Last week we submitted a USDA Value-Added Producer Grant application requesting $25,000 to fund a Feasibility Study, Business Plan, and Marketing Plan for expanding value-added meat production at Mad Horse Meats. Here is the full story of what we applied for, why, and what the process was actually like — for our customers who want to know what we are building toward, and for other farmers who might be considering applying themselves.

The Value-Added Producer Grant Program

The USDA Value-Added Producer Grant program — VAPG for short — is a federal grant program that helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. The idea is straightforward: when a farmer takes a raw agricultural commodity and does something to it that increases its value — processes it, packages it, markets it differently — the farmer captures more of the revenue that would otherwise go to middlemen. VAPG helps fund that transition.

There are two types of VAPG grants. Planning Grants — up to $50,000 — fund the studies and plans you need to determine whether a value-added project is viable. Working Capital Grants — up to $200,000 — fund the actual operational costs of running a value-added project. We applied for a Planning Grant. The grant requires a dollar-for-dollar match — for every grant dollar you need to provide an equal amount from your own funds.

VAPG is part of the USDA Local Agriculture Market Program and is administered by USDA Rural Development. Applications are submitted through a national competitive process. The FY2026 deadline was April 22.

What We Are Trying to Build

Mad Horse Meats currently processes all of our animals at an outside USDA-inspected facility about an hour from the farm. It works — but it creates real constraints. We have to schedule weeks or months in advance. We cannot always process animals at their optimal weight. There are gaps in product availability that frustrate customers and limit our growth. And every time we transport live animals an hour each way we add cost, labor, and stress to animals that we work hard to keep calm.

The long-term vision for this farm has always included bringing processing on-site. Not because it is the exciting thing to do — it is an enormous undertaking — but because it is the right thing for the animals, the product, and the business. On-site processing means animals go from pasture to processing without a trailer ride. It means we control the timeline, the quality, and the cost. It means we can bring all four species — beef, lamb, pork, and chicken — to market consistently and on our own schedule.

Before we pursue financing for that kind of infrastructure we need a rigorous independent analysis. Is it financially viable at our production volumes? What will it actually cost to build and operate? What does the market look like? What processing options make the most sense for a farm our size? Those questions require a Feasibility Study. The Business Plan and Marketing Plan follow from that. That is exactly what VAPG Planning Grants are designed to fund.

What Applying Actually Involved

I will be honest — the application was a significant undertaking. VAPG applications are detailed, technical, and require careful attention to language. If you are a farmer thinking about applying, here is a realistic picture of what it involves.

Now We Wait

The application has been submitted. USDA Rural Development will review applications through a competitive scoring process and announce awards later this year. We do not know the timeline for award announcements — VAPG is a nationally competitive program and review takes time.

If we are awarded the grant Grow Good Roots will begin work on the Feasibility Study within the first few months. The full scope — Feasibility Study, Business Plan, and Marketing Plan — is expected to take approximately nine months of active work within our 24-month project period. The results of that work will directly inform whether and how we pursue financing for expanded processing capacity.

If we are not awarded we will evaluate whether to reapply in a future cycle with a stronger application. VAPG is competitive. Not every application gets funded on the first try. We went into this process knowing that and we are proud of the application we submitted regardless of outcome.

We will post an update when we hear back. In the meantime if you are a farmer considering a VAPG application and have questions about the process feel free to reach out. We are happy to share what we learned.