USDA Information Session

 Learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply for USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct or guaranteed loans and grants from USDA.

Beginning, minority and veteran farmers can get help to prepare applications for farm ownership and operating loans and obtain the required borrower training.

Find out about the resources and current grants that are available from USDA, including the Rural Development Renewable Energy for America (REAP) grant and loan guarantee program, ValueAdded Producer Grant (VAPG) program, and Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) program. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs are also available to help you implement conservation practices that reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat and reduce damages caused by floods and other natural disasters.

_{A multidisciplinary team from Virginia State University’s Small Farm Outreach Program, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and USDA agencies ensures that our financial and business management programs are innovative, culturally sensitive, level-appropriate and practical for small-scale farm operations. The VSU Small Farm Outreach Program is an approved USDA FSA Borrower Training Vendor.}

For more information, contact Derrick Cladd at (804) 892-4489 or dcladd@vsu.edu.