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Another round of funding announced to increase processing capacity
The USDA has announced more funding to help increase processing capacity.
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement during the USDA’s Ag Outlook Forum on Thursday. Vilsack says $150 million can be used for construction, expanding current facilities, and/or equipment. “We’re looking for projects that will also benefit small-sized farming operations, looking for operations that will help new and beginning farmers (and) applications that my focus on veteran-owned farming operations.”
He says workforce issues also need to be addressed, especially with expanding capacity. “These resources will be resources to expand training opportunities through cooperative extension, through community colleges and technical schools,” he says. “We’ll be publishing a request for applications in April of this year that community colleges and technical colleges in particular that might be interested in looking at it.”
Vilsack said they’re also making $25 million to establish an assistance network to help with application efforts.
He says these announcements are just the beginning and the depart anticipates another $500 million in grants and loans to be released this summer.
