How to get Government Grants for Cattle Farmers – Technology is constantly revolutionizing the way we are performing work and agriculture is no exception. Investing in technology requires capital. Paired with adverse weather conditions a lot of farms are investing in technology to prosper. Farm debt particularly the non-real estate farm debts are rising. A good alternative to acquiring funds is applying for federal farm grants. These grants help farm owners with financial support to repay their debt.
The USDA or United States Department Of Agriculture provides tons of grants to alleviate the cost of starting or growing a cattle farm. The fund helps farm operators including ranchers to fund their farming research organic farming projects. It is important to check the application procedure, eligibility criteria and deadlines carefully for all the competitive grants. This guide will provide an overview of all the options available to get a cattle farming grant.
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Highlights of this Post
What Are The Eligibility Criteria To Qualify For Government Grants For Cattle Farmers?
The eligibility criteria to qualify for government grants for cattle farmers are as follows.
- Be the principal operator of a livestock operation in the United States of America
- Applicants must be cattle farmers or an entity engaged in the production of livestock products where a minimum of 50% of the gross income comes from livestock operation
- Must be a lawful resident of the state from where applicants are applying for assistance or be a business entity authorized to farm in that state
- Applicants must be in good standing with the federal or state government for instance must not have any back taxes owed, defaults on the state-backed financing for the last seven years
- Applicants must stay compliant with the current state regulations.
Note. It is critical to note that government grants for livestock farmers generally include dairy cattle, beef cattle, goats, swine, bison, poultry, horses, sheep, mules, farmed deer, llamas and flightless birds including emu.
The government helps cattle farmers in the following projects.
- Equipment for livestock housing, feeding, confinement and waste management
- Making facilities or buildings for producing livestock or livestock products
- Developing pastures for the use of livestock for instance lanes, offenses and watering system
- Some grants also cover crop seed, animal feed, buying pasture, cropland etc.
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What Are The Documents Required To Qualify For Government Grants For Cattle Farmers?
The specific documents that you need to submit to grant-giving authorities to be eligible for government grants for cattle farmers may vary depending on your location and the type of program you are applying for.
Cattle farmers who are applying for government grants to start their career in cattle farming or grow their business must demonstrate the eligibility criteria by providing the following general documents.
- Personal identification documents like state ID, passport, Social Security card
- Detailed personal financial information such as tax return forms, bank statements, recent pay stubs
- A full year of business bank statements
- Balance sheet, profit and loss statement and cash flow statement.
- Tax ID or EIN IRS letter for reference
- Details of accounts payable and receivable
- Business debt schedule (if applicable)
- Most recent business tax return
- Business certificate along with permits, licenses, legal business documents, articles of incorporation etc.
- Complete business plan for instance a detailed description of the type of business you are running, the structure, the service or products, the marketing plan, business management and financial projections.
- A detailed budget showing how you are planning to use the grant for your farms and ranches
- A completed application or resume.
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How To Apply For Cattle Farming Grants?
The Cattle Farming Grants Program provides a variety of benefits for farmers who wish to enter the cattle farming industry. By applying for these grants you can receive financial assistance to start or expand your business in this growing field.
The requirements for getting started vary, but most farmers will need to meet some minimum requirements. You can use the grant money to purchase equipment, continue working on your farm, or even invest in new technologies that will help you increase milk production. Overall, the cattle farming grants program is an important tool for farmers who want to enter this growing industry and make a difference in their community.
The cattle farming grants program is open to farmers in all states. The grants are renewable so you can apply for another year of assistance provided that you meet all requirements. The application process is simple and takes only a few minutes to complete. You’ll also be able to find helpful information about cattle farming grants on the USDA website.
What Are The Available Government Grants For Cattle Farmers?
The USDA provides a wide array of grants to cattle farmers in America. To qualify you have to meet the specific eligibility criteria and provide proof of documents. No matter whether you’re looking for a grant to start a cattle farming or hunting way to boost cash flow in your agricultural operation, federal grants are one of the best places to explore.
Farmers Market Promotion Program
The Farmers Market Promotion Program aims to support farmers including cattle farmers so that they can sell the products directly to customers with the help of marketing. You need to demonstrate that your business is selling products through farm cooperatives, farmers markets, your own produce farm or direct-to-consumer selling.
The objective of the program is to empower local farm production by broadening the scope and reach of local farmers. The program requires cattle farmers to match the amount funded by the United States Department of Agriculture by 25%. You can either use personal revenue, business revenue or cash from investors or fundraisers.
