The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that 20 Virginia companies will receive value-added grants from the USDA to help farmers, ranchers, small businesses and entrepreneurs develop new product lines. Grants ranged from $49,999 to $250,000 each for a wide variety of agricultural products including beef, pork, fruits, vegetables, baked goods, wine, seafood, cheese, peanuts and cosmetics made from beeswax.
The companies include:
- Kats Ag Energy Farm, dba CEA Farms, Purcelville – $250,000 to increase marketing, labor and supplies to expand value-added beef business
- Manakintowne Specialty Growers, LLC, Powhatan County – $250,000 to purchase packaging supplies, marketing and labor to increase sales of locally sold produce
- Silver Creek Orchards, Inc., Tyro – $250,000 to assist with advertising and operational costs to transition into local sales
- Cana Cellars, DBA Rappahannock Cellars, Huntly – $250,000 to assist with marketing, labor and supplies for increased wine production
- Cobblestone Milk Cooperative, Inc., Chatham – $62,000 to determine the feasibility of owning a processing plant for specialty, aged cheeses
- Farmer’s Direct, LLC, Forest – $49,999, to cover processing costs, labor and operation costs, and increased marketing for value-added berry products
- Garner’s Produce, LLC, Warsaw – $250,000 to provide working capital to market produce to a wider customer base
- Miller Farms, Inc., Locust Grove – $250,000 to purchase operational supplies, hire staff, and increase marketing to add value to goods through baking and canning
- Mountainrose Vineyards, Inc., Wise – $49,999 to assist with increased marketing, labor, and processing necessary to add sparkling wine to production line
- Papa Weaver’s Pork, Inc., Orange- $250,000 to provide working capital for marketing, labor, and supplies to help expand business and customer base
- Rappahannock River Oysters, LLC, Topping – $250,000 to increase oyster production, implement consumer friendly packaging and hire staff
- Seamans’ Orchard, L.C., Roseland – $250,000 to increase the marketing and sales of locally produced apples
- Stanburn Winery, LLC, Stuart – $250,000 to increase marketing, labor and supplies necessary for business growth
- The Good Earth Peanut Company, LLC, Skippers – $250,000 to fund marketing and operational costs to increase the volume of peanut butter, butter toasted peanuts and peanut brittle lines
- Upper Shirley Vineyards, LLC, Charles City – $250,000 to increase wine production, marketing and inventory
- Botanical Bites & Provisions, LLC, Fredericksburg – $22,205 to conduct a feasibility study to determine the viability of producing natural cosmetics made from the beeswax produced on the farm
- Marceline Vineyards, LLC, Mt. Crawford – $250,000 to increase production and marketing to increase wine sales
- Rosemont Of Virginia, LLC, LaCrosse – $180,000 to support marketing and labor expenses to increase sales of sparkling wine
- The Garden Patch, Orange – $49,999 to purchase packaging and operating supplies, offset marketing costs and pay for post-production labor
- Vintage Virginia Apples, LLC, North Garden – $250,000 to provide working capital to hire more staff, purchase packaging and hire a marketing firm to expand cider business
Value-added Producer Grants provide a much-needed source of financing to help producers develop new product lines, increase their income and keep that income in their communities. The grants can be used to develop new product lines from raw agricultural products or promote additional uses for established products. Veterans, socially disadvantaged groups, beginning farmers and ranchers, operators of small- and medium-sized family farms and ranches, and farmer and rancher cooperatives receive special priority from USDA.
This year recipients nationwide received $45 million in value-added grants. Since 2009, USDA has awarded 1,442 VAPG awards totaling $183.2 million.
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