The Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund is a discretionary, performance-based economic development incentive specifically for agriculture and forestry value-added or processing projects. The AFID program supports agribusinesses of all sizes including produce companies, dairy processors, meat and poultry processors, specialty food and beverage manufacturers, greenhouse operations, forest product manufacturers and more. The fund can also support aquaculture projects such as oyster production and nurseries producing native plants for stormwater BMPs.
An AFID facility grant is awarded to a political subdivision for the benefit of the company, with the expectation that the grant is critical to the success of the new or expanding facility. The grant amount and terms are determined by the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry and approved by the Governor.
Interested businesses should contact their local economic development office or the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for more information.
*Industries such as controlled environment agriculture (indoor farming), meat processing, aquaculture and forestry have been identified as target growth opportunities for support by the AFID program, thus giving these applications priority.
Contact
Michele Bridges, Project Manager
804.774.6106
michele.bridges@vdacs.virginia.gov
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