USDA Rural Development Grant Workshops

USDA Rural Development (RD) will hold a series of Grant Workshops for agricultural producers and rural small businesses in South Carolina to discuss the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) programs. The Workshops will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in Anderson, Chester, Florence, Kingstree, and Orangeburg.

REAP grants can pay for up to 25% of the cost of doing energy efficiency improvements to a facility, building or a process within the agricultural operation. The maximum grant amount is $250,000 and the minimum grant is $1,500. Assistance is also available for a system that produces or produces and delivers usable energy from a renewable energy source with a maximum grant of $500,000 and a minimum grant of $2,500. Applications can be filed at any time, but the awardees are not usually selected until September.

VAPGs are used to help eligible producers of agricultural commodities develop strategies to create marketing opportunities for their Value-Added Agricultural Products and/or to help develop Business Plans for viable marketing opportunities regarding production of bio-based products from agricultural commodities. The maximum grant amount for planning purposes is $100,000, and $300,000 for working capital.

Workshops are scheduled to be held at the following locations:

Tuesday, March 30, 2010
511 Michelin Blvd., Anderson, SC
864-224-2126, Ext. 4

Wednesday, March 31, 2010
525 College Place, Chester, SC
803-581-1906, Ext. 4

Thursday, April 1, 2010
527 Sumter Hwy., Kingstree, SC
843-354-9613, Ext 4

Tuesday, April 6, 2010
2200 Pocket Rd., Florence, SC
843-669-9686, Ext. 4

Wednesday, April 7, 2010
1550 Henley St., Rm. 100, Orangeburg, SC
803-649-4221, Ext. 4

For more information or to confirm attendance, contact Starla Turnage at
803-253-3183.