Deadline: 17 April 2025
The United States Department of Agriculture is inviting applications for its Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program to help agricultural producers enter value-added activities to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income.
Priorities
- You may receive priority if you are a:
- Beginning farmer or rancher.
- Veteran farmer or rancher.
- Socially-disadvantaged farmer or rancher.
- Small or medium-sized farm and ranch structured as a family farm.
- Farmer or rancher cooperative.
- Proposing a mid-tier value chain.
Funding Information
- Program Funding: Approximately $30 million in total available funding.
- Maximum Grant Amount: Planning Grants $75,000; Working Capital Grants: $250,000.
Uses of the Funds
- Grant and matching funds can be used for planning activities or for working capital expenses related to producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product.
- Examples of planning activities include:
- Conducting feasibility studies.
- Developing business plans.
- Developing marketing plans for the proposed value-added product.
- Examples of working capital expenses include:
- Processing costs.
- Marketing and advertising expenses.
- Some inventory and salary expenses.
Eligibility Criteria
- Agricultural producers (includes harvesters and steering committees), agricultural producer groups, farmer- or rancher-cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures, as defined in the program regulation, are eligible to apply for this program.
For more information, visit United States Department of Agriculture.
