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AgriFIRST Grant Recipients

FY2002 Grant Recipients

Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Ag Guild of Illinois	$27,000	For technical assistance to evaluate research data and pursue marketing opportunities for specialty grains. Monies will also be used for additional consulting fees for the development of a marketing plan including the creation of a website for potential customers.
BJF Wine Inc.	$2,500	To conduct a feasibility study to determine the cost of a co-packager within Illinois to produce and package wine jelly and to complete a market assessment which determines the most appropriate outlet and competitive price for the product.
Central Illinois Agriculture Coalition	$70,000	For completion of a feasibility study, a business plan, process plan, legal assistance, accounting consultation, printing and presentation expenses for an ethanol plant.
Clarkson Grain	$43,000	To conduct a feasibility study and market research for use of organic soy ingredients by the processing industry, to produce and send sample products to customers and to secure commitments to purchase Illinois produced organic soy ingredients.
Environmentally Correct Concepts	$25,000	For technical assistance to evaluate the marketing opportunities for grassy biomass, specifically Miscanthus, as an alternative energy source in Illinois.
Family Farms Cooperative	$50,000	To identify value added opportunities and develop direct relationships with small retail grocery and food service for fresh, branded pork products.
Forrest Meats, Inc.	$40,000	To conduct an economic feasibility study to evaluate a new rural location for an expanded facility to process swine, beef and lamb. Monies will be used for expenses necessary to complete a market assessment.
Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Gateway Seed Company	$35,000	To conduct a feasibility study evaluating the development and implementation of an identity preserved tracking system and to provide for costs associated with staff, a seminar, travel, economic research, cost-share of software and employee training.
Greater Rochelle Economic Development Corporation	$95,000	For technical assistance and project management for outreach, producer survey, engineering evaluation, feasibility study and business plan for an ethanol plant in Ogle County.
Heartland Specialty Grains, LLC	$25,000	For technical assistance to identify and develop markets for identity preserved specialty grains and oilseeds.
Hunter Haven Farms, Inc.	$10,000	To develop a manure digester feasibility study examining the potential value of manure as a by-product.
Illinois Corn Growers Association	$25,000	To promote and pilot classroom-based computer training, testing and certification for specialty trait corn.
Illinois Corn Marketing Board	$100,000	To conduct a feasibility study on the commercialization of a process for extracting and separating corn oil and zein from grain.
Illinois Grape Growers & Vintners Association	$20,000	To provide technical assistance to identify alternative funding mechanisms to enable the Illinois Wine Council to continue the development and support of the Illinois wine industry.
Illinois Wheat Association	$25,000	To provide technical assistance to identify alternative funding mechanisms to enable the Illinois Wheat Association to continue its development and support of the Illinois wheat industry.
Jackson-Union Counties Regional Port District	$25,000	For technical assistance to develop a business plan for a 15 million gallon fuel grade dry mill ethanol production facility to be located at the Bicentennial Industrial Park in Carbondale.
Land of Lincoln Agriculture Coalition	$18,000	To provide technical assistance for membership development for an 18-20 million gallon per year coal-fired, steam powered electric generating ethanol facility. Grant monies will also be used to develop a five year projection regarding the facility's operation and marketing opportunities.
Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Metcalf Piedmontese Beef Ltd.	$60,000	For technical assistance to evaluate research data and pursue marketing opportunities for specialty grains. Monies will also be used for additional consulting fees for the development of a marketing plan including the creation of a website for potential customers.
Pope-Hardin Soil & Water Conservation District	$22,000	To conduct marketing and processing feasibility studies for prawn production. Grant monies will also be used to investigate the feasibility of a mobile processing unit and its impact on the Southern Illinois prawn industry.
Pope-Hardin Soil & Water Conservation District	$21,500	To develop market research and to determine the economic viability of a juice processing plant in Southern Illinois to produce an end product for Southern Illinois wineries. The study will also evaluate the long-term potential of vegetable processing.
Producers Alliance	$40,000	To complete a feasibility study to determine the geographic location of a 50 million gallon per year ethanol production facility and to develop a business plan.
Stepan Company	$25,000	To determine the feasibility of developing a cost effective soybean oil product for use in outdoor dust suppression on unpaved roads.
Two Rivers RC &D, Inc.	$24,500	For technical assistance for statewide promotion of Access Illinois Outdoors to landowners and farmers.
University of Illinois Extension	$66,000	To provide assistance in the line of development of an interactive website for specialty crops called MarketMaker.
Ursa Farmers Cooperative	$10,000	To conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a 6-9 million bushel dry mill corn processing plant in Western Illinois.
Western Illinois University	$225,000	To establish a working arrangement with existing producer organizations to pursue value added opportunities; to provide on-site technical assistance in organization issues as well as training for participants from board of director training to identification of business opportunities; to allow Value Added Rural Development Center staff to work with the Office of AgriFIRST staff to create a curriculum for project participants, identify changes in legislation that might facilitate agribusiness ventures, monitor producer organization progress and help new organizations find opportunities to raise incomes and stimulate local employment; and to help market value added agriculture as a viable business opportunity to local economic development organizations through an applied research program and presentations to development groups.

