Are you a local farmer or producer with big dreams of building a sawmill, meat processing plant, grain elevator, or to bring a new agricultural innovation to market? Then the state’s AgTrack Program might just be for you. The most recent application deadline is Tuesday, September 30. The deadline for the next round of funding will be December 31.
The State created the AgTrack Cost Share Fund as an incentive program to promote and encourage agricultural development in Tennessee.
This competitive based grant program awards funds to starting or expanding agricultural, food, and forestry businesses; nonprofits, local governments, and other entities in Tennessee, or those whose project will be located in Tennessee. The program focuses on value-added and processing projects that benefit other producers or forest landowners. Farming projects such as livestock, row crop, or horticulture production expansions will not be competitive, but may be supported through the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP).
Successful grant recipients must demonstrate a strong potential for impact on local farm income, access to markets, increased capacity or agricultural innovation. Priority will be given to businesses located in at-risk counties, distressed counties, and counties adjoining at-risk or distressed counties. The minimum project capital expenditure is $2 million with a maximum payout of 25 percent up to $1 million.
Projects funded by the AgTrack Cost Share Fund must match the description of at least one of the following four categories: increase farm income, increase access to markets, increase capacity, or be a agricultural innovation.
Many projects will potentially match the description of more than one category and applicants should indicate so on their application.
Applicants must be a Tennessee entity (i.e. agriculture, food, or forestry business, farmer, local government, or nonprofit in Tennessee) or have a project based in Tennessee. They must also submit project updates to measure impact of the grant on the applicant as well as the local economy, and agree to work with the Department of Agriculture to track success of the project.
To access the online application, click here. For more information, please email business.development@tn.gov or call (615) 837-5160. •
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