Oregon
Business & Cooperative Programs

Valued-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program

Go to the RD-Oregon Business Programs home page

The VAPG program provides 50%-matching grants to farmers, ranchers, foresters, and fishermen for either planning or working capital purposes to implement value-added ventures -- i.e. marketing or processing projects that add value to the commodities they produce -- or for on--the-farm renewable energy generation projects.  The goal of the program is to increase the producer's income from the commodities they produce. 

The next invitation of applications will likely be in early 2009. 
In 2008, the application deadline for VAPG was March 31, 2008.

Getting Started

Eligible "value-added" activities that VAPG can support:

Category #1
Commodity processing		 Category #2
Market differentiation		 Category #3
Commodity segregation		 Category #4
Renewable energy (on-farm)
Increasing value by changing the commodity's physical state Increasing value by marketing the commodity's special identity or character Increasing value by keeping the commodity physically apart in production and distribution Realizing value by transforming natural resources into energy on the farmstead
Examples: 
Wine, jam, flour, sliced fruit, biodiesel		 Examples:
Branding (e.g., "Oregon-grown"), organics, appellations		 Examples: 
GMO-free;
varietal purity		 Examples:
Wind, solar, anaerobic digester, geothermal, on-farm biodiesel

Planning
or Working Capital

No Planning grants;
Working Capital ONLY

Planning
or Working Capital

Planning
or Working Capital

NOTE!  Working Capital applications must be supported by an independent feasibility study and a business plan. 
If you are planning to seek a Working Capital grant, you should make arrangements to obtain your supporting feasibility study as soon as possible.

Recent Projects

Application Process

Application Templates

Regulations

Help for Grant Awardees

Links

RD-Oregon contacts for the VAPG program