the market position of this small, rural business and increase its revenue while simultaneously enabling it to retain jobs and provide additional employment opportunities.
Today’s funding builds on USDA’s historic investments in rural America over the past seven years. USDA has worked to strengthen and support rural communities and American agriculture, an industry that supports one in 11 American jobs, provides Americans with more than 80 percent of the food we consume, ensures Americans spend less of their paychecks at the grocery store than most people in other countries, and supports markets for homegrown renewable energy and materials.
Since 2009, USDA Rural Development (@USDARD) has invested nearly $13 billion to start or expand nearly 112,000 rural businesses, including $183 million for 1,441 value-added projects; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 9,200 community facilities, such as schools, public safety, and healthcare facilities; and helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. USDA also invested $38.2 billion in 1,057 electric projects that have financed more than 198,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents. To read more about USDA’s investments in rural America, visit USDA's entry on Medium.com, Rural America Is Back in Business.