For Immediate Release: August 9, 2006
Governor Blunt Announces $1.7 Million in Agriculture Grants Offered to Missouri Producers
(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.)–Gov. Matt Blunt today announced 21 Missouri agricultural groups received grants
that will help them turn their agricultural commodities into more valuable end
products.
The Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority
(MASBDA), housed within the Missouri Department of Agriculture, awarded
the grants to producers with the goal of fostering new enterprises that
will aid rural economic development. The grants are funded from the sale
of tax credits.
“Adding value to Missouri’s agricultural commodities is
a way for our state’s producers to directly offer consumers high-quality
products, while retaining more of that value in their home communities
by providing additional market opportunities and perhaps processing jobs,” said
Governor Blunt. “These grants provide the much-needed initial funding
to assist producers in determining whether their ideas are technically
and economically feasible, potentially preventing costly mistakes down
the road.”
Grants ranging in amounts from $11,000 to $198,000 were awarded to the
following list of agricultural groups:
| Agricultural Group |
City |
Project |
Total Amount |
| Heartland Biodiesel |
Rock Port |
Complete design work for a biodiesel processing plant |
$157,223 |
| Chaumette, Inc. |
Ste. Genevieve |
Study the technological feasibility of an internet-based tracking system
for vineyards and wineries |
$24,750 |
| H2Ag, Inc |
Taylor |
Develop a marketing and sales plan for an animal confinement disinfectant |
$44,000 |
| East Missouri BIO Pellet Fuels |
Marthasville |
Conduct a feasibility study for the production of fuel pellets from
dried distillers grains |
$24,750 |
| Missouri Renewable Partners |
Keytesville |
Conduct a feasibility study for the sale and distribution of E85 ethanol
gasoline blends |
$56,000 |
| Pride of the Ozarks Goat Association |
Pomona |
Conduct a marketing study for a goat cheese processing facility |
$11,000 |
| Osage Catfisheries |
Osage Beach |
An economic feasibility study and business plan for additional paddlefish-based
products and building a paddlefish processing facility |
$94,600 |
| Fertile Delta Vegetable Growers |
Qulin |
Feasibility study of a quick-freeze vegetable processing facility |
$25,000 |
| Prairie Pride, Inc. |
Deerfield |
Conduct preliminary engineering work for the development of a biodiesel
plant |
$198,000 |
| Show-Me Ethanol |
Carrollton |
Conduct an engineering study for a ethanol processing facility |
$181,300 |
| Flick Seed Company |
Kingsville |
Develop a marketing plan for the production of biomass fuel pellets |
$56,100 |
| Ozark Premium Meats |
Salem |
Conduct a marketing study, organizational development plan and business
plan for a premium beef products business |
$32,846 |
| Missouri Branded Rice |
Essex |
Develop a marketing plan and organizational structure development for
a farmer-owned rice milling business |
$50,050 |
| Fresh Harvest |
Truxton |
Conduct economic and marketing feasibility studies for a small-scale
vegetable growers cooperative |
$23,900 |
| Martin Rice Company |
Bernie |
Develop a marketing plan for a rice milling cooperative |
$35,000 |
| Bootheel Agri-Energy |
Bell City |
Engineering, legal and accounting assistance for an ethanol production
facility |
$184,800 |
| SEMO Dairy Steering Committee |
Dexter |
Conduct a feasibility study, business plan, design and legal setup of
a cooperative dairy |
$133,043.08 |
| The Paseo Group |
Jefferson City |
Conduct a feasibility study, business plan and legal formation for the
creation of a biodiesel plant |
$45,000 |
| Country Roads |
Jefferson City |
Conduct a feasibility study, marketing plan and perform legal formation
to develop a retail chain utilization process for value-added products |
$198,000 |
| DefineX |
Jefferson City |
Conduct a feasibility study, business plan and legal formation for an
electronic grain tracking and merchandising system |
$141,697.81 |
| Missouri BioProcessing |
Jefferson City |
Conduct a feasibility study and business plan for a plant-made pharmaceuticals
processing facility |
$49,500 |
For more information, contact MASBDA at (573) 751-2129 or masbda@mda.mo.gov.
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