The Value Added Producer Grant program provides ranchers large and small with the ability to generate new products, create expanding marketing opportunities for themselves, and increase their own profits. This is done through federal grant money that can be used to build on projects and ideas ranchers have related to processing and/or marketing of bio-based, value-added products. For ranchers who have wanted to implement traceability programs, certification processes, and environmental practices to expand their offerings and profits, they can now do so without utilizing their own capital to drive these initiatives. The current VAPG program for 2022 has $19.75 million in total available funding to help ranchers bring their ideas to life. As you can see below, this is money that is often left unused.
| Fiscal Year | Total Mandatory Funding Available | Appropriated Annual Funding |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $17.5 Million | $15 Million |
| 2020 | $17.5 Million | $12 Million |
| 2021 | $17.5 Million | Not Reported |
| 2022 | $19.5 Million | Current Year |
The GSatRancher is the perfect partner to help ranchers use the VAPG program. The GSatRancher can track behavioral data which can be analyzed to verify activity for pedigree. The GSatRancher can be used to verify grazing habits and so much more. The information provided from the GSatRancher is hosted on the GSatTrack telemetry interface. Here, the data is kept securely for an extended period, readily accessible by the rancher through Visualizations, Alerts, and Reports that help grow their ideas into programs.
The data collected by the GSatRancher can improve a rancher's production output, reduce operating costs, and certify their products as "grass fed" and other premium-label outputs.
The VAPG can help pay for both the GSatRancher and GSatTrack platform on a large scale, the cost of which might have been prohibitive for smaller ranchers in the past. The GSE team is ready to partner and help develop solutions with you utilizing this federally funded program. If you feel as though you could benefit from a VAPG consultation with a GSE representative, please reach out to us to schedule a call.
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There is comprehensive sheet on everything related to the program which you can find here:
https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fact-sheet/508_RD_FS_RBS_VAPG.pdf
The first step to securing a Value Added Producer Grant begins with registering at System for Award Management or SAM for short at least a month before any application deadline.
https://www.SAM.gov
When you are ready to apply you can do so by going to the following link.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/03/01/2022-04293/inviting-applications-for-value-added-producer-grants
If you have any questions or want to vet your ideas before applying you can reach out to your nearest Rural Development Office
https://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices
Scott Walters is a business professional with over 24 years of technology based experience and has demonstrated success as a manager and team leader with an emphasis on account management, logistics, team building and multitasking effectively within a high-stress, goal oriented environment.
Contact Scott Walters at scott@gsat.us [1]
For general inquiries, please contact sales@gsat.us [2]. For more technical information, please contact support@gsat.us [3]. You may also call us at +1.954.459.4000