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
  Page 2

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 grants for youth programs.

Additional Resources

category - Applying for a Grant

Coastal Impact Assistance Program
The Fish and Wildlife Service has recently established the Coastal Impact Assistance Program wherein the agency will provide a ceiling budget amounting to $250 million to be utilized in conservation, protection, and preservation projects of coastal areas, including wetlands.

---

National Endowment for the Humanities: National Digital Newspaper Program
The goal of the National Digital Newspaper Program is to crate a national digital resource of historically significant newspapers published between the years 1836 and 1922, from all of the States and its territories.

---

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.

---

National Estuarine Research Reserve System Land Acquisition and Construction Program
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has recently announced a funding opportunity amounting to $1,690,000 to support the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program.

---