Missouri’s Agriculture Matching Grant Program Funds Innovative Projects
Missouri is set to fund some urban agriculture entrepreneurs and non-traditional farmers like wine producers, beekeepers as well as shrimp farmers. The program has been dubbed the Urban and Non-Traditional Agriculture Matching Grant Program. The main objective of this program is to stimulate job creation, innovation and R&D in Missouri’s agricultural sector. Christi Miller, the Missouri Grown Program Manager, has stated that they want to grow the agricultural industry and encourage more individuals to work there. The team is aware that a transformation of the agriculture sector requires developing new agribusiness concepts that have not previously been tested in the state, which is a key goal of the program. Miller says that the program’s activities are far from soybeans, cows or corn.
One winner from the previous year was a shrimp farm. Bee and honey farms have also won the grant. In addition, a flower business dubbed Urban Buds in St Louis has also been a beneficiary of this funding. The owner of the business stated that the grant assisted her to expand by buying an adjacent lot of vacant land. This shows that numerous businesses from various sectors in Missouri can be eligible for the grant.
Applications for grants can be accessed through the agriculture.mo.gov website. These grants offer up to $7,500 and help innovative urban farmers cover expenses for their activities. Although the sum is not such huge, it is substantial in recognizing the efforts by the farmers.
