United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development State Director Colleen Landkamer visited Redhead Creamery last Thursday to celebrate local foods and highlight entrepreneurs expanding their operations and bringing new products to market with funding assistance through USDA's Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program.

Alise and Lucas Sjostrom and Jerry Jennissen hosted Landkamer along with an entourage of USDA officials plus representatives of the offices of Senator Al Franken, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Seventh District Congressman Collin Peterson.

"These projects create expansion and job opportunities for local producers and small rural businesses," Landkamer said. "Providing local entrepreneurs and agricultural producers with access to capital, technical assistance and new markets is essential to the continued growth of rural America."

In 2015, Redhead Creamery was awarded a $250,000 grant through USDA Rural Development’s VAPG program for working capital expenses associated with marketing their cheese products, including conducting a feasibility study on several other successfully established creameries.

USDA Rural Development’s Value-Added Producer Grant program helps agricultural producers grow their businesses by turning raw commodities into value-added products, expanding marketing opportunities and developing new uses for existing products.

The full story appeared in the April 28 issue of the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper. You can listen to an interview of USDA's Colleen Landkamer below.

Click here to see more photos from the event:

https://bonanzavalley.smugmug.com/2016-Bonanza-Valley-area-event/USDA-visits-Redhead-Creamery/