Announcement of Value-Added Producer Grant Application Deadlines

요약

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