New Funding Announced for Small Farmers

January 20, 2000

USDA will provide $500,000 to help small farmers develop new ways to market products, including direct sales to restaurants and institutions. Four universities will select and assist specific new marketing projects to benefit smaller farms.

Under the sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, the Universities of Vermont, Nebraska, Georgia and Utah State University will select and assist specific new marketing projects that will benefit smaller farms.

Technical assistance will be offered to small farmers and ranchers to form cooperatives to export crops and livestock to international markets. Loans are available to help finance the development of value-added processing facilities at existing cooperatives.