FY2003 Grant Recipients

Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Ag Education & Consulting, LLC/CENTREC Consulting Group, LLC	$36,800	For completion of a study that will address the development and delivery mechanisms for helping farmers building the business characteristics and core competencies they will need to make choices in the future.
Ag Guild of Illinois	$17,000	For technical assistance to implement the business plan. Monies will also be used to provide further identity-preserved training to their members.
Biotechnology Research & Development Center	$25,000	Technical assistance to hire an engineering firm to determine the improvements and requirements necessary to convert space into an agribusiness commercialization center in Peoria, IL including zoning, building codes and the types of environmental and safety issues a facility like this must meet.
Central Illinois Tourism Development Office	$20,000	For technical assistance in organizing a grassroots agritourism association benefiting all Illinois farmers.
Illinois Beef Association	$94,000	To complete a competitive assessment of the beef industry in Illinois and to provide the necessary technical assistance required for identifying the best way to add value to Illinois beef.
Illinois Branded Beef, LLC	$25,000	For technical assistance allowing the beef producers involved in the organization to develop and market a specifically identified beef product to Chicago grocers.
Illinois Pork Producers Association	$71,000	For completion of a feasibility study to determine if production of a premium pork product can result in higher profits for Illinois pork producers. Specific objectives include: determining the qualities high-end restaurants want in a premium pork product and what premium they are willing to pay for it; determining how to provide consistent, reliable quality measurements to differentiate pork quality that can be incorporated into a pricing system; determining what premiums are currently available for high quality pork; determining if producers will respond to a new pricing system; and evaluating the potential for a premium pork product in a retail grocery setting.
Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Illinois Quality Beef Supply Network	$25,000	To secure adequate investment commitments from prospective producers to participate in joint beef processing; to research and prepare applications for federal, state and private economic development assistance; and to access ultrasound technologies that help producers meeting the pre-determined quality characteristics necessary to participate in the Illinois Quality Beef Supply Network.
Illinois Soybean Association	$80,000	For technical assistance to test market a computer-based, identity-preserved quality control system and to fund three components of the business plan: integration of the program with the needs and procedures of elevators and processors, conduct real-time tests of the system throughout the entire production chain and conduct a needs assessment of end users of identity-preserved grains.
Lincolnland Agri-Energy Inc.	$29,500	For engineering and design costs of the rough grading, fill work and site stabilization to meet load bearing requirements for the plant and rail. The engineering and design work will result in the preparation of a bid package to be given to potential bidders for the dirt work. The cost includes the engineering oversight of the bidding process.
Midwest Prairie Products	$25,000	For completion of a feasibility study that determines the most appropriate business model for establishing a flexible soybean processing plant in North Central Illinois.
Pope-Hardin Soil & Water Conservation District	$8,000	For completion of a feasibility study to determine the economic viability and environmental sustainability of bare root seedling production on a small scale in four counties of Southern Illinois.
Prairie Premium Ag Coalition	$20,000	For completion of an in-depth feasibility study for producing and marketing biodiesel and co-products in West Central Illinois.
Shawnee Freshwater Prawn Growers Association	$7,500	To create and implement a marketing campaign for freshwater prawns which includes the creation of a website, development of additional markets and the creation of marketing materials for the organization.
Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Sustain	$75,000	To conduct a feasibility study assessing the current market for locally grown organic food, current and potential providers and processors of organic foods and determine the infrastructure necessary to support the growth and maintenance of an Illinois-based distribution system.
Ursa Farmers Cooperative	$21,200	For technical assistance to hire a consultant to lead employees in the development of a customized ISO 9000quality system at Ursa Farmers Cooperative two river facilities.
Western Illinois University	$75,000	To provide technical assistance, research and consulting services to producer groups to facilitate the creation of new businesses, scan for new opportunities and assist in the enhancement of business related skills.

