Chapul Farms won a $3.9M USDA grant to expand production of organic soil amendments with insect agriculture. This loan is an advance on that grant disbursement.
Funded on 10/18/2024
With a commitment to innovation, regeneration, and holistic-thinking, Chapul Farms is developing insect agriculture facilities that leverage the power of the Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) to divert discarded food waste from landfills and turn it into high-protein organic livestock feed and high-value organic soil amendments.
At the heart of Chapul Farms' mission is the desire to create a regenerative circular economy that minimizes waste and maximizes efficiency while rebuilding our world’s natural resources. The black soldier fly larvae produced in Chapul’s facilities are a fantastic source of protein for animals, and the frass—a nutrient-rich byproduct of the larvae—is an excellent organic alternative to synthetic soil fertilizers.
Also, by removing food waste from landfills, Chapul Farms reduces a significant contributor to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Black soldier fly larvae thrive on a diet of carbon-rich organic material—feeding it to the larvae means it is biologically digested and kept out of landfills where it would otherwise break down chemically and release greenhouse gasses.
Acquiring the land is the first step to prepare for the construction of Chapul Farms’ first commercial scale facility. This facility will harness the power of insect agriculture to biologically digest food waste—diverting waste from landfills, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, feeding livestock, and building healthy soils.
Chapul Farms was awarded a $3.9M USDA Fertilizer Production and Expansion Program Grant. This loan will serve as an advance on the not-yet-disbursed grant and will be repaid once Chapul submits for and receives the grant proceeds through USDA’s reimbursement process. Steward is also providing the senior loan for the property acquisition, which will eventually be renovated into Chapul’s first commercial scale facility.
Chapul Farms is dedicated to developing sustainable (net-zero) and regenerative (net-positive) initiatives, practices, and facilities. To that end, they work to ensure that all facets of their operation are beneficial to life on Earth.
Animal integration
Composting
Holistic farm/business plan
Increasing biodiversity
Pollinator habitat planting/maintenance
On-site renewable energy production
Sustainable sourcing
Food waste reduction
This loan will be made to Chapul, LLC, DBA Chapul Farms, a Utah limited liability company, which designs, builds, and operates large-scale Black Soldier Fly Larvae facilities.
This loan will be used to provide the liquidity that Chapul needs to spend their awarded $3.9M USDA Fertilizer Production and Expansion Program Grant. This will allow Chapul to secure the site on which they plan to remodel the existing infrastructure to build their first commercial scale facility.
This is a secured loan with a third priority lien on all business assets (subject to two small loans) but was successfully underwritten on the strength of the approved USDA grant. The loan is set at a 10.5% interest rate, 10% net to lenders after accounting for a .5% servicing spread, and a 6 month term.
This loan will be repaid upon reimbursement from the USDA, which may happen sooner than the 6 month term.
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