Would you like to offer your students the healthy, quality foods that you know you can produce in a combi oven? Is your student population growing to the point that you need to increase your throughput but just don't have money in the budget to invest in the equipment to do the job? The U.S. government is ready to help.

On Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The economic stimulus plan includes $100,000,000 in school food equipment grant assistance. According to the stimulus package, "States shall provide competitive grants to school food authorities based upon the need for equipment assistance in participating schools with priority given to schools in which 50 percent or more of the students are eligible for free or reduced price meals under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act". Funds would be made available through FY 2010.

All grants should be submitted by 6/8/2009. For information on how you can apply for these grants, contact your state agency or the USDA.

Last year the government increased the Federal tax deduction for the purchase of commercial foodservice equipment. These limits were set to return to "normal", but were extended through 2009 under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Many business owners are choosing to take advantage of these incentives scheduled to end in 2010.

The 2009 stimulus package offers a one-year, 50% bonus depreciation, that allows you to write off half the cost of new foodservice equipment purchased and installed prior to December 31, 2009. Plus, the expense-limit has been nearly doubled, so that small businesses such as restaurants can now write off up to $250,000 in new and used equipment purchases through 2009. That's almost double the $128,000 expense level from 2007. Also, the cap on how much equipment can be purchased to use the write-off has been increased to $800,000, up from $510,000.

To generate the highest return on your investment, make the decision to BUY NOW.

To qualify for the Section 179 deduction for the 2009 tax year, equipment must be purchased or leased and placed into service between 1/1/2009 and 12/31/2009.

Do you have questions on either of these programs or need help finding just the right piece of Blodgett equipment for your kitchen? If so, click here to find the Blodgett Sales Representative in your area.