The Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority have awarded nearly $22.5 million to 80 agricultural first handlers across 45 Texas counties through the AgLink Continuity Grant Program, an effort aimed at shoring up critical agricultural infrastructure damaged by natural disasters.
Announced in a July 21 news release, the grants target the businesses that connect Texas producers to the marketplace, ensuring crops can be processed, stored and transported even after drought, flooding and other disasters disrupt operations.
According to the agency, the program provides financial assistance to agricultural first handlers such as cotton gins, grain warehouses, rice dryers and produce packing sheds that have experienced significant business interruptions. The department noted that, unlike agricultural producers, first handlers generally are not eligible for crop insurance or traditional disaster assistance, despite the vital role they play in helping producers process, market and sell their commodities.
“Texas agriculture depends on a strong network of businesses that keeps commodities moving from the field to the marketplace,” Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in the release. “When natural disasters disrupt these operations, the effects ripple far beyond the farm gate.”
The department said grant funding will support equipment purchases, facility improvements, safety and efficiency upgrades, job retention and other investments that help these businesses recover more quickly and remain operational after disasters.
“The AgLink Continuity Grant Program is an investment in the future of Texas agriculture,” Miller said, adding that helping the businesses recover protects agricultural infrastructure, preserves rural jobs and reinforces the supply chain that “feeds and clothes Texans every day.” A complete list of recipients is available on the Texas Department of Agriculture website.