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
Depending on the location where you’re raising livestock there may be natural disasters such as blizzards or drought that can impact cattle farmers. USDA offers risk protection and recovery management by providing crop insurance including a Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
The federal crop insurance program helps to protect your livestock and cattle with plans such as livestock risk protection and livestock gross margin. Moreover, you can also cover your forage and green crops through this program.
USDA Farm Service Agency Programs
The Farm Service Agency, a division of USDA, makes sure of a stable food supply throughout the country by supporting American farmers including cattle farmers. The Farm Service Agency loans are competitive low-interest government loans that can be used by small cattle farmers and ranchers who face difficulty in assessing credit from other sources.
There are various types of FSA loans available to those who want to buy farmland or cover the operation cost. USDA’s Farm Service Agency loans provide affordable loan programs to help farmers, communities, ranchers and businesses that have been hit hard by natural disaster events, or harsh weather conditions and need assistance to recover.
Some of the farm loans available are as follows
- Disaster Assistance Programs
- Farm Loan Programs
- Conservation Programs
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Sustainable Agriculture Research And Education Program (SARE)
The Sustainable Agriculture Research And Education Program is another USDA grant and outreach program designed for ranchers, farmers, educators and researchers who wish to develop innovations that can improve farm profitability, revitalize communities and protect their cattle or land.
This is a federal grant program that helps to fund research and learning opportunities for sustainable agriculture and even cattle farmers can be eligible for this grant. The grants are funded by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture for specific projects. This grant is not limited to cattle farmers as it is available to all types of farmers and ranchers so that they can practice sustainable farming methods.
Emergency Assistance For Livestock, Honey Bees And Farm-Raised Fish
Emergency Assistance For Livestock, Honey Bees And Farm Raised Fish provide financial support to eligible livestock producers for the losses that they have incurred due to adverse weather events, diseases or lost conditions such as wildfires and blizzards. The program will cover losses for farmers and livestock producers that are not covered by any other disaster assistance programs.
USDA 2021 updated the program policy to cover the cost of transporting fees for the livestock that rely on grazing and has expanded the program to help cattle farmers and ranchers cover the cost of hauling livestock to grazing forage. Similarly, the program also offers assistance to livestock producers for forage losses as a result of wildfire, and severe drought, to compensate for the increase in supplemental feed cost.
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Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Farmers with limited savings or resources and willing to implement conservation practices in their farming or ranching can apply for the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
The organic incentive is a part of the USDA Environmental Quality Incentive Program and allows organic growers to transition into organic production. You can receive grants of up to $20,000 to $80,000 in six years. Agricultural land owners must have natural resource concerns and to take part in the program you must produce agriculture or livestock.
Agri Livestock Investment Grant
The Agri Livestock Investment Grant Program supports the development and advancement of the renewable energy industry and agriculture industry in Minnesota.
The program aims to help municipal livestock farmers as well as ranchers so that they can improve, update and modernize their livestock operation equipment and infrastructure.
The program provided grant awards of up to $50,000 at individual and entity levels. It is important to know that the expenses incurred by cattle farmers in Minnesota after the contract is signed by all the parties are eligible for reimbursement.
Value Added Producer Grants
The Value Added Producer Grants assists agricultural producers including cattle farmers to enter the value-added activities that can help them generate new products by expanding or creating new innovative marketing opportunities and boosting producer income.
You can apply for the program if you’re a socially disadvantaged cattle farmer or rancher, beginning farmer or rancher, farmer or rancher cooperative, smaller medium-sized farm, or a farmer/ rancher cooperative.
The grants are provided through national competitions every year and provide funding up to $75,000 for planning grants and $250,000 for working capital grants. The Value-added Producer Grants are available throughout the United States of America.
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USDA Small Business Innovation Research Program
The USDA Small Business Innovation Research Program offers various types of government grants for cattle farmers that help them in assisting their small farm businesses and also help them in research purposes.
The main aim of the program is to support technological innovation and scientific innovation related to agriculture. Apart from that $600,000 in grant will be offered for agricultural research within a 32 month period for public benefits. There is also opportunity for the female farmers to apply for the government grants for the cattle farmers.
However, the small business must have less than 500 employees to be eligible for the grant. It is also important that 51% of the company must be owned by a US citizen. An example of an eligible project is researching feed efficiency that will help in reducing the respiration diseases in cattle.
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program ( BFRDP)
The U.S Department of Agriculture’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program offers technical assistance, training and education to the female farmers and ranchers. There are also paid internships for farmers who are looking to set up their cattle breeding business.
It also includes other eligibility costs like legal strategies, marketing and corporate governance practices. However, the main aim of the program is to promote careers related to agriculture and also offer help to socially disadvantaged farmers who are struggling to educate themselves.
