US agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack yesterday (2 October) announced nearly US$118m in grants to strengthen markets for US-grown specialty crops, such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture and nursery crops.
The grants were authorised through the 2014 Farm Bill as part of an effort to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and provide resources to strengthen US agriculture, the USDA said in a statement. The Secretary made the announcement in Florida.
Sales of specialty crops total nearly US$65bn per year, making them a critical part of the US economy, the USDA said.
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, administered by the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), will provide US$66m to state departments of agriculture for projects that help support specialty crop growers, including locally grown fruits and vegetables, through research and programs to increase demand.
In addition, USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is awarding US$51.8m in grants through its Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI). SCRI supports the specialty crop sector by developing and disseminating science-based tools to address the needs of specific crops.
All 50 States, the District of Columbia, and four US Territories were awarded Specialty Crop Block Grants that will fund a total of 838 projects.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) will receive US$4.5m to fund 34 projects. One project allows the FDACS to partner with Miami-Dade County to increase the market viability of local specialty crops.
'These Specialty Crop Block Grants support hundreds of projects that address issues ranging from food safety to research needs to increased access to fruits and vegetables, all benefiting specialty crop producers and consumers across the country,' said AMS Administrator Anne Alonzo. 'With additional funding from the 2014 Farm Bill, we are able to do even more to help specialty crop growers increase profitability and sustainability.'
Through SCRI, USDA is awarding US$51.8m to fund research and extension projects for specialty crop production. The grants fund a wide variety of efforts, including research to improve crop characteristics, identifying and addressing threats from pests and diseases, improving production and profitability, developing new production innovations and technologies, and developing methods to respond to food safety hazards.
Together, these investments represent USDA's commitment to strengthening the specialty crop industry, the USDA said.
