LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A United States Department of Agriculture official is pushing Nebraska producers to apply for federal grants to develop new businesses.

USDA Rural Development State Director Maxine Moul announced Monday that the 2016 cycle of Value-Added Producer Grants can help the state’s rural farmers and ranchers develop and market products.

The grants will have additional funding this year from the authorizations passed by Congress in the 2014 Farm Bill.

The program is aimed at growing rural communities, and the competitive grants may be used for developing studies and business plans for new or existing products.

Since it began in 2000, Nebraska’s USDA Rural Development program has awarded 104 grants totaling $11.8 million.