To provide education and technical assistance to african americanfarmers and rural residents in a 20 county area of the alabama blackbelt

The Alabama State Association of Cooperatives (ASAC) was awarded a $750,000 Project Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Office of Advocacy and Outreach. The funding will support ASAC's provision of education and technical assistance to African American farmers and rural residents in a 20-county area of Alabama's Black Belt region from September 2022 through September 2025.

The award is being made through the USDA's Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (2501 Program). The 2501 Program aims to encourage and assist socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, veteran farmers and ranchers, and beginning farmers and ranchers with owning and operating farms and ranches and participating equitably in USDA programs. ASAC will utilize the $750,000 in grant funding to deliver outreach and assistance that furthers this goal for the target demographic in the specified multi-county area of Alabama over the three-year period of performance.