[Terrapreta] Equipment Research & USDA Announces $19 M in Grants for Value-Added Ag Ventures

[Shengar at aol.com]

Hi Folks,
All my folders of saved email have disappeared, so I  will try to 
reconstruct, from email addresses, the list of folks who had  sent me emails to be 
included in the field trip to the Dayton VA Chicken Litter  Pyrolysis Project.
( I'm starting to hate AOL!! )
 
 
This week I contacted the equipment design people at  John Deer, New Holland, 
and Catapillar about incorporation of char at depth.  John Deer and New 
Holland seemed quite interested, I asked about ;  
 
1. A  combination of double plowing and than Rippers to 16 inches  or   
Sub-Soilers to 30 inches
 
2.  Largest Rotary tiller (?tine depth?) and then ripping /  Sub-Soiling
 
3. For  maximum depth, either of the above, plus a Vibratory plow modified to 
 feed the charcoal compost mix instead cables
 
I  was asking for ball park figures on cost, running time per acre for the  
equipment necessary, the largest available rotary tillers, Injection  
techniques,  and any other suggestions on efficient methods to  implement this soil 
technology, and thanked  them for any help in looking into this soil engineering  
challenge. 
 
Erich J.  Knight , 540-289-9750, _shengar at aol.com_ (mailto:shengar at aol.com) 

 
April 26, 2007 
Johanns Announces $19 M in Grants for Value-Added Ag  Ventures 
Washington, DC [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] 
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the  availability of $19.5 
million to help independent agricultural producers enter  into value-added 
activities, which includes renewable energy.  
The maximum grant amount for a planning grant is  $100,000. The maximum grant 
amount for a working capital grant is $300,000.  Applicants must provide 
matching funds at least equal to the amount of the grant  requested.
Potential uses include a wide range of products that allow  the producer to 
enhance the revenue stream generated from their crops and other  production. 
Examples include conversion to organic production, processing of raw  
commodities to a finished product, and the conversion of farm crops to create  renewable 
energy sources.

"These grants are a vital tool to help support  rural businesses, create new 
markets for agricultural products and help the  United States become more 
energy independent," Johanns said. "They represent the  exciting new direction 
we're proposing for the energy and rural development  titles of a new farm bill 
this year."

Value-Added Agricultural Product  Market Development grants, aka Value-Added 
Producer Grants, are available to  help agriculture producers develop business 
plans to produce bio-based products  from agricultural commodities. Awards 
may be made for planning activities or for  working capital expenses, but not 
for both. The maximum grant amount for a  planning grant is $100,000. The 
maximum grant amount for a working capital grant  is $300,000. Applicants must 
provide matching funds at least equal to the amount  of the grant requested.

The grants may be used for planning activities,  such as feasibility studies, 
marketing and business plans needed to establish a  viable value-added 
marketing opportunity for an agricultural product. They also  may be used to provide 
working capital for operating a value-added business  venture, marketing 
value-added agricultural products and for farm-based  renewable energy projects. 

Applicants must be an independent producer,  agriculture producer group, 
farmer or rancher cooperative, or  majority-controlled producer-based business. 
The deadline for applications is  May 16.



For Further Information 
    *   » _Application guide and other materials_ 
(http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm)   
    *   » _USDA  Rural Development State Office _ 
(http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/)  
    *   » _USDA _ (http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome) 
_http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=48282_ 
(http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=48282) 




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