Grants of up to $3,000 to USA and territories family- and tribe-owned livestock and poultry farms for projects that improve animal conditions. Funding is intended to assist independent farmers in improving or expanding pasture, obtaining animal welfare certification, and building capacity or maintaining certification.
FACT awards competitive grants to working, independent farmers located in the 50 United States and five major U.S. territories who raise beef cattle, bison, broiler chickens, dairy cows, ducks, geese, goats, laying hens, pigs, sheep and/or turkeys.
As in past years, FACT will fund the following:
- Grants for farmers to improve or expand pasture for their animals: FACT will fund projects that would help farms transition to pasture-based systems, expand animals’ access to well-managed pasture, and improve the quality of pasture for animals. Farmers do not need to hold or be seeking certification.
- Grants for farmers who are pursuing animal welfare certification: These grants support farms that are pursuing one of three animal welfare certifications: Certified Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) and affiliated certifications by A Greener World (AGW), Certified Humane® Raised and Handled (HFAC), or Global Animal Partnership (GAP) Animal Welfare Certified (steps 4 to 5+). Proposed projects do not necessarily have to address a particular standard required for certification. These grants will be made for on-farm projects that help improve animal welfare.
- Grants for welfare-certified farmers: These grants are for projects that would help farms that already hold one of the certifications above to build capacity or maintain certification. These grants can be for on-farm production-related projects, or for other projects related to the marketing, sales, and distribution of welfare-certified products.
Farms and projects that fit into more than one category may indicate multiple types on the application form.
Farms that do not hold one of the three specified certifications may apply for an on-farm, production-related project that would improve animal welfare and expand pasture-based systems.
Farms that already hold one of the three animal welfare certifications may apply for funds that can be used for on-farm, production-oriented projects as described above, as well as or other projects related to marketing, sales, and distribution of welfare-certified products.
Eligible expense categories include: materials, supplies, equipment, shipping/delivery costs, consultant/professional fees, travel, training, and hired labor costs.
For examples of eligible projects, the the URL for Full Text below.
