Financing resources for cooperative businesses include grants, loans, guaranteed loans, revolving loan funds, equity capital, and crowd sourcing. Funding can come from Federal agencies, private-public partnerships, lending institutions, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), foundations, and other organizations. If your funding opportunity is not represented here, please contact us at CoopInfo@usda.gov.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service - Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant
The Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) Program assists currently operational meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities in obtaining a Federal Grant of Inspection under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) or the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA); or to operate as a State-inspected facility that is compliant with FMIA or PPIA under a respective Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service - Regional Food System Partnerships
The Regional Food System Partnerships Program (RFSP) supports partnerships that connect public and private resources to plan and develop local or regional food systems. The program focuses on strengthening the viability and resilience of regional food economies through collaboration and coordination. RFSP supports public-private partnerships that plan and develop relationships between local and regional producers, processors, intermediaries, and institutional markets or institutional food service operations through local and regional producers and local and regional food systems. RFSP offers three types of projects: 24-month Planning and Design, 3-year Implementation and Expansion Projects, and Farm to Institution. The funding for each project ranges from $100,000 to $1,000,000.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service - Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety
The Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety (SPRS) Block Grant Program provides grants to eligible state agencies and territories to support seafood processors, including at-sea processing vessels, to respond to coronavirus, including for measures to protect workers against COVID-19. Eligible entities include the State agencies, commissions, or departments in eligible States that are responsible for agriculture, fisheries, wildlife, seafood, commercial processing, or related commerce activities within the State. AMS will make only one award per State or territory; agencies within the State must coordinate if more than one agency wishes to implement this program.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service - Sheep Production & Marketing Grant
The Sheep Production & Marketing Grant Program seeks to develop solutions for practical problems on a national basis and address the needs of the entire sheep industry, while focusing on the measurable benefits for sheep producers, encouraging partnerships among other sheep industry organizations, and reducing duplication of effort among participating organizations.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service-Farmers Market Promotion Program
The Farmers Market Promotion Program increases the availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products by providing outreach, training, and technical assistance to domestic farmers markets, community-supported agriculture programs, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. Related programs include the Regional Food System Partnerships program and the Local Food Promotion Program.
USDA Farm Service Agency - Beginning Farmer Direct and Guaranteed Loans
America's next generation of farmers and ranchers are supported through FSA's "Beginning Farmer" direct and guaranteed loan. Farm Ownership loans can provide access to land and capital. Operating loans can assist beginning farmers in become prosperous and competitive by helping to pay normal operating or family living expenses; open doors to new markets and marketing opportunities; assist with diversifying operations; and so much more. Through the Microloan programs, beginning farmers and ranchers have an important source of financial assistance during the start-up years.
USDA Farm Service Agency - Biomass Crop Assistance Program
The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) provides financial assistance to owners and operators of agricultural and non-industrial private forest land who wish to establish, produce, and deliver biomass feedstocks. BCAP provides two categories of assistance: Matching payments and Establishment and annual payments.
USDA Farm Service Agency - Commodity Credit Corporation Marketing Assistance Loans
USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) marketing assistance loans (MAL) are a marketing tool producers can use to store their production after harvest, which increases their marketing opportunities. In place of using MALs, producers may elect to take a loan deficiency payment (LDP) that provides a payment equal to any net gain from a MAL.
USDA Farm Service Agency - Commodity loans
Commodity loans provide interim financing at harvest time to meet cash flow needs.
USDA Farm Service Agency - Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the country's largest private-land conservation program. Administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), CREP leverages federal and non-federal funds to target specific State, regional, or nationally significant conservation concerns. In exchange for removing environmentally sensitive land from production and establishing permanent resource conserving plant species, farmers and ranchers are paid an annual rental rate along with other federal and non-federal incentives as specified in each CREP agreement. Participation is voluntary, and the contract period is typically 10-15 years. Enrollment for producers is available year-round as signups are ongoing. Interested producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or visit the CREP for Producers webpage.