About Federal Grants for Agriculture

The federal government's support of the agricultural industry remains strong in the 21st century, and that support can be identified by the wide range of federal grants available for farming and other agricultural business.

Beginning Farmer Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers grants to beginning farmers and ranchers. The grants are designed to help the next generation of farmers succeed and are based on a 2008 Act that made $17.2 million available in 2009. Beginning farmers, for grant purposes, are those who have 10 years or less of experience operating a farm or ranch. In 2009, approximately 14 percent of applicants received grant funds. Farmers

also had to show that they are willing to pay at least 25 percent of the award amount to operate their farms or ranches.

Community Food Projects Grants
Throughout the United States, there has been a growing effort to establish a grant program that can aid community projects designed to feed low-income families and reduce the public's reliance on store-bought fruits and vegetables. In 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a grant program that awards $10,000 to $300,000 in grant funds for community food projects. The grants require a dollar-for-dollar match. In 2009, the program was funded with $5 million.

Research Grants
Several different agriculture grants offered by the federal government are designed to support agricultural research. For example, the Department of Agriculture offers a federal grant for special agricultural research. Grant funds must be used for allowable costs necessary to conduct research tied to important areas of concern. The grants are limited to high-priority problems. During fiscal year 2009, the federal government set aside $93 million for the Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants program. A second research grant program, one for Agricultural and Rural Economic Research, was funded with $84 million in fiscal year 2007. These grants were designed to provide economic information to be analyzed for public and private decisions about agriculture. This research helps the executive and legislative branches of the federal government in their efforts to develop and administer future agriculture policy and programs.

Environmental Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also has developed some programs aimed at reducing agricultural pollution of lands and waters in the United States. The department's Strategic Agricultural Initiative Grants are designed to promote a transition by farmers to lower-impact pest management practices. The grants are tied to the federal Food Quality Protection Act, which seeks to reduce the use of chemicals on fruits and vegetables sold in the marketplace. The grant program is administered in 10 EPA regions. Of specific grant projects, one is the Soil Fumigant Pilot Project in Region 10.

By RonWhite, eHow.com Contributor
http://www.ehow.com/list_5998335_federal-grants-agriculture.html