The Trump Administration has announced that the United States Department of Agriculture is investing $1,150,061 to help 11 Nebraska food entrepreneurs and agricultural producers develop new products and expand their business lines.
The Value-Added Producer Grant program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. Funds can be used for planning activities or for working capital expenses related to producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product, said USDA Rural Development Nebraska State Director Karl Elmshaeuser. Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has been working tirelessly to be a strong partner to rural Nebraska in building stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.
Successful Nebraska recipients by county include:
Butler
Jisa Farmstead Cheese, LLC-$250,000-Brainard-Working capital for the processing and marketing of Omega 3 cheeses, including rebranding, materials for packaging and labeling, ingredients, print materials, website design, and marketing and processing labor. The project is expected to create or save four jobs and increase their customer base by 500 customers.
Custer
Straight Arrow Bison, LLC-$17,480-Broken Bow-Funds will be used to expand their market, increase in customers and revenues for their freeze-dried bison bone broth, tallow, and soap made from the tallow, to additional retail businesses. Their online presence will be expanded to sell more products, through having nutritional testing completed for the bone broth labels, executing a marketing video and other materials, and attending a trade show..
Greeley
Robert Bernt DBA Grassland Dairy Producers-$49,999-Spalding-Working capital for the processing, marketing and delivery of specialty meats. The project is expected to create or save one job and increase the customer base by 72 customers.
Jefferson
Rock Creek Aquaculture, LLC-$41,569-Diller-Working capital for the processing and marketing of farm raised fresh shrimp, materials for packaging and labeling, marketing supplies, advertising, website design and maintenance, and marketing labor. The project is expected to create or save one job and increase the customer base by 504 customers.
Platte
Erstwhile Farm, LLC-$49,991-Columbus-Working capital for the processing and marketing of processed certified organic packaged pork products, including materials for packaging and labeling, print materials, website and branding. The project is expected to increase the customer base by 114 customers.
Lancaster
Jord Producers, LLC-$49,999-Lincoln-Funds will be used to expand their market, increase in customers and revenues for their organic fertilizer produced by their mealworm production sites in Hastings and Lindsay, Nebraska, through contracting with marketing professionals to create and implement a marketing campaign, improve web and social media presence, and increase e-commerce sales. The project will create one job and save one job as a direct result of the project in Hastings, Lindsay, and Lincoln, Nebraska.
Merrick
Nicholas Ryan DBA Prairie Creek Vineyards-$141,273-Central City-Working capital for the processing and marketing of wine, including materials for packaging and labeling, print materials, website redesign, marketing and processing labor. The project is expected to increase the customer base by 5,042 customers.
Nemaha
Whiskey Creek Run Vineyard and Winery, LLC-$200,000-Brownville-To produce brandies, fortified wines, whiskeys, and moonshines from agricultural commodities grown at their vineyard and farm. Grant funds cover the associated costs of the purchase of supplies, processing, aging, bottling, labeling, operating the wine/spirits processing facilities and sales facilities, advertising, marketing, sales, delivery costs, costs for tasting/events and labor. This project is expected to create and save two full-time equivalent jobs.
Phelps
Buzz Savories, LLC-$50,000-Holdrege-To assist with the costs of processing and marketing honey mustard products, using the applicant’s own honey, in order to expand their current customer base. Two jobs will be saved in a community of 5,495 in population.
Scottsbluff
Western Farms Seed, LLC-$250,000-Scottsbluff-To provide seed certification and seed coating for industrial hemp seed. Seed certification increases the value of the hemp seed by three cents/seed. Seed coating ensures uniform seed size which allows for even planting with existing equipment that assists with germination and emergence.
Thurston
ELTEE Mangalitsai, LLC-$49,750-Pender-Funds will assist with the costs of processing Mangalitsaï pork. The project is expected to create or save six jobs, and increase the customer base by 300 customers.