SPRINGFIELD – Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke today announced more than $600,000 in grants to support renewable fuels, livestock production, the Illinois wine industry and other value-added agriculture projects across the state through Opportunity Returns, Governor Blagojevich’s pro-active, comprehensive economic development strategy. The grants will fund feasibility studies to expand Illinois’ ethanol, biodiesel and biomass industries, help open markets for Illinois products and find new uses for the state’s top commodities. The funds are made available through the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s AgriFIRST program.

"Illinois is making incredible advancements in agriculture. Our farmers and entrepreneurs are discovering new products and seizing the opportunity to build on existing products and technologies. It is important not only to agriculture but also for our economic future to support these projects however we can. Every time one of these business ventures flourishes, it continues to move Illinois forward as an agribusiness leader and creates jobs," Gov. Blagojevich said.

2006 AgriFIRST Grant recipients by region include:

AG TECH, $20,000 - to help the organization conduct a feasibility study that can address biomass energy savings for regional businesses. A larger reaching goal associated with the project is to leverage Northern Illinois University’s network of resources for the commercialization of biomass products and services.

KENT PEARL VALLEY CHEESE, $12,500 - to help with equipment purchases for additional Muenster Cheese production before opening the business in Kent, Illinois. The grant funds are to be used to help obtain the equipment at 10% of the total cost of the equipment. It is anticipated twelve full-time jobs and six part-time jobs will be created initially. The facility should also impact a number of local dairy producers and other agribusinesses in the area.

DEVECO CORP., $52,000 - for purchase and installation of equipment to commercialize renewable based cleaning products. Located in Belvidere, the company’s new line of cleaning products utilizes ethanol and distillers dried grains (DDG) from corn and methyl soyate from soybeans. Commercialization of these new products will provide another market for area farmers’ crops. The company intends to purchase all renewable inputs (corn, soy, methyl soyate and DDG) from local farmers and ethanol facilities.

PRAIRIE ETHANOL, $20,000 – for equity drive costs related to the development of a 100 million gallon per year ethanol facility. Prairie Ethanol plans to construct a 100 million gallon per year ethanol facility in Galva, Illinois. The facility would utilize 36 million bushels of corn, create a new market for local producers, increase on farm income, increase the basis $0.05 - $0.10 per bushel, employ 50-55 individuals and spark local economic development.

McHENRY CO FARMERS’ MARKET, $17,240 - to help with funding a market manager and technical assistance materials to further develop their local farmers market. The objectives of this particular grant are for the farmers’ market to provide a venue for community-supported agriculture in McHenry County. This venture will help encourage local producers to grow and sell local through the market and foster new value-added business opportunities for the region’s farmers.

MEDA, $21,750 - to explore the potential for a large-scale vermiculture operation using organic waste materials. Grant funds are also to be used to evaluate the potential to sell the organic compost commercially. MEDA is a Chicago based non-profit organization located in the Pilsen neighborhood. This six-month project will evaluate the feasibility of creating a large-scale program to convert waste food and wood products to compost.

PEMBROKE FARMER’S COOPERATIVE, $22,200 - to determine the feasibility of an herbal processing plant and market for Pembroke Township farmers. Study will also evaluate the long-term impact on the community.

RUND FARMS - INTERNATIONAL Agtivities, $7,500 - to help develop a website that can provide agritourism information to Illinois farmers and tourists in Illinois, the US and abroad. Rund Farms is an 850-acre seed corn, food grade corn, seed bean and hog operation located in Champaign, Illinois.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, $69,500 - for the development of an Illinois Certified Frozen Boar Semen Program to produce a health and quality certified boar semen project for Illinois producers with internet accessibility. Swine producers domestically and internationally have rapidly adopted artificial insemination (AI) procedures for breeding swine. In the last ten years, AI use has increased from less than 25% to more than 80% and trends show this number will continue to increase as developing countries begin adopting this practice to meet domestic and global demand for pork.

ILLINOIS COALITION FOR ANIMAL AGRICULTURE, $25,845 - to develop, print and disseminate technical and education workbooks, public information flyers, investment prospectuses and other materials to aid the Livestock Business Developer hired by the Livestock Development Group to better position the industry to expand. This grant will enable the organization to enhance the existing livestock development services they offer through the creation of technical assistance materials including a public/community relations guide, public relations materials specific to local concerns, site specific public fact sheets and backgrounders for public informational hearings.

