Rapid City Regional Center
Rapid City Regional Center
• 8 Field Specialists
o Cow/calf
o Range
o Community Development
o Agronomy
o Entomology
o Small Acreage
o Sheep
o Food Safety
South Dakota Small Acreages
• For All Acreage Owners (no min/max size)
o 2 Websites:
o www.iGrow.org/livestock/horses
o http://www.sdstate.edu/wrac/sdsa/index.cfm
o Archives of past seminars
o E-Newsletter
o Facebook page “South Dakota Small
Acreages”
o Realtor Trainings approved by SD Real Estate
Commission
South Dakota Small Acreages
• How we can help you:
o Goal setting
o Pasture management
o weeds, fencing,
stocking rates
o Livestock
management
o Horses, goats,
sheep, cattle
o Manure
management
o Water & Hay quality
o Grant proposal
assistance
o Marketing/website
help
o Connections to much
more!
South Dakota Small Acreages
• Resources: Grazing Kit $30
South Dakota Small Acreages
• Resources:
o Today’s Presentations will be
posted on website
o Hard-copy packets available for
$5
o Make checks to “SDSU”
Grant Opportunities for
Acreage Owners
Mindy Hubert, Small Acreage Field
Specialist
mindy.hubert@sdstate.edu
Grant Opportunities for Acreage
Owners
• Federal, State, Private
• Ag-related grants generally fund:
o
o
o
o
o
Sustainability projects (water, land, etc.)
Income-based operations
Demonstrations/feasibility studies
Outreach/Education projects
Marketing Strategies
Federal Grants
• Primary source of most grants
• Competitive
• Specific goals or priorities you need to address
• Think of grant writing as a “learning
experience”
o Take constructive criticism and try again!
Federal Grants: USDA SARE
• SARE “Sustainable Agriculture Research &
Education”
• SARE's vision:
o An enduring American agriculture of the
highest quality. This agriculture is profitable,
protects the nation's land and water and is a
force for a rewarding way of life for farmers
and ranchers whose quality products and
operations sustain their communities and
society.
Federal Grants: USDA SARE
o http://www.northcentralsare.org/GRANTS
o Four Programs:
o Research & Education
o Professional Development
o Youth/Educator
o Farmer/Rancher Grants
Federal Grants: USDA SARE
o Youth Grants $400 maximum
o Ages 8-18. Projects are for:
o Hands-on efforts to explore sustainable agriculture
issues and practices
o Attending a sustainable agriculture conference,
workshop, or camp
o Educator Grants $2,000 maximum
o For educators to provide programming on sustainable
agriculture for youth
Federal Grants: USDA SARE
• Farmer/Rancher Grants (SARE FRG)
o Due December of each year
o Awards available following spring
o Proposals must be sustainable in nature:
o Address natural resources, financial resources &
family/community
o Must be innovative or build upon other projects
o $7500 - $22,500
Federal Grants: USDA Rural Develop.
• Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG)
• http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm
o Eligible: independent producers, farmer/rancher
cooperatives & producer groups & businesses
o Funds:
o Planning grant ($100,000)
o Working capital ($300,000)
o Belle Fourche: Jackson Winery and Vineyards, LLC
$300,000
o Rapid City: Wild Idea Buffalo Company $17,500
Federal Grants: USDA Rural Develop.
• Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
• http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_Reap.html
o Financial assistance to agriculture producers &
rural small businesses for purchasing, installing and
constructing renewable energy systems (windmills,
etc.)
o An agricultural producer is directly engaged in the
production of agricultural products whereby 50
percent or greater of their gross income is derived
from the operations.
Federal Grants: USDA Rural
Development
• Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
o Grants available up to 25% of total project cost up
to $500,000
o Loan Guarantees up to 75% total project cost of
$2500-$25M
Natural Resource Conservation Service
(NRCS)
• Various conservation programs offered
• Signup is continuous for many programs
• Limited resource farmers/ranchers, beginning
farmers/ranchers, socially disadvantaged
producers, and Tribes may be eligible for a higher
payment rates
• No acreage limits for most programs; preference
given to largest impact producers
Natural Resource Conservation Service
(NRCS)
• 2011: 3,700 conservation plans implemented in SD;
positively affecting 1.6 million acres (430 acres on
average)
NRCS Programs
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP)
o Provides financial & technical assistance to agricultural
producers to help plan and implement conservation
practices
o $20,000-$300,000 in assistance
o improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related
resources
o help producers meet environmental regulations
o Up to 10 year contracts
NRCS Programs
• Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP)
o A voluntary approach to improving wildlife habitat in our
Nation.
o Provides both technical assistance and up to 75 percent
cost-share assistance to establish and improve fish and
wildlife habitat.
2011
South
Total
Total
Investment
Dakota Acres
Contracts
43
21,872.8 $809,153
Average Average
Contract Contract
Value
size (ac)
~$19,000
509
NRCS Programs
• Agriculture Management Assistance (AMA)
o Pays up to 75 % of cost of installing conservation
practices.
o Payments shall not exceed $50,000/participant/year.
• Eligibility:
o Be engaged in livestock or agricultural production
and have annual potential sales of $1,000 or more.
o Cropland, hayland, pastureland, rangeland, and
grassland; Private, non-industrial forestland
NRCS Programs: Contacts
• Rapid City: (605) 342-0301
o
o
o
o
LANTZ, TATE E, Rangeland Mgmt. Specialist
ODDEN, MATTHEW D, District Conservationist
matthew.odden@sd.usda.gov
tate.lantz@sd.usda.gov
• Sturgis: (605) 347-4952
o HERRMANN, TANSE M, Dist. Consvst.
o tanse.herrmann@sd.usda.gov
• Belle Fourche: (605) 892-3368
o EGGEBO, SARAH L, Dist. Consvst.
o sarah.eggebo@sd.usda.gov
State Grants
• Dept. of Ag:
http://www.sdda.sd.gov/AgPolicy/Grants
o Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG)
o Purpose: solely enhance the competitiveness of
specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts,
dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops
[including floriculture]).“
o Due April 2nd 2012
o Range of awards $2100-$35,000
Private Industry Grants
• Specialty Topics: Organic
o Organic Farming Research Foundation
(ORFR) $12,000-$15,000 projects:
http://ofrf.org/
o Organic Valley Coop:
http://www.organicvalley.coop/aboutus/donations/fafo-fund/criteria/ $5000$50,000
o Organic Crop Improvement:
http://www.ocia.org/
Private Industry Grants
•
•
•
•
https://attra.ncat.org/calendar/funding.php
http://www.beginningfarmers.org/
http://aggrantguru.blogspot.com/
www.humanefarmfunds.org
•
•
•
•
$500-$1500
Help farms transition to pasture-based systems
Improve the marketing of humane products
due April 1, 2012
Producer Participation Opportunities:
• Spring Creek Watershed Partnership
o For landowners in the Upper Spring Creek Watershed
(above Sheridan Lake)
o Cost share opportunity to improve water resources
o http://www.springcreekblackhills.com
• Belle Fourche River Watershed Partnership
o funding available to convert flood irrigation to center
pivots and to convert open ditches to pipelines in flood
irrigation systems.
o http://www.bellefourchewatershed.org/
o Contact local NRCS office for more info
Producer Participation Opportunities:
• USDA SARE Small Acreage Grant
o Now - 2013
o 5 Host Acreages in Western South
Dakota
• Goals
• Management strategies
o Labor provided
• Workshops
• Learning communities/networking
The End
Feel Free to Contact Any of Us
394-2236 or 394-1722