FY2004 Grant Recipients

Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Common Sense Solutions	$25,000	For technical assistance through attorney's fees
Environmentally Correct Concepts	$20,000	To investigate the potential value of Miscanthus as a renewable energy source in Illinois. Grant funds will be used to develop a mechanical method of propagation, determine combustion characteristics, determine best management practices and develop a website to provide farmers with this information.
Farmer's Packing	$25,000	For technical assistance to help with salaries associated with expansion design for their current pork processing facility and to conduct market research necessary to create a marketing plan for their value-added pork – lean bacon product.
Glacier Beef, Inc.	$25,000	For technical assistance to upgrade the company website, production of advertising and sales material and hiring a full time sales person.
Illinois Grape Growers & Vintners Association	$17,450	To provide educational viticultural and enology programs to new and existing growers and new and existing wineries. The Grantee will contract with specialists from Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio to provide educational workshops in three sites across the state (North, Central and Southern Illinois).
Illinois Nurserymen's Association	$44,000	To complete a comprehensive study evaluating the Illinois green industry's contributions to the State. The survey will assess the economic impact of the industry on Illinois' economy; evaluate changes within the industry; identify constraints to business and market expansion within the State and identify industry needs specific to job training and educational programs.
Illinois Soybean Association	$20,000	To continue an on-going project. Grant monies will be used to complete the plan, which should lead to the commercialization of the SoySelect system and implementation of the system on individual farms throughout the state.
Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Land of Lincoln Ag Coalition	$24,000	To complete a feasibility study evaluating a 40 million gallon per year dry-mill ethanol facility at the site of the Turris Coal Mine in Elkhart, IL. The study will compare the economic compatibility of ethanol fermentation and coal burning technology and will include cost estimates utilizing coal as the primary energy source to those using natural gas.
Land of Lincoln Ag Coalition	$8,100	To complete a feasibility study assessing the current specialty crop market, identify potential markets, estimate the potential business volume, identify potential members of a specialty crop cooperative and estimate potential production.
Member to Member	$25,000	To obtain professional consulting services to develop a marketing and sales plan to enable the grantee to expand its international market opportunities. The project will specifically enable the grantee to gain in-depth market intelligence listing grain qualities and characteristics sought by potential customers.
National Trail Biodiesel Cooperative	$24,000	To hire technical assistance to oversee continued membership development and daily operations as the Cooperative moves forward in the creation of a combination soybean crushing/biodiesel plant to be placed in the grantee's membership area.
Omni Ventures, Inc.	$25,000	For technical assistance to enable a consultant to evaluate the quality of the kenaf fiber and core being grown in Illinois, to assess the appropriate level of processing and to develop a strategy for full-scale commercialization and long-term viability of kenaf as a crop in Illinois.
Pope-Hardin Soil & Water Conservation District	$18,750	To advance their previously funded AgriFIRST project. This portion of the project will identify the type of prawn product consumers want, to establish a private, pilot hatchery and to continue to address food safety and handling requirements.
Riverside Aqua Farm/ Ginger Funk Hilliard	$11,700	To complete a feasibility study that would evaluate the use of a co-packer to produce and package a prawn dipping sauce. The study will also identify the most feasible transportation mode and type of packaging for the product. Monies can also be used for accounting and legal business expenses associated with the completion of this feasibility study.
Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Southeastern Illinois Heritage Foundation	$4,000	For technical assistance to hire a person to develop and teach business development courses and provide consulting services to individuals in the grantee's territory interested in creating value-added agricultural businesses.
Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau	$25,000	For technical assistance to hire a person to develop and teach business development courses and provide consulting services to individuals in the grantee's territory interested in creating value-added agricultural businesses.

FY2005 Grant Recipients

Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Agriculture & Tourism Partners of Illinois	$3,000	To hire an agritourism consultant to produce a one-day agritourism workshop in conjunction with the Grantee's annual meeting.
Homewood Holding, LLC	$25,000	To complete a feasibility study for Homewood Dairy.
Illinois Corn Marketing Board	$25,000	To create a grant program allowing prospective ethanol projects to complete a pre-feasibility study.
Illinois Soybean Association	$88,000	To continue to develop the Illinois Soybean Quality Rewards Project.
Mid-America Biodiesel, LLC	$90,000	To complete a feasibility study to evaluate the potential for a biodiesel facility in Wabash County.
National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center	$24,000	To conduct a feasibility study to determine the factors impacting the flowability of distillers' dried grain with solubles.
Nauvoo Cheese Inc.	$35,000	For expenses related to building and refurbishing the facility and a portion of equipment expenses for the creation of a modern cheese production facility in Nauvoo, IL.
Northwest Illinois Ag Coalition	$13,000	To hire technical assistance to aid with organizational development, project development and outreach and business plan development.
Patriot Resources	$25,000	To obtain technical assistance associated with the development of a 50-million gallon per year ethanol facility in Northwest Illinois.
Prairie Pure Cheese, Inc.	$2,210	To obtain technical assistance and hire a consultant to assist the company in marketing its cheese products.
Sandy Pine Elk Farm & Gift Shop	$10,000	To hire technical assistance to aid in the development of their value-added elk business and agritourism venture.
Grantee	Amount	Purpose
The Land Connection	$10,790	To obtain technical assistance to establish a certified organic meat processor in Illinois.
Trim-Rite Food Corporation	$30,000	For soil preparation, soil testing, site design and plan development and architecture design of the site for the development of a hog harvesting facility in Northern Illinois.

