Announcement of Value-Added Producer Grant Application Deadlines

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Rural Development (RD) previously withdrew the May 6, 2009 Federal Register notice (74 FR 20900), which was published in error, announcing the availability of approximately $18 million in competitive grants for fiscal year (FY) 2009 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. This notice announces the availability of approximately $18 million in competitive grants for fiscal year (FY) 2009 to help independent agricultural producers enter into or expand value-added activities, with the following clarifications and alterations: (1) Highlights the inclusion of Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, as well as operators of Small and Medium-sized farms or ranches that are structured as a Family Farm, and provides more weight in the scoring process, (2) deletes contradictory language related to the eligibility of applicants under the newly allowable mid-tier value chain provision by clarifying that the applicant entity must be eligible under the legislatively-stated categories (but the network they are part of can include virtually any type of organization), (3) establishes the upper limit of "medium-sized farm" at between $250,001 an