LINCOLN, NEB. (January 10, 2008)—The Nebraska Rural Development Commission (RDC) and Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) have awarded $800,000 funding for 27 projects through the Value-Added Agricultural (VAA) grant program, which invests in products and businesses that help support and grow the state’s agriculture industry.
 
“When we talk about economic development in Nebraska, we know that one size rarely fits all,” said John Jordison, director of Government Affairs and Economic Development for Great Plains Communication, Inc., and current chair of the Nebraska Rural Development Commission. “The value-added agriculture grants program gives us an opportunity to invest in the entrepreneurial spirit of rural Nebraska and offers a helping hand to budding agri-businesses across the state.”
 
Grants up to $75,000 are awarded for research, educational training, and market development costs related to value-added products sold by Nebraska agricultural producers. The Nebraska RDC and Nebraska Department of Agriculture review applications and recommend projects for the Governor’s approval.

• Sandhills Scentsations, Valentine—$20,300 to utilize, Yucca, a natural resource that is readily available in the Sandhills area to produce a natural bath and body care product line.  Douglas and Kandi Stengel, as well as partners, Jim Broomfield and the Center for Rural Affairs will contribute in-kind matching funds. 
• Country Adventures, Kearney—$22,500 to the online agri-tourism marketplace to simultaneously help rural residents promote and generate revenue from their existing operations/attractions, and market new country-based tourism experiences to consumers. KAAPA Outdoor Adventures, LLC, Berkley Insurance, and Country-Adventures will provide cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Burbach Countryside Dairy, Hartington—$50,000 to Dean Burbach, Lisa Burbach, Ed Hosch and JoAnn Hosch to develop and test innovative value-added milk processing technology that can be replicated on small dairy farms across Nebraska.  Dean Burbach, Lisa Burbach, Ed Hosch and JoAnn Hosch will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Closed Loop System, Kearney—$30,000 to Renewable Fuel Technology, Inc. to develop and implement a plan for a closed loop processing center which will convert animal waste into an energy source.  Progressive Swine Technology and Renewable Fuel Technology, Inc. will contribute match.
• Syriaca Biomass, Ogallala—$26,000 to the Nebraska Syriaca Cooperative, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and Natural Fibers Corporation to research and develop high-value nutritional supplements from Syriaca Biomass Nebraska Syriaca Cooperative, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and Natural Fibers Cooperation will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• All Natural Nebraska “GROW”, Holbrook—$9,415 to GROW Nebraska an organization representing multiple Nebraska entrepreneurs to establish services to assist natural and organic agricultural producers with market access through a dedicated web site.  GROW Nebraska will contribute cash matching funds.
• Mentoring Co-Species Grazing for Profit and Sustainability, the communities within Box Butte, Dawes, Sheridan, Sioux, Arthur, Morrill, Deuel, Keith, Kimball, Garden, Banner, Scotts Bluff, Grant, Cherry, Cheyenne, Brown, Boyd, Custer, Holt, Rock, Blaine, Keya Paha, Logan, Thomas, Hooker, Furnas, Red Willow, Dundy, Hitchcock, Perkins, Hayes, Chase, Frontier, Boone, Valley, Sherman, Wheeler, Antelope, Garfield, Hall, Howard, Greeley, Lincoln, Harlan, Phelps, Webster, Franklin, Clay, Nuckolls, and Gosper Counties—$32,950 to Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and the University of Nebraska Extension, Northern Panhandle Livestock Programs for mentored training to implement multi-species grazing for profit, weed control, and utilization of marginal forages while improving rangeland. Sandhills Task Force, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and the University of Nebraska Extension at Lincoln will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Wines on the Historic Trails, Lewellen, Michell and Ogallala—$6,824 to Prairie Vine Vineyard, LLC, 17 Ranch Winery, LLC and Southfork Vineyard to expand the Wines on the Historic Trails Promotion Project.  Prairie Vine Vineyard, LLC, 17 Ranch Winery, LLC, and Southfork Vineyard, LLC will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds
• A Safer, High Quality Food Supply = Increased Production, Curtis—$40,000 to Medicine Valley Economic Development Corporation and Frontier Technologies, LLC to develop a plan for new agricultural-focused technology housed at the University of Nebraska-Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.  Medicine Valley Economic Development Corporation and Frontier Technologies, LLC will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Panhandle Processors, Inc., Kearney and Alliance—$40,000 to Ag Development, Inc. and Renewable Fuel Technology, LLC to develop a plan for food grade oil processing centers in the Nebraska Panhandle, in addition to processing sunflower and canola with sites in Alliance and Chappell.  Ag Development, Inc. and Renewable Fuel Technology, LLC will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Value-Added Production of Gourmet Pickled Vegetable Products, Grafton—$61,000 to Ely Farms, LLC to support the expansion of a proven pickled vegetable business and construct a shared processing facility.  