USDA Grants Support Three South Carolina Producers

Agricultural firms secure federal funding to scale their operations, marketing, and packaging over the next three years.

Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Agriculture

Screen-print poster illustration of jars of honey and beef packets in a wooden crate, representing agricultural growth. — The USDA awarded nearly $250,000 in grants to three South Carolina agricultural firms to support product development and market expansion. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The USDA has awarded $249,540 in Value-Added Producer Grants to three South Carolina agricultural firms. These funds support product development and business strategy implementation for small-scale producers looking to scale operations.

Why it matters

These grants provide capital to help producers diversify their product offerings and expand their market reach, directly impacting revenue growth and labor capacity for small-business agricultural operations.

The USDA invested $249,540 across three South Carolina producers, a portion of the $1,430,934 total state investment from a $26.5 million national fund. Recipients include Hi Bräu Beef Co and Edisto Honey, LLC, each receiving $200,000, and Fabel Farms LLC, which received $49,540.

The players

USDA

The federal department responsible for executing policy on farming, agriculture, and food, including the administration of producer grant programs.

Hi Bräu Beef Co

A meat production business based in Newberry that is using grant funding to scale its customer base and revenue.

Edisto Honey, LLC

A honey production firm based in Reevesville that is utilizing federal funds to support its growth projections.

Fabel Farms LLC

A farming operation based in Winnsboro that received support for product and business strategy development.

The details

Grant recipients use these funds to cover critical operational costs including marketing, employee wages, packaging, and supplies. By investing in value-added processes, businesses like Hi Bräu Beef Co project revenue growth exceeding 200% over the next three years, while Edisto Honey, LLC aims to double its sales in the same period.

January to May: The annual window for agricultural producers to submit applications for program processing.

Market Landscape

This latest distribution follows the ongoing strategy of the Value-Added Producer Grant Program to help farms move up the supply chain. It marks the most recent phase of federal efforts to improve farm-gate value through direct business development investment.

Agricultural operators should monitor the January to May application window to evaluate if their product development plans align with USDA funding criteria. Tracking these grants provides a signal on which business strategies the agency is currently prioritizing for scalability.

The takeaway

The success of these producers underscores the importance of capturing more of the retail dollar through processing and branding initiatives. Operators should review their own business strategies to determine if they meet the criteria for future grant cycles.