Available Grants & Assistance

Value Added Producer Grant

The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter value-added activities to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income.

You may receive priority if you are:

• Beginning farmer or rancher.
• Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher.
• Small or medium-sized farm.
• Ranch structured as a family farm.
• Farmer or rancher cooperative.
• Proposing a mid-tier value chain.

For more information visit Value Added Producer Grants in Washington | Rural Development (usda.gov)

Disaster Assistance Program *Whatcom County*

State funding is still available to reimburse up to 75% of eligible damages or losses. The Washington State Conservation Commission and Whatcom Conservation District are administering grants through a Disaster Assistance Program.

A farmer or rancher must:

-Have sustained physical damage or incurred cost due to the major flooding event that occurred in Whatcom County during November 2021, and

-Provide documentation of a reduction in agricultural income or activity as a result of a natural disaster such as a flood, earthquake, or wildfire.

For more information visit Disaster Assistance Program (wa.gov)

or contact Corina Cheever 360-526-2371.

Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program

PARP signups have opened and will run through June 2, 2023. This program is a revenue loss assistance program that compares a benchmark year (either 2018 or 2019) to year 2020. PARP is for producers that suffered at least a 15% loss in revenue in 2020.

Eligible agricultural commodities include crops, aquaculture, livestock, livestock byproducts, or other animals or animal byproducts that are produced as part of a farming operation and are intended to be commercially marketed.

For more information visit Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program | Farmers.gov.

Emergency Relief Program

ERP covers losses to crops, trees, bushes and vines due to a qualifying natural disaster event in calendar years 2020 and 2021. Eligible crops include all crops for which federal crop insurance or NAP coverage was available except for crops intended for grazing. Qualifying natural disaster events include wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought, and related conditions.

For more information visit Emergency Relief Program (usda.gov).

Rural Energy for America Program

This program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.

Funds may be used for the purchase, installation and construction of energy efficiency improvements, such as:

• High efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC).
• Insulation.
• Lighting.
• Cooling or refrigeration units.
• Doors and windows.
• Electric, solar or gravity pumps for sprinkler pivots.
• Switching from a diesel to electric irrigation motor.
• Replacement of energy-inefficient equipment.

For more information visit Rural Energy for America Program | Rural Development (usda.gov)