Ely Farms, LLC will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Value-Added Dairy Capacity in Nebraska, Martell—$42,252 to Greenglade Goat Dairy and Greenglade Goat Milk Specialties, LLC to provide support and facilities to enable small dairy farmers to produce and market value-added products.  Greenglade Goat Dairy and Greenglade Goat Milk Specialties, LLC. will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Northeast Nebraska Agri-Tourism Partnership, Wisner, Norfolk, West Point and Laurel – $15,000 to the Northeast Nebraska Agri-Tourism Partnership to inventory, educate and explore ways that heritage stories and central reservations can establish agri-tourism support systems in Northeast Nebraska.  Wisner Community Development, Feller & Company, Nebraska Life Magazine, Scott and Patti Knobbe, Bellar Feedlots, Inc., and AgGro, Inc. will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Olean Energy, Dodge—$15,000 to Olean Energy, Danny Kluthe, Owner to demonstrate the integration of on-farm soybean processing with swine production.  Olean Energy will contribute cash matching funds.
• Increasing Rural Incomes through Centralized Marketing and Processing of Cooperative Woody Florals, Lincoln—$47,180 to Nebraska Woody Florals Nonstock Cooperative to expand markets and renovate a building for processing and marketing. Woody Florals will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Bamboo for Nebraska, Springfield and Omaha—$10,518 to Turtle Creek Farm, Inc., and The Henry Doorly Zoo to construct a green house where five varieties of clumping bamboo will be grown.  Turtle Creek Farm, Inc. and The Henry Doorly Zoo will contribute in-kind matching funds.
• Preferred Popcorn, LLC Warehouse Expansion, Chapman—$75,000 to Preferred Popcorn LLC, a partnership between four farm families and the Aurora Cooperative, to expand their warehouse.  Preferred Popcorn, LLC will contribute cash matching funds.
• Increasing Rural Income Through Cooperative Nut Processing and Marketing, Valparaiso—$25,000 to Heartland Nuts N’ More, a producer owned cooperative to purchase equipment.  Heartland Nuts N’ More will contribute in-kind matching funds.
• Providing Environmental Solutions for Nebraska Farmers, Carleton—$14,352 to Brad Heinrichs and Landon Heinrichs, Environmental Solutions, a start-up agricultural business that provides grid sampling.  Brad Heinrichs and Landon Heinrichs will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• White Bison Winery, Paxton—$66,679 to White Bison LLC partners John Gamet, Stephen Gamet – Ida’s Vitis Vineyard, and Patrick Gamet – White Bison Winery, Paxton, Nebraska, to procure equipment to process and market value-added wine produced from locally grown grapes and small fruit crops.  White Bison LLC will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Nebraska Grown Daylilies and Soybean Mulch Project, Bradshaw and Sutton—$33,380 to Jenni Harrington, Harmony Nursery and Daylily Farm and Abbi Kleinschmidt, Windy Hill Soybean Mulch to support the expanded production and marketing of daylilies and woody floral ornamentals, and the start-up of a soybean mulch business.  Harmony Nursery and Daylily Farm and Windy Hill Soybean Mulch will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Opportunities for Ethnic Crops, Lincoln and Auburn—$10,650 to Community CROPS and Caruso-Rozzano Farms to increase growing opportunities for ethnic crops in the Southeast Nebraska area. Community CROPS, Jim Caruso, and George Myers will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Agritrade Organic/Bioorganic Fertilizer Study, Lincoln and Bertrand—$10,500 to Agritrade, Inc. to pursue an innovative solution to waste management issues.  Agritrade, Inc. will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Bio-Dry, Osmond—$25,000 to research the viability of constructing a biomass-driven plant for drying wet distiller grain.  Wood Solutions, LLAW Farm, Inc., LBR, LLC, New Frontier Insurance, Big Red Mini-Mart, B&C Industrial Contractors, Inc. Osmond Venture Resources, Inc. Osmond Farm Supply Center, Inc., Titan Farms, LLC, Aschoff Construction, Inc., Security National Bank, and Big John Manufacturing, Inc. will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• E85 Outreach, Lincoln—$55,000 to Clean Fuels Foundation, Clean Fuels Development Coalition, and the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition to promote direct E-85 marketing from plant to retail.  Clean Fuels Foundation, Clean Fuels Development Coalition and the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Installation of a Sawmill to Produce Cedar Shingles, Posts, Lumber, Wood Burning Logs and Pellets, Valentine—$10,000 to Niobrara Timber to research and market the concept of converting waste pine timber trees into value added lumber, cedar shingles, chipped wood burning logs, and pellets.  Niobrara Timber will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.
• Development of Non-Dairy Gluten-Free Yogurt Utilizing Nebraska Grown Crops, Lincoln and Springfield—$5,500 to Thomas R. Masters – Spring Valley Farms and John Knapp - John Knapp Farm to research and develop non-dairy, gluten free yogurts.  Spring Valley Farms and John Knapp Farm will contribute cash and in-kind matching funds.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Linda Fettig at 308-749-2291, or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it