FY2006 Grant Recipients

Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Ag Tech – Northern Illinois University	$20,000	For a feasibility study that will evaluate biomass energy savings for regional businesses.
City of McHenry	$17,240	To help fund a market manager and help with the development of technical assistance materials to further develop the local farmers market.
Deveco Corporation	$52,000	For purchasing and installing equipment to help commercialize renewable based cleaning products.
Rund Farms/Eric Rund	$7500	To develop a website that can provide agritourism information to farmers and tourists in Illinois and abroad.
Food & Pharma Solutions Corp.	$67,000	To conduct a feasibility study, competitive assessment and consulting-productivity services for the development of a business and marketing plan for the construction and operation of an ultraviolet food processing plant in Southern Illinois.
GLG Consulting, LLC	$23,550	To develop an investment education program for farmers interested in investing in renewable fuel projects.
Goodness Greeness	$45,000	To help underwrite the feasibility phase of a project to develop a distribution center for the grantee's organic business.
Illinois Coalition for Animal Agriculture	$25,845	To help develop, print and disseminate technical assistance and educational materials including workbooks, public information flyers, investment prospectuses and other materials to aid the livestock business developer.
Illinois Corn Growers Association	$40,000	To enable the Association to provide assistance to potential ethanol ventures in Illinois.
Illinois Corn Opportunities LLC	$75,000	To help the grantee with the commercialization of the corn oil and protein extraction (COPE) process to help further develop co-products from dry grind ethanol facilities.
Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Illinois Beef Association	$22,500	To help the grantee identify opportunities for beef producers utilizing animal identification information as a valuable resource tool in making management and marketing decisions.
Kent Pearl Valley Cheese	$12,500	Funds will be used as working capital to help with the development of the grantee's cheese business.
MEDA	$21,750	To explore the potential for a large-scale vermiculture operation using organic waste materials.  Project will also evaluate the potential to sell organic compost commercially.
Pembroke Farmers Cooperative	$22,200	To determine the feasibility of an herbal processing plant and market for Pembroke Township farmers.
PorCo Inc.	$12,290	To help with the cost of purchasing equipment for the grantee's value-added meat business.
Prairie Ethanol	$20,000	To help with equity drive costs related to the development of an ethanol facility.
Solutia Inc.	$80,000	To evaluate the feasibility of establishing a biodiesel manufacturing unit at the Solutia Inc. site in Sauget, Illinois.
Tuscola Economic Development/Illinois Prairie Ethanol	$25,000	To help organization obtain technical assistance  for the development of a 50 million gallon per year ethanol facility in Douglas County.
University of Illinois	$69,500	To develop an Illinois Certified Frozen Boar Semen Program pilot project to produce a health and quality certified boar semen project from IL producers.
Villa Marie Winery	$12,100	To obtain technical assistance to further develop and promote the winery by completing a feasibility study that will identify equipment that can improve the quality of Illinois wines.  Funds will also be used to evaluate computerized pricing and inventory control systems.

FY2007 Grant Recipients

Grantee	Amount	Purpose
Hunter Haven Farms, Inc.	$32,625	Installation of additional gen-set to existing manure digester on the dairy farm.
Illinois Corn Marketing Board	$40,000	To implement a grant program to help qualified organizations establish two DDG container loader facilities in IL.
Lowell & Jacob Ioerger	$24,897	To develop a greenhouse to help applicant establish an organic, hydroponic tomato operation.
Midwest Organic Farmers Cooperative	$2640	To obtain assistance to help with the distribution of produce and to develop marketing materials to help cooperative members access the Chicago fresh produce market.
Northern Illinois University	$16,850	To help facilitate a feasibility study to identify and evaluate new uses for glycerin, a co-product of biodiesel.  This grant would enable the University to contract with the AgTech New Uses Entrepreneur Development Center to explore the feasibility of new use applications of the unrefined glycerin as an energy feedstock.
Prairie Gold	$75,500	Contractual services including legal fees to negotiate supply contracts with end users, analysis of zein protein and product specifications, product safety analysis, display and brochure design. 10% of equipment purchases to help advance the zein project and funds for laboratory supplies.
QCity Meats	$14,630	To help with expansion of an existing livestock processing and wholesale/retail meat facility in Quincy.
Silver Moon Winery	$19,612	To acquire technical assistance to help develop brand identity tools.
Stewards of the Land	$13,000	To obtain technical assistance by hiring a marketing person to help oversee LLC.

For additional information on the AgriFIRST value added grant program, please call the Office of AgriFIRST at 866-452-4741 or e-mail Delayne Reeves at Delayne.Reeves@illinois.gov.