The USDA Is About More Than Food

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is about much more than farming. They are involved with all levels of food safety, from producer, to value-added, to consumer. There are articles available to help families with choosing healthy foods, beginning farmers' programs, and rural development. You may be surprised at just what the USDA can do to help your small business to grow.

USDA NRCS

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is a nationwide department that provides cost-share and technical to farmers and consumers who are looking to conserve water, soil, and other natural resources. If you want to grow a garden, provide a backyard habitat for wildlife, or are looking for information on how to best use the natural resources around you, you may want to pay a visit to your local NRCS office. The NRCS office works in conjunction with a Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) which is made up of elected board members to help with outreach and planning within communities and rural areas. Many of the SWCD's offer things like seedlings for planting or portable chippers for rent and native grass seeds at a low cost.

USDA RCD

The USDA Rural and Community Development Department can help with housing concerns in rural areas. If you own, or are thinking about investing in an apartment complex, the RC&D has programs that can help you renovate and get the best return on your investment. There are also grants and programs to help with providing infrastructure and rehabilitation of communities throughout the United States. Programs also include help with homeownership and can be a source for funding programs for rural energy financing.

USDA Forest Service

The USDA Forest Service is another department within the USDA that provides not only recreational activities, but the opportunity for small businesses as well. There are grants and business opportunities available utilizing the resources available through the Forest Service. In some areas, you may find competitive contracts to bid on for thinning trees, rehabilitating needs after a catastrophic fire, or the opportunity to harvest Christmas trees for re-sale. You may also be able to win a competitive bid on developing a campground or other recreational facility.

USDA Food and Nutrition Programs

The USDA oversees many programs on food and nutrition . There a numerous business opportunities in the food industry. If you provide value-added products, the health and safety of those products will probably be overseen by the USDA. They also have competitive grants to help develop new ways of using agricultural crops and provide tips for the safe handling of food for the consumers.

This is only a small sample of the programs that the USDA oversees. Small businesses can find many opportunities for expansion, request for proposals, guaranteed loans, and may even be able to find assistance with utility development in small communities and rural areas.