U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $752,000 to Support the Agriculture Production Sector in Martin County, Kentucky

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $752,000 grant to Community at the Core, Inc. in Debord, Kentucky, to support growth of the agriculture production sector.

This grant will support the procurement of production equipment at a new apple sorting facility. This EDA investment will be matched with $188,000 in local funds and is expected to create 150 jobs, retain 100 jobs, and generate $70 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

“The Economic Development Administration works closely with communities to support locally driven disaster recovery and resiliency efforts,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “This strategic, place-based project will provide critical agricultural and manufacturing infrastructure to diversify the economy in a community recovering from flooding as well as shifts in the coal community.”

“Recently, we have seen amazing growth within our agriculture production industry, which is playing a major role in the commonwealth’s continued economic prosperity,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “I am excited to see how this incredible investment will continue to increase that momentum for Eastern Kentucky and the rest of our state.”

This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Big Sandy Area Development District (Big Sandy ADD). EDA funds Big Sandy ADD to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment and create jobs.

This project was funded under the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, which provided EDA with $483 million in additional Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) Program funds for disaster relief and recovery for areas that received a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Act as a result of Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, wildfires, flooding, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2021 and 2022. Please visit EDA’s Disaster Supplemental webpage for more information.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.