Government Grants within the United States Agricultural Sector

by: Michael Saunders

Agriculture, one of the largest sectors of the economy, is an industry that involves the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi, and other life forms for food, fiber, biofuel and other products that are primarily utilized to sustain life.

The agriculture industry is one of the key players in the sustenance of a stable economy. For this reason, the United States government has pioneered in aiding the growth and expansion of the industry.

The United States government has established a few agencies that are especially designed to assist and support concerns regarding agriculture and provide grants and financial assistance to farmers and other major agricultural players.

The United States Department of Agriculture, more commonly referred to as USDA, is the United State government's leading agency responsible for developing and executing US federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food. Furthermore, the agency also works towards taking care of the needs of farmers and ranchers, promoting agricultural trade and production, assuring national food safety, protecting natural resources, fostering rural communities and ending instances of hunger in the United States and abroad.

Under the USDA, is the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which is generally tasked to consolidate all federally-funded agricultural research.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, also under the USDA, is the premiere agency that is specifically established  (continued...)

Government Grants within the United States Agricultural Sector
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About The Author Michael Saunders is an editor of TopGovernmentGrants.com one the the most comprehensive Websites offering information on government grants and federal government programs. He also maintains Websites providing resources on environmental grants and education grant money.

Additional Resources

category - Applying for a Grant

Origin-Destination Database of Border Traffic Flows for Transportation Planning
The Federal Highway Administration has recently announced a cooperative agreement entitled, Origin-Destination Database of Border Traffic Flows for Transportation Planning, to support Ontario's Ministry of Transportation in conducting training workshops focused on data collection, and the process of understanding and maximizing the use of the data collected.

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Democracy, Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Freedom of Expression and the Press for Europe and Eurasia
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Affairs has recently established a funding opportunity entitled Democracy, Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Freedom of Expression/Press for Europe/Eurasia, wherein they are seeking applications and proposals that aim to develop projects promoting democracy, human rights, rule of law, and freedom of expression/press in Europe and Eurasia.

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National Institute of Food and Agriculture: Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program
NIFA has recently constituted the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP) wherein they plan to administer grants amounting to $5,000,000 to be utilized in funding the project.

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Department of Agriculture: Value Added Producer Grants
The Value-Added Producer Grants program is geared towards helping the Independent Producers of Agricultural Commodities, Agriculture Producer Groups, Farmer and Rancher Cooperatives, and Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Ventures in developing techniques that would create marketing opportunities and establish business plans involving viable marketing opportunities that involve the production of bio-based products from agricultural commodities.

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