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USDA Awards $5 Million for Ag Marketing Center Four universities will share $5 million to establish a center that will support value-added agricultural activities. The money is provided by the U. S. Department of Agriculture to establish the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center in Kansas, Iowa, Oklahoma and California. "The center will facilitate the use of technology to provide research, technical assistance and delivery of agricultural products to markets throughout the world," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman. "It will provide additional resources for the development and marketing of value-added ventures." The center's administrative offices will be at Iowa State University. Kansas State University and the University of California will conduct research and outreach, plus develop commodity-specific materials. Oklahoma State University will offer specialized analyses of food processing. K-State is likely to use a portion of its grant money to hire a new staff member to provide full-time economic analysis support. "The center is going to be a big benefit to the value-added concept because it will support grower groups who have an interest in participating," said Ron Madl, director of K-State's Agricultural Products Utilization Forum. Madl worked to involve K-State in the new project. The term "value-added" defines its own meaning: adding value to such common agricultural commodities as wheat, corn, soybeans, livestock and others. For example, a value-added product may convert wheat to flour or baked goods. It may process beef for the purpose of developing specialty, consumer beef products. "I think growers in Kansas have an interest in producing value-added products," Madl said. "But they want to know more about the options available to them. This center will help a grower understand some of the options and learn how to analyze their feasibility." U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) said the grant allows Kansas State University to "take an important step in assisting rural Kansans" in value-added ventures. "The proposal presented by these universities is strategically aligned so that it creates a far reaching network capable of directing an unparalleled stream of resources, research and experience to value-added agricultural issues," he said. The $5 million grant was authorized as part of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000. |
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