Amidst USDA grant freeze, Georgia mushroom farmer faces funding uncertainty
Amidst USDA grant freeze, Georgia mushroom farmer faces funding uncertainty
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that it will release $20 million in previously approved grant money despite the broad freeze on federal grants and loans. However, that sum is a sliver of its normal grant budget and many farmers aren’t quite sure what this year is going to look like without it.
Among those farmers is Howard Berk. He’s president and co-founder of Ellijay Mushrooms in Ellijay, Georgia. This is his first time applying for federal grant money, and he says without it, he’ll have to figure out a new route to secure funding for the new greenhouses he needs.
“It means that we have to put up more equity; could be more debt,” said Berk. “There are more challenges with, I’d say, overall, more risk if we don’t have those USDA funds and loans, we’re just going to move forward with it, and know that we’re going to make it happen.”
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