Applications for the Agricultural Micro Grant Program 5.0, which offers up to $25,000 in grants to Maui County small farmers and ranchers, will be available starting Jan. 9.

The $2 million county-funded program is administered by Maui Economic Opportunity’s Business Development Center and open to select startup and operating farms on less than 12 acres and livestock ranches up to 40 acres.

The farms and ranches must possess a county business or state general excise license as of July 1, 2024. Preference will be given to female-led and Native Hawaiian-run operations.

The grants may be used to directly impact the availability of locally-grown produce, livestock and poultry and other related products. Grant money may be used for farming equipment and machinery, processing and storage equipment, farm infrastructure, expansion and upgrades, inventory and supplies, packaging and packaging materials or technology equipment.

The deadline to submit applications is Feb. 25. For more, go to meoinc.org/agricultural-micro-grant-program/ or stop by the MEO’s office at 99 Mahalani St. in Wailuku. For more information, contact the MEO Business Development Center by phone at (808) 249-2990 or by email at bdcinfo@meoinc.org.

An in-person informational grant workshop will start at 5 p.m. Jan. 15 at the MEO Family Center in Wailuku. The last agriculture micro grant program assisted 118 small farmers in Maui County.