Fergus Falls businesses awarded value-added grants

Ag Enterprises, LLC, and Buffalo Meat Inc., both of Fergus Falls, have been awarded USDA Rural Development Value-Added Producer grants.

Otter Tail Ag Enterprises is currently constructing an ethanol plant, and will receive a $300,000 grant to expand the market for ethanol and distillers grains by producing and marketing 55 million gallons of ethanol and 175,000 tons of distiller’s grains per year.Buffalo Meat Inc. is the wholesale marketing company of Buffalo Pass Ranch, and also will receive a $300,000 grant to help offset the costs of expanding into direct sales of Minnesota buffalo meat. They will be expanding markets for bison products such as burger, sausage, steaks, roasts and jerky.Value-added producer grants may be used for planning activities and for working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy. Eligible applicants are independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, agricultural producer groups, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures.