Updated at 8:53 a.m., Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Hawaiian Vanilla Co. awarded $41,000 grant
Advertiser Staff
The Hawaiian Vanilla Company Inc., the only farm growing vanilla in the United States, was awarded a $41,000 planning grant by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns yesterday to help develop a business plan to significantly increase the wholesale sales of vanilla-based products to the Mainland gourmet vanilla market.The grant is part of $22.7 million Value-Added Producer Grant programs that Johanns awarded yesterday to 162 recipients in 40 states and Puerto Rico.
"These grants support farm families in rural America by helping them market their commodities and increase their financial returns," Johanns said in a released statement. "I'm pleased to announce that some of these funds will help develop alternative fuels from renewable energy sources as part of President Bush's comprehensive national energy policy."
Approximately one-third of the grants, 56, will go to recipients who requested $50,000 or less in federal assistance.
A complete list of grant recipients is available at USDA's Web site at www.rurdev.usda.gov.
