Small businesses are critical to the economic viability of rural towns. Starting a rural business that employs 50, 25 or even 15 workers can give an essential boost to the vitality of a small town. In addition to creating jobs, rural businesses keep the life-blood flowing in non-urban communities.

Last fall Purdue University received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist farmers and rural businesses in developing value-added agricultural ventures. The Indiana Agricultural Innovation and Commercialization Center is working with four projects assessing the feasibility of the ventures.

The projects include:
• a soy-based laundry detergent additive,
• a new marketing certification for pork products,
• a soy nutritional enhancement for food, and
• a commercial potential study for a corn mesa flour plant.

Each of these ventures, if successfully started, would create jobs for rural workers and add value to the corn and soybeans grown by Hoosier farmers.

Purdue Agriculture has long been in the business of helping rural endeavors. As our economy continues to ramp up out of recession, we will continue to help turn the crank

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