U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Rural Development RD Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small tours the Gullah Farmers' Cooperative on August 9, 2022, in St. Helena Island, SC. The Cooperative was able to open its new Gullah Farmers' Cooperative Processing Facility on St. Helena Island with the funding assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA Rural Development RD. The assistance included USDA RD Community Facilities loans and grants of $375,000, Rural Business Development grant funds of $149,790, Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant of $152,559, and grant funds from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture of $95,000 and funds from the coop. The Gullah Farmers' Cooperative member farmers operate farms in the rural counties of the South Carolina Lowcountry. The farmers needed a facility to process their locally grown produce to sell to schools, hospitals, restaurants, and residents. Beaufort County deeded the vacant building to the Cooperative, stipulating that they renovate the building to bring it up to current building codes. It was through the leveraging partnership of USDA Rural Development, and the state and local partners mentioned that this project was possible. USDA media by Lance Cheung.

 

For more information about the Community Facilities Loans and Grants Program, please go to rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities/community-facilities-direct-loan-grant-program

 

For more information about the Rural Business Programs and the Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant program, please go to rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs