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Spring 2007 Agricultural Development Grant Program

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The Maine Department of Agriculture is soliciting proposals for the Spring 2007 Agricultural Development Grant Program. The ADG program is a competitive grant program which funds market research, market promotion and new technology demonstration projects. These grants are given to projects that will help a number of businesses, rather than support individual businesses.

This spring the Commissioner has set the following priority areas:

1. Poultry processing facilities. The poultry industry is suffering from a lack of state inspected processing facilities. Projects that help establish processing facilities will be a priority for funding.
2. New, for-profit, distribution models for supplying local or wholesale markets. Many farmers are trying to group their products together for sale to wholesale channels. Projects that demonstrate, through collective action, the establishment of, collection, standardization, common storage, processing and/or cooperative shipping of farm products that results in gaining new markets will be supported.
3. Market promotion and educational projects for locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables and other livestock products. Consumers are interested in purchasing local fresh fruits and vegetables. Projects will be supported where multiple farmers get together to increase the promotion of fresh fruits, vegetables and/or other livestock products. Projects can include consumer awareness of how products are produced.
4. New Technology Demonstration Projects for energy use of crops and livestock products or byproducts. Farmers are beginning to investigate ways to utilize farm products for the production of energy. Projects will be considered that test systems for using crops and animal byproducts that lead to sustainable, profitable production efficiencies for the farm.

Deadline for applications is March 30th, 2007. RFP can be downloaded at http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/mpd/business/grantsandloans/