The USDA’s Beginner farmers loan program offers direct loans to the aspiring farmers and ranchers that is up to $300,000. Apart from that the USDA also offers loan guarantees that are up to $1,119,000. But remember that the cattle farmers who are in business for less than 10 years are only eligible for this particular loan.
Private And Community Grants For Cattle Farmers
Organic Farming Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation helps cattle farmers with assistance of up to $15,000 annually for research projects that are associated with organic farming or ranching.
The organization funds research projects about organic livestock production, exploring financial issues faced by small or medium-sized ranches and farms, finding solutions for existing production problems and so on. You need to make sure your proposal includes a working ranch or organic farm and describe how your project fosters the adoption or improvement of the organic farming system.
The organization also provides special funding opportunities for crop breeding projects or organic seed quality. Following is a list of areas where the organization makes investments.
- Economical issues surrounding small or medium-sized organic farms and ranches
- Designing strategies to control the purity of organic seed
- Organic livestock production
- Projects that help to find solutions for production problems.
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Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund
The Farmer Veteran Coalition provides the Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund through which veterans receive assistance if they are willing to pursue a career in the field of farming including cattle farming and ranching.
Unlike other types of grant programs Farmer Veteran Fellowship Funds do not provide funds to the farmers themselves instead the fund provides third-party vendors for items the individual has identified that can help to launch their farm or ranch business.
The veteran farm grants can range between $1000 to $5000 and help to finance purchases like fencing, livestock, feed, tractors, storage freezers and other equipment. To qualify for the program you need to be a member of the Farmer Veteran Coalition, have an honorably discharged degree and must show that you have served or presently serving in any branch of the United States.
Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge
A private grant called Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge is awarded to businesses or people that develop unique solutions and innovative improvements to farming including cattle farming. The grant is sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Credit which is a lender specializing in providing farm loans.
The farming business has to compete against one another to showcase their unique and innovative ideas to industry investors and experts. Nearly 10 businesses receive grant funding that ranges between $5000 to $50,000. To be eligible you have to be a member of the local Farm Bureau.
Fund-a-Farmer Grant
The Food Animal Concerns Trust provides these grants to eligible cattle farmers. The grant award extends up to $3000 and helps farmers to improve farm animals’ welfare or expand their pasture. To be eligible you have to raise one of the following cattle
- Goats
- Geese
- Ducks
- Beef Cattle
- Bison
- Dairy Cows
- Broiler Chickens
- Pigs
- Laying
- Hens
- Turkeys
- Sheep
You can apply for the program by visiting the Fund a Farmer web page and filling out the application procedure.
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Young Farmer Grant Program
The Young Farmer Grant Program is provided by the National Young Farmers Coalition and awards financial assistance of up to $5000 each year to eligible young farmers. In the year 2022 to 2022, nearly 50 farmers received the Young Farmer Grant Program and in 2023 this program expanded to 75 eligible farmers.
The recipients of the grant program are those who have established farms however if you are a beginning cattle farmer you also can receive assistance in fulfilling the eligibility criteria. To be eligible you need to be in the age below 40 years.
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Conclusion
Figuring out how to get a suitable farm grant for cattle farmers is not so easy. You need to research in depth about the available programs in your state and fulfill the stringent eligibility criteria and application procedure. Even though it takes hours to prepare the documents and fill out the application the payout can be huge and you can receive a few thousand dollars up to six figures if you are eligible based on the grant program. A primary benefit of applying for government grants for cattle farmers is that you need not repay the money back and can add capital to your agriculture operation. Look at the aforementioned federal, state and private farm grants to determine the type of cattle farm grants that align with your needs.
Do you know about Farm Grants For Females Available? Learn more at Get Government Grants’ blog section today. Our resources help people in their difficult times and reduce their financial burden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any government grants for cattle farmers?
Yes, there are various types of government grants for cattle farmers. There are a lot of cattle farmers who struggle to start their small farm business. The government surely understands their problems and therefore offers grants through USDA programs.
What are the things you must know before starting cattle farming?
There are a few things you need to keep in your mind before starting cattle farming. The first thing is to know the needs and requirements of your cattle. The second thing to know about the use of the right equipment to shift cattle from one place to another. You also need to know about the requirement of additional accessories that are required to take good care of the cattle.
Can I apply for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program?
Yes, you can apply for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program but remember you need to meet the eligibility requirements. The program offers up to $300,000 to the aspiring farmers and ranchers. Cattle farmers are only eligible if they are in business for less than 10 years but the owner needs to be involved in the business for a minimum of three years to get help from this program.