News Release

Missouri’s farmers constantly explore ways to add value to the already vast array of products grown and raised in the Show Me State. The Missouri Value-Added Agriculture grant program fosters new enterprises that contribute to the vitality of rural communities.

This year, 12 Missouri agricultural groups received grants totaling $822,868 to assist them in adding value to Missouri agricultural products. Two projects will turn local crops into meals for Missouri school students and  ten projects will look at the feasibility of converting Missouri agricultural products into more valuable end products such as compost, branded fruit and vegetable products, identity-preserved livestock and poultry feed, and bio-based sources of energy.

Since 1999, the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA), housed within the Missouri Department of Agriculture, has administered the Missouri Value-Added Agriculture grant program which is used to foster new enterprises that will aid rural economic development.  This funding can be used for business planning purposes such as feasibility studies, marketing plans, business plans and legal assistance, but cannot be used for capital expenditures, salaries, or operating funds.   

Two Missouri projects received funding from the Farm to Table Value-Added Agriculture grant program to assist them in accessing resources and processing locally grown agricultural products for use in institutions within the state.  Eligible expenses are items such as coolers, freezers, washing, bagging, and packing equipment and professional services for Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices (GAP/GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Analysis (HACCP) plan development.  This program, entering its fourth year and formerly known as the Farm to School Value-Added Agriculture grant program, provides Missouri’s agricultural producers and small businesses the opportunity to place locally grown agricultural products in Missouri institutions, while at the same time strengthening local farming economies. Institutions include, but are not limited to, facilities such as schools, correctional facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities and military bases.

Value-Added Agriculture grants were awarded to:

• SEMO Crawfish (Jackson, Mo.) - $19,433.70 to develop a business plan focusing on markets, infrastructure needs, prices, profitability, expansion options and financing options.
• The Ristine Company, Inc (Sikeston, Mo.) - $41,250 to fund a feasibility study evaluating the conversion of a waste product from cotton ginning activities into a usable composted product.
• Moyer Farms, LLC (Richmond, Mo.) - $44,000 to fund a feasibility study, marketing plan, business plan and legal formation services to establish the viability of Moyer Farms adding a manufacturing process turning product seconds into a packaged item such as a “ready to use” mix.
• Walnut Ridge Pastures, LLC (Edgar Springs, Mo.) - $20,900 to fund a marketing plan, business plan, and legal formation services to assess the financial viability of starting a poultry business.
• Gardener’s Orchard & Bakery, LLC (Brighton, Mo.) - $24,651 to fund a feasibility study targeting the technical, marketing and financial aspects of the further processing of orchard fruits. 
• Mid-Missouri Energy, LLC (Malta Bend, Mo.) - $89,325.50 to fund a feasibility study & business plan to evaluate the viability of the production of a new co-product utilizing Mid-Missouri Energy’s existing resources – natural gas, water, corn, electricity and trade region.
• Peterson Processing, Inc (Mountain Grove, Mo.) - $44,550 to fund a feasibility study, marketing plan, business plan and legal formation services to establish the viability of expanding the existing product line to include a line of identity-preserved livestock and poultry feed. 
• ECAP Bioenergy, LLC (Mexico, Mo.) - $50,000 to fund an initial key feasibility report and economic impact and job creation study to evaluate the viability of the production of a new co-product utilizing the facility’s existing resources.
• ECAP Bioenergy, LLC (Mexico, Mo.) - $200,000 to fund a facility engineering review, test burn plan, engineering report, economic impact report, competitive analysis, and final financial feasibility report to develop a complete competitive analysis of an agricultural biomass energy product. 
• Missouri Forest Products Association (Jefferson City, Mo.) - $199,899.70 to fund a statewide feasibility study focusing on the viability of potential markets for the wood waste generated by the state’s forest products industry. 

Farm to Table Value-Added Agriculture grants were awarded to:

• Green Gate Family Farm, LLC (Wheatland, Mo.) - $44,889 to fund equipment, materials, and supplies for a produce handling and washing facility.
• The Salad Garden, Bolivar, Mo. - $43,968.10 to fund excavation, construction, and processing equipment for a produce handling and washing facility.

All grants are awarded on a competitive basis, and applications are scored based on their economic development potential for the agriculture industry, credibility and merit, probability of near-term commercialization and practical application of project results, source and level of matching funds, and the likelihood of a project’s success.  

The maximum individual grant for both programs is $200,000. Applicants are required to provide a 10% cash match toward eligible expenses.  These grants are funded by contributions made to MASBDA through the purchase of tax credits. 

For more information, contact the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority at (573) 751-2129 or e-mail masbda@mda.mo.gov.