U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director Bob Morgan said Tuesday, Feb. 21, that USDA is awarding six grants to agriculture producers in rural Pennsylvania, including three in Bucks County.
“Ag producers are vital to the system that helps feed Pennsylvanians. Any time we can support them is a success for us as an agency,” Morgan said. “I am glad these grant funds are getting to operations for them to expand their markets and increase revenue.”
The grant awards total $894,290 for six projects in four Pennsylvania counties through the Value Added Producer Grants program.
The three Bucks County projects awarded funds Feb. 21 are Roots to River Farm, Manoff Market Cidery and Tinicum Farm Collective.
Roots to River Farm was awarded a grant of $250,000 for processing and marketing an herbal fortified wine, made from its farm-grown fennel. This wine is aromatized with radicchio and herbs, along with a proprietary blend of spices and citrus.
Funds will also be used for marketing the new product and securing a foothold in the increasingly competitive American aperitif market. This includes costs for advertising, web re-design and social media management. This project is anticipated to increase its customer base by roughly 6,000 and increase its revenue by approximately $215,000 over three years.
Manoff Market Cidery was awarded a grant of $45,000 for processing and marketing activities to help launch a hard cider product into the Bucks County, Greater Philadelphia, and New Jersey areas.
The goal of the project is to increase retail sales by promoting its products through print, visual and social media advertisements. This project is anticipated to increase its customer base by roughly 4,000 and its revenue by approximately $231,000 over a 15-month period.
Tinicum Farm Collective was awarded a grant of $49,420 for processing, packaging and marketing activities to expand production of the popular and distinct Heirloom Pumpkin Pie to a wider wholesale market in the Greater Philadelphia Region.
The goal is to increase sales to customers by providing a retail-ready product that will become the cornerstone of the farm and bakehouse. This project will serve a socially disadvantaged independent producer and is anticipated to increase its customer base by seven retail outlets and its revenue by approximately $45,000 over a one-year period.
The three other Pennsylvania awardees are: North Mountain Pastures in Perry County, which was awarded a grant of $250,000; Katydid Hill in Schuylkill County, which was awarded a grant of $250,000; and Crooked Row Farm in Lehigh County. which was awarded a grant of $49,870.
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