USDA Invests in Tirrito Farm Winery Development

(Phoenix, Feb. 25, 2026) - U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Arizona State Director Lori Urban today announced the agency is investing $68,940 to support the development of a winery in Wilcox, Arizona.

"USDA is honored to partner with Tirrito Farm LLC through our Value-Added Producer Grant," said Urban. "This grant will support their vineyard and enable the expansion of their business. At USDA, we recognize that small business owners are vital to the prosperity of our economy."

The investment will help Tirrito Farm LLC expand their small business in Wilcox. This project is funded through USDA Rural Development's Value-Added Producer Grant program. The program assists for-profit agricultural producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based businesses in starting or expanding value-added activities related to processing or marketing viable value-added agricultural products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income. This program operates on a 100 percent grant match, which encourages recipients to further invest in their planning and working capital needs.

Applications for the VAPG program for Fiscal Year 2026 are accepted now through April 22, 2026 through the VAPG website at www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants . The site includes training materials, user guides, and Grant Application Portal access instructions.

USDA Rural Development invests in rural America with programs to promote rural prosperity. These programs expand access to high-speed internet, electricity, and transportation infrastructure, and support economic growth, healthcare, education, housing, and other community essentials. Discover more investment details and historical data in the Rural Data Gateway and learn more about the agency at www.rd.usda.gov .

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