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WASHINGTON,
Jan. 18, 2006 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced today
that USDA is awarding $5 million in competitive grants to help
minority and disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
"We
are committed to helping our minority farmers build successful
farming operations," said Johanns. "I'm pleased that some
of these funds will support a wide range of activities at our
nation's Tribal and 1890 colleges and universities that help
minority farmers."
As part
of the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers
and Ranchers Program, the grants will help organizations conduct
outreach and technical assistance to encourage and assist farmers
and ranchers to own and operate farms and ranches and to deliver a
wide range of support activities including farm management,
financial management and marketing. This program is administered by
USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service
(CSREES).
The
grants support projects that encourage youth to become beginning
farmers and enhancing farm transition, create profitable and
competitive agricultural systems for new and emerging Latino
farmers, assist farmers and ranchers in using computers as a
management and resource tool, and develop an educational resource to
help farmers and ranchers build value-added businesses.
Of the
22 organizations receiving an award, nine are 1890 land-grant
colleges and universities and two are 1994 land-grant tribal
colleges and universities. A complete list of funded projects is
available online at csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/releases/fs/disadvantaged_fs.doc
CSREES advances knowledge for agriculture, the environment,
human health and well-being, and communities by supporting
research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant
University System and other partner organizations. For more
information, visit http://www.csrees.usda.gov.
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