Drafted from the FMLFPP pre-application brief (Report #1573794) and existing IronRoost pitch-site content. This page is the working scaffolding for the VDACS Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 2026 application — project description, budget, impact metrics, and required attachments. Items flagged for Jean-Pierre are surfaced in the rust-bordered rows below.
IronRoost Farms, Inc. is a Virginia C-Corp (SCC #12012225) building a vertically integrated poultry operation in Central Virginia. SCBGP funding would accelerate grower contracting, cold-chain distribution, and outreach to mid-Atlantic foodservice buyers — the channel by which Virginia-grown specialty-crop-adjacent poultry reaches restaurants, institutions, and regional retailers.
Virginia's Small Volume Operations (SVO) pathway enables USDA inspection via a shared toll processor — removing the largest capital barrier to entry. The gap in independent capacity within 100 miles of Nottoway County is precisely the moat. Tyson's Glen Allen exit (2023) eliminated ~$358M in regional poultry supply. The nearest independent processor to Nottoway County is over 100 miles away.
IronRoost doesn't need to build a processing plant. That's the point. The SVO pathway + displaced grower network + independent distribution relationships = a defensible position that doesn't require a $3M processing plant to defend.
SCBGP 2026 standard match requirement is 20–25%, consistent with the Phase 1 grant stack documented on the Financials page (USDA MCap: 20% min; USDA RFSI: 25%). IronRoost's match is funded by the $2.5M seed round and allocated operating capital — not by additional debt.
| Category | Item | Total Cost | SCBGP Request | IronRoost Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel | Farmer Liaison (1.0 FTE, 24 mo) — grower contracting & compliance | $110K | $55K | $55K |
| Contracted Grower Payments | Fair-contract base payments to 3–5 growers (Y1 flock placement) | $95K | $60K | $35K |
| Equipment | Cold storage, on-farm handling upgrades, mobile coop equipment | $70K | $40K | $30K |
| Cold Chain / Distribution | Refrigerated van lease (12 mo), packaging, labeling, traceability software | $80K | $45K | $35K |
| Marketing & Outreach | Virginia Grown campaign, buyer demos, trade shows, printed collateral | $35K | $20K | $15K |
| Indirect | Administrative overhead (10% de minimis rate) | $39K | $20K | $19K |
| Project Total | $429K | $240K | $189K | |
The proposed SCBGP request sits at the upper end of the typical Virginia project ceiling ($100K–$250K). The IronRoost match of $189K (44% of project total) exceeds the SCBGP 20–25% minimum, demonstrating strong applicant commitment and reducing program risk. Personnel and grower contracting carry the largest share — consistent with the FMLFPP brief's emphasis on-farm economic uplift over capital deployment.
VDACS evaluates SCBGP applications on demonstrable specialty-crop impact — poundage channeled, growers supported, jobs created, and buyer relationships formalized. These targets are derived from the documented Phase 1 trajectory on the Pricing & Economics page.
Virginia farms under fair-contract terms in Year 1. Expansion to 8–12 contracted growers in Phase 2 (12 mo).
Poultry pounds processed and channeled to mid-Atlantic foodservice buyers over the 24-month project period.
PFG, Saval, Wholesome, UVA / institutional, and restaurant-direct accounts mapped and engaged. See distribution pipeline.
Operations, processing coordination, farmer liaison, and entry-level farm positions. Phase 2 expansion to 15+ jobs.
Each attachment is tagged In Hand or Flagged. Flagged rows are the open items Jean-Pierre needs to source before the application is complete. Some are already in motion (letters drafted, registrations underway); others are net-new and require his direct outreach.
IronRoost Farms, Inc., Virginia C-Corp (SCC #12012225), 2593 Cougar Lane, Locust Grove, VA 22508. Sole director & officer Jean-Pierre Maldonado. EIN on file. See organization chart and VPGC support letter for entity detail.
Drafted in Sections 1 and 2 of this page. Ready for tailoring into VDACS narrative format and word-count trimming. Internal draft complete; final-pass copy pending Jean-Pierre review.
VPGC support letter in hand (see here) covers the processing partner. MISSING: buyer commitment letters from Performance Food Group (PFG), Saval Foodservice, and Wholesome Foods — the three mid-Atlantic distributors mapped on the distribution pipeline. Also missing: letter(s) from restaurant-direct accounts (7+ accounts active). Jean-Pierre to source via direct outreach to each buyer's local procurement contact.
MISSING from source: Virginia State Corporation Commission registration printout (entity #12012225 already referenced; need the certificate PDF). VDACS poultry / producer registration. Virginia Department of Taxation sales-use account confirmation. USDA GAP audit registration (cross-references Phase 3 GAP certification on the pricing page). Jean-Pierre to gather copies from the relevant Virginia portals.
5-year projections documented on the Financials page — including the seed deployment waterfall that funds the IronRoost match. Match confirmed at 44% of project total, well above the 20–25% SCBGP floor.
Standalone print-ready document at /org-chart.html — leadership, advisory board, board of directors, cooperative model, and value-chain flow. Already prepared for the LFPP Planning Grant submission (May 2026); reuse with refreshed date stamp.
Cross-referenced on the Pricing & Economics page (Phase 3 capacity ceiling) and the grant runway stack (Phase 2 co-op facility grants). VERIFY: whether a CVPC agreement letter is in hand from the Central Virginia Poultry Cooperative. If not, Jean-Pierre to source via VPGC introduction or direct co-op outreach.