Olympia, Jan. 5, 2023 – Windor Farms, LLC, an independent beginner farmer/rancher in Whatcom County will be able to increase their customer base and market their products because the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded them a $249,521 grant to provide working capital. Since 2017 this family farm has created a local destination for agritourism, farm dinners, and direct sales of their beef, pork, lamb and chicken meats. The USDA grant will be used for processing, supplies, and marketing expenses associated with processing and selling their products.
The award is one of 23 Value Added Producer Grant program grants totaling $3.9 million awarded across the country to help producer-owned companies process and market new products. This award is part of a larger announcement USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today concerning how the Biden-Harris Administration is taking several other steps to help farmers, ranchers, processors and rural businesses diversify the nation’s meat supply.
“It is a really big deal to be included in this group of grants,” said Helen Price Johnson, State Director for USDA Rural Development in Washington State. “Widnor Farms competed nationally, and won, and now they can do more of what they do best, support their customers, support their community, and the economy in rural Northwest Washington.”
“USDA is putting the needs of farmers, ranchers and consumers at the forefront of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to strengthen the resiliency of America’s food supply chain while promoting competition,” Vilsack said. “USDA has undertaken a Department-wide approach to coordinate ways to deliver more opportunities and fairer prices for producers, to give people access to healthier foods, eliminate bottlenecks in the food supply chain and ultimately lower prices for consumers.”
Secretary Vilsack also highlighted some of USDA’s accomplishments to date to support meat producers, promote competition and strengthen local and regional food supply chains. Last January, Secretary Vilsack joined President Biden at the White House to launch the Biden-Harris Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain — part of USDA’s efforts to implement President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy.
For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.