BI grants - rcdg discretionary value-added agricultural prod MKT dvlp

Max D Mclean received a $189,806 Project Grant from the Rural Business Cooperative Services under the Value-Added Producer Grants program (CFDA 10.352), awarded on August 21, 2025, with an ultimate completion date of August 21, 2027. This award supports value-added agricultural processing and marketing activities in Nebraska. Under this program, the recipient will develop and implement initiatives to transform raw agricultural commodities into higher-value processed goods, generating new products and expanding market opportunities to increase producer income.

The funding is restricted to planning and operational activities directly related to processing and marketing value-added agricultural products. Permissible uses include feasibility studies, business plan development, and day-to-day operating expenses associated with the venture. The award expressly excludes expenditures for agricultural production, construction, real property purchases, or fixed equipment and vehicle acquisitions. The recipient must submit semiannual Federal Financial Reports and project performance reports throughout the two-year project period and comply with applicable federal financial management standards.