More Breaking News for Producers....

Coming Soon: Agritourism and Diversification
Positioning your Business for Success Workshop Series.
The Colorado Agritourism Program is aimed at increasing the visibility of agritourism activity in Colorado, providing enterprises with the market analysis, business planning tools and networking opportunities to succeed, and encouraging community partnerships to support the further growth of the agritourism sector. These workshops will provide market overview, skill building and resource development activities to address these goals. The next workshops are March 10 in La Junta, April 21 in Delta and April 22 in Cortez. Click here for more information.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITES:

Through CSREES:

• Agricultural Prosperity for Small and Medium-sized Farms, NRI. Currently Open. Closing date June 5, 2008. The purpose of this program is to foster interdisciplinary studies to improve our understanding of the interactions between the economic and environmental components important to the long-term viability, competitiveness and efficiency of small and medium-sized farms (including social, biological and other components, if necessary). Anticipated funding $5,000,000. More information: Dr. S. Sureshwaran, Phone: 202 / 720-7536; ssureshwaran@csrees.usda.gov

• Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities: National AgrAbility Project Deadline March 31, 2008 CSREES anticipates approximately $550,000 will be available to fund a single new National AgrAbility Project for fiscal year 2008 to increase the likelihood that farmers, ranchers, farm workers, or farm family members with disabilities and their farms experience success. Contact: Brad Rein, 202-401-5179; brein@csres.usda.gov.
  

USDA's Risk Management Agency:
Note: Closing date and time for receipt of applications for following four programs is 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on March 24, 2008.

• Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program: approximately $5 million in fiscal year 2008 (subject to availability of funds) for collaborative outreach and assistance programs for limited resource, socially disadvantaged and other traditionally under-served farmers and ranchers, who produce Priority Commodities as defined within the RFA. Contact: David Wiggins: 202-690-2686; david.wiggins@rma.usda.gov

• Commodity Partnerships for Risk Management Education Program (Commodity Partnerships Program) includes approximately $3.75 million (subject to availability) for cooperative partnership agreements to deliver training and information in management of production, marketing and financial risk to U.S. agricultural producers. Priority will be given to educating producers of crops currently not insured under Federal crop insurance, specialty crops, and underserved commodities, including livestock and forage. Contact Lon Burke at 202-720-5265 or RMA.Risk-Ed@rma.usda.gov

• Commodity Partnerships for Small Agricultural Risk Management Education Sessions (Commodity Partnerships for Small Session Program) includes approximately $500,000 (subject to availability) for cooperative partnerships to deliver training and information in the management of production, marketing and financial risk to U.S. agricultural producers. Priority will be given to educating producers of crops currently not insured under Federal crop insurance, specialty crops, and underserved commodities, including livestock and forage. Contact Lon Burke at 202-720-5265 or email at RMA.Risk-Ed@rma.usda.gov

• Targeted States Program: includes approximately $4.5 (subject to availability) for cooperative agreements to deliver crop insurance education and information to producers in states that have been identified as historically underserved. Contact Lon Burke at 202-720-5265 or email at RMA.Risk-Ed@rma.usda.gov
  

USDA's Rural Development Cooperative Programs:

• Small, Minority Producer grant program. Deadline: April 8, 2008 Approximately $1.463 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year 2008 for cooperatives and associations of cooperatives to fund technical assistance to small, minority agricultural producers. The maximum award per grant is $175,000. More information: Diane Berger, (202) 690-1508.
  

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service:

• Farmers Market Promotion Program Deadline: March 24, 2008 Approximately $1 million is allocated for Fiscal Year 2008 to help improve and expand domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. The maximum amount awarded for any one proposal cannot exceed $75,000. Entities eligible to apply include agricultural cooperatives, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public health corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers market authorities and Tribal government. For more information: Carmen Humphrey, 202-720-8317; USDAFMPP@usda.gov
  

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service:

• USDA is offering $5 million in grants to improve participation in food stamps through partnership between a state agency and private non-profit faith-based or community organizations to help working poor and needy households better understand food stamp benefits. Deadline: May 5, 2008 Contact: Lisa Johnson: 703 - 305-2848.