Welcome

The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center is an electronic, national resource for producers interested in value-added agriculture. Browse commodities and products, investigate market and industry trends, study business creation and operation, read research results and locate value-added resources.

Featured Information

Commodities and Products

Cellulosic Ethanol - In a recent update, this profile was expanded to include brief descriptions of more than 25 leading companies active in the industry. However, the current economic downturn has severely curtailed start-up activity and negatively affected many joint ventures.

Sweet Corn - Sweet corn, a genetic mutation of field corn, was first grown commercially in 1779. Since then, the United States has become the world's top producer of sweet corn. The 2008 crop yielded 8.6 billion pounds of corn valued at nearly $1.1 billion.

Business Development

Preparing for Value-added Business Initiatives - This article presents the thought process producers should complete as they consider forming a value-added business to enhance their net farm income and wealth. The process involves three steps: identifying opportunities and selecting them, assessing their feasibility and identifying potential resources. Value-added businesses enable producers to be rewarded for performing activities traditionally performed by others or for fulfilling a need that has never been met.

Recruiting, Selecting and Developing Board Members and Managers - Competition for qualified board members can be intense. To recruit and retain the most qualified people as board members, consider offering appropriate compensation and director training programs.

Renewable Energy

Issues in Raising Allowable Ethanol-Gasoline Blends to E-15 or Higher for Conventional Vehicles, AgMRC Renewable Energy Newsletter, August 2009 - According to AgMRC energy economist Robert Wisner, raising the maximum allowable ethanol-gasoline blend for conventional vehicles is a complex issue. Wisner takes a look at research-based information related to such stakeholder concerns as consumer food prices, human health, air quality and livestock feed prices.

VAPG Program Funding

On July 1, 2009, USDA's Rural Development withdrew its original notice of May 6, 2009, about the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) Program. The organization is in the process of clarifying contradictory language and providing additional guidance on new programs.

For current information, see the VAPG Program Web page. You can also contact your State USDA Rural Development Office to obtain additional information and assistance.

The VAPG Program provides approximately $18 million in competitive grants to help agricultural producers add value to their agricultural products through further processing, thus increasing farm income.

Grants may be used for planning activities and for working capital. Planning grants fund a formal review of the economic feasibility of a proposed venture, including feasibility studies, marketing plans and business plans. Working capital grants fund the day-to-day operation of an existing venture.

Eligible applicants are independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, agricultural producer groups and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures who propose to market value-added ag products and to produce farm-based renewable energy.

Grant Templates