Ag Grant Workshops Being Held Around the State

Farmers interested in applying for various agricultural grants are being invited to attend one of four workshops being organized throughout Wisconsin this month. The forums are designed to give farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs information, tools and hands-on training to strengthen grant and loan applications.

Specific grant programs to be covered include:

• USDA’s Value Added Producer Grant – provides planning and working capital funds to farmers and farmer-based enterprises to develop and implement value-added ventures.
• USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education – funds research, marketing and demonstration projects.
• USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant – funds endeavors that enhance the competitiveness of Wisconsin Specialty Crops
• DATCP’s Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin – funds projects that increase the demand for and supply of locally produced foods in Wisconsin.

Dates and locations of the workshops include: September 17, Club 95, Hixton; September 18, Lincoln County Service Room, Merrill; September 23, Wellspring Coference Center, West Bend; and September 30, UW-Platteville.

Registration is $15.00 per person and includes materials and lunch. For more information or to register, call 715-284-4257 or 608-342-7244.

The workshops are being organized by Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, USDA Rural Development, UW-Cooperative Extension and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture.