Grants available to grow Hoosier livestock

Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture is accepting applications from nonprofit groups for grants supporting livestock promotion and market development programs.

“Indiana is home to more than 21,000 livestock operations that together generate nearly $3.7 billion in sales,” Ted McKinney, ISDA director, said in a statement. “As many families and communities depend on our livestock sector, it’s important that we continue to look for new ways to promote and add value to it, especially with protein demand on the rise.”

The grants are intended to help grow Indiana’s livestock industry but they are not limited to its biggest meat production livestock categories related to pork, chicken and beef production.

Organizations, commissions and associations with 501(c) status also are welcome to apply for grants to support programs involving: sheep; horses; goats; fish; bison; rabbits; ostriches; camelids such as alpacas, llamas and camels and cervidae such as deer, elk, moose and caribou.

The grants can fund value-added feasibility studies or other types of market development research, and can support livestock promotion projects including education programs and livestock shows and conventions.

They reimburse up to half of the amount spent on the projects, programs or events, and last year the department awarded more than $50,000 in the grant funding to more than eight organizations.

The applications are available online at www.in.gov/isda/2474.htm and should be completed sent electronically by Dec. 1 to Ann McCambridge at AMcCambridge@isda.in.gov.

The department will announce the grant recipients next year by mid-February.