ILLINOIS CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION, $40,000 - to provide technical assistance to potential ethanol ventures in Illinois. The Illinois Corn Growers Association would grant funds to continue a process by which anyone interested in pursuing an ethanol plant follow to obtain technical assistance to complete a pre-feasibility study. A program has been established by the Illinois Corn Growers Association to help groups pursuing ethanol projects to access the computer model. This has been successful in the last year in helping evaluate potential projects and use state funds wisely.

ILLINOIS CORN OPPORTUNITIES, $75,000 - to help with the commercialization of the corn oil and protein extraction (COPE) process to help further develop two valuable co-products from a dry grind ethanol facility. Fuel ethanol production is expected to more than double from 2005-2010. In order to increase the operating efficiency of ethanol facilities it will be necessary to further refine the production process in an effort to increase byproducts. Illinois Corn Opportunities is a relatively new business created by the Illinois Corn Growers Association to focus on the commercialization of corn utilization technologies to benefit Illinois farmers.

ILLINOIS BEEF ASSOCIATION, $22,500 - to help identify opportunities for beef producers utilizing animal identification information as a valuable resource tool in making management and marketing decisions. The Illinois Beef Association will establish six demonstration herds of various sizes around the state. Animals will be electronically identified and production records will be kept in an attempt to illustrate to producers how the records can be used to make management decisions using animal id to increase profits rather than costs.

GLG CONSULTING, $23,550 - to develop a program that will assist Illinois farmers in making informed decisions about the viability of a proposed bioenergy project such as an ethanol or biodiesel facility before investing. One of the biggest challenges facing farmer owned facilities is the education and acquisition of investors to meet the 45% equity position often required to obtain commercial financing for a venture.

NATIONAL CORN-TO-ETHANOL CENTER, $34,046 - to demonstrate the commercial viability of solar energy efficiency improvements in the conversion of corn to ethanol. This project will further enhance the value of corn as a feedstock for renewable fuel production. The renewable, non-polluting systems will reduce fuel costs and air emissions for ethanol plants.

PORCO, $12,290 - to help with 10% of the equipment purchases for this value-added meat processing business. PorCo Inc., is a vertically integrated pork producer/processor located in Belleville, Illinois. The company has "farm to plate" control over their pork products raising and processing pork for brand name and private label sales in Illinois and Missouri.

SAUGET ENERGY SOLUTIONS, $80,000 - to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a biodiesel manufacturing unit at the Solutia Inc. site in Sauget, Illinois. The proposed site provides access to the agricultural inputs and transportation. Solutia intends to work with East County Enterprises to conduct the study, which will determine if the project is viable. This potential project could possibly result in 20-40 new jobs.

VILLA MARIE WINERY, $12,100 - to obtain technical assistance to further develop and promote the winery. Villa Marie Winery began construction in January 2006. The winery is located in Maryville, IL and should enhance the local business community. The Winery will work with the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association to disseminate the information to other Illinois wineries upon completion.

TUSCOLA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, $25,000 - to obtain technical assistance to help with the development of a 50 million gallon per year ethanol facility in Douglas County. The Tuscola Economic Development, Inc. organization and the Douglas County Farm Bureau have partnered to establish an ethanol facility in Douglas County. The group intends to evaluate the potential of a 50 million gallon per year facility west of Tuscola. Approximately 35 people would be employed by the facility and there would be, on average, 70-100 trucks unloading corn at the facility daily. Feasibility study results indicate about 10-20 new jobs could result based on the multiplier effect of a new ethanol production facility.

FOOD & PHARMA SOLUTIONS, $67,000 - to conduct a feasibility study, competitive assessment and consulting-productivity in creating business and marketing plans for the construction and operation of an ultraviolet food processing plant in Southern Illinois. Study will also include identification and development of markets for ultraviolet shelf-life extended and bioprotected products.

Gov. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns regional economic development strategy is the most aggressive, comprehensive approach to creating jobs in Illinois’ history. Since a one-size-fits-all approach to economic development just doesn’t work, the Governor has divided the state into 10 regions – each with a regional team that is empowered and expected to rapidly respond to opportunities and challenges. Opportunity Returns is about tangible, specific actions to make each region more accessible, more marketable, more entrepreneurial and more attractive to businesses. It is about upgrading the skills of the local workforce, increasing the access to capital, opening new markets, improving infrastructure, and creating and retaining jobs. Opportunity Returns is about successfully partnering with companies and communities, both large and small, to help all of Illinois reach its economic potential.