United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Georgia Rural Development State Director Reggie A. Taylor today announced FY2021 investments to support local businesses and strengthen the rural economy.
“USDA is committed to doing what we can to improve the economy, so value is added closer to home and the wealth created in rural areas stays in rural areas,” said Taylor.
The funding announced today will help people and businesses in diverse communities and industries throughout Georgia. It will help companies hire more workers and reach new customers. And it will help entrepreneurs, business cooperatives and farmers create jobs, grow businesses and find new and better markets for the items they produce.
For example:
The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income.
You may receive priority if you are a beginning farmer or rancher, a socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher, a small or medium-sized farm or ranch structured as a family farm, a farmer or rancher cooperative or are proposing a mid-tier value chain. Grants are awarded through a national competition.
|
County, Congressional District |
Recipient |
Value-Added Grant Amount |
Product |
|
Bibb, GA 08 |
Rocking Chair Ranch |
$ 250,000 |
ready to eat products |
|
Burke, GA 12 |
Frank’s Farm |
$ 250,000 |
grass fed beef |
|
Catoosa, GA 14 |
Hobo Cheese Company |
$ 162,000 |
cheese |
|
Clay, GA 02 |
Southern Pasture |
$ 250,000 |
grass fed lamb |
|
Clinch, GA 01 |
Great American Cobbler |
$ 250,000 |
blackberry and blueberry cobblers |
|
Dekalb, GA 04 |
Pride Road LLC |
$ 250,000 |
hibiscus products |
|
Dougherty, GA 02 |
New Communities at Cypress Pond |
$ 250,000 |
working capital for shelled pecan products |
|
Greene, GA 10 |
Choate Family Farm |
$ 250,000 |
lamb meat products |
|
Hall, GA 09 |
Cloudland Vineyards |
$ 250,000 |
wines |
|
Jenkins, GA 12 |
920 Cattle & Co |
$ 250,000 |
beef cuts |
|
Lamar, GA 03 |
My Wife's Jerkey Co |
$ 250,000 |
beef jerky products |
|
Lee, GA 02 |
Goodson Pecans |
$ 250,000 |
working capital for pecan granola varieties |
|
Lowndes, GA 08 |
Rolling Branch Farm |
$ 250,000 |
pecans |
|
Mitchell, GA 02 |
Georgia Organic Peanut Assoc |
$ 250,000 |
expand peanut market to EU |
|
Mitchell, GA 02 |
Longleaf Ridge |
$ 250,000 |
sweet corn |
|
Thomas, GA 08 |
American Turmeric |
$ 250,000 |
working capital, Georgia Gold products |
|
Tift, GA 08 |
Warrior Creek Premium Meats |
$ 250,000 |
whole hog sausage production |
|
Union, GA 09 |
Living Water Winery |
$ 138,670 |
carbonated wine products |
|
TOTAL Value-Added Producer Grants GEORGIA FY 2021 |
$ 4,300,670 |
The Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) to help microenterprises startup and growth through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund; and to provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs.
|
County, Congressional District |
Recipient |
Loan |
Grant |
Purpose |
|
Fulton, GA 05 |
Operation Hope, Inc. |
$ 100,000 |
Carrolton, Ga Business Assistance |
|
|
Chatham, GA 01 |
Small Business Assistance Corporation |
$ 500,000 |
Revolving Loan Fund |
|
|
TOTAL Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program GEORGIA FY 2021 |
$500,000 Loan |
$100,000 Grant |
The Rural Cooperative Development Grant program improves the economic condition of rural areas by helping individuals and businesses start, expand or improve rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses through Cooperative Development Centers. Grants are awarded through a national competition.
|
County, Congressional District |
Recipient |
Grant |
Purpose |
|
Carroll, GA 03 |
Georgia Cooperative Development Center |
$ 70,000 |
facilitate the creation or retention of jobs in rural areas through the development of new cooperatives, value-added processing and rural businesses |
|
Total Rural Community Development Grants GEORGIA FY2021 |
$ 70,000 |
Background:
These programs are part of a suite of business and cooperative services that are projected to help create or save jobs in rural America through investments made in fiscal year 2021.
Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans 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, Tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. USDA Rural Development is prioritizing projects that will support key priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration to help rural America build back better and stronger. Key priorities include combating the COVID-19 pandemic; addressing the impacts of climate change; and advancing equity in rural America. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.