Persistent poverty grants to assist minority producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services has awarded a $175,000 Project Grant under the Rural Cooperative Development Grants program (CFDA 10.771) to MS MIN Farmers Alliance Inc., a minority-owned non-profit organization in Mississippi. The grant funding will be used by the Alliance to provide technical assistance, training, feasibility studies, business planning, and other services to support the startup, expansion, and operational improvement of rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses in underserved agricultural communities across Mississippi. This grant award is part of the agency's efforts to improve economic conditions in rural areas by assisting individuals and entities in developing viable cooperative business models across various sectors including agriculture, fishing, utilities, retail, and credit unions.