Value added producer grants disaster (vapg disaster) - grant

De Hoyos Farm LLC (doing business as Siembra La Tierra) received a $250,000 Project Grant from the Rural Business Cooperative Services (RBCS), administered through the Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG) program (CFDA 10.352), awarded on September 19, 2025. This disaster relief grant supports the recipient's value-added agricultural processing and marketing activities in Puerto Rico, with a performance period extending through September 19, 2027. As an SBA Certified HUBZone Firm, De Hoyos Farm LLC will utilize these funds to develop or expand operations related to processing and/or marketing value-added agricultural products, consistent with VAPG program objectives of generating new products, creating marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income.

The VAPG program competitively awards planning and working capital grants to eligible agricultural producers and producer-based businesses. This award specifically addresses disaster relief needs within the value-added agricultural sector. Funds may support feasibility studies, business plans, and operational expenses directly tied to value-added processing or marketing activities, but cannot be used for agricultural production, construction, real property acquisition, or fixed equipment and vehicles. The grant is part of RBCS's broader portfolio, which has distributed $219.3 million across 1,726 Project Grants since 2010, with awards typically ranging from approximately $6,450 to $250,000.