1 

Transportation and Marketing

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Fiscal Year 2020 Description of Funded Projects 

Number of Grants Awarded: 56

Number of Sub-award Project: 687

Amount of Funds Awarded: $72,488,098.70 

For more information, please visit the program’s website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/scbgp

NOTE: The project descriptions below were provided by the grant recipients. (File updated November 17, 2020) 

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Acquire Local Specialty Crop 

Purchase Data from Retail 

Stores with the Intent to 

Increase Local Purchases

Sweet Grown Alabama, in conjunction with the Alabama Department of 

Agriculture & Industries, plans to increase the amount of locally grown 

specialty crops purchased by retail grocery stores and distributors in 

Alabama by incentivizing stores for their local procurement data. This 

data will be shared with producers across the state to express the 

demand for specialty crops statewide to help farmers make planting 

decisions. Currently in Alabama, there is a minimal amount of locally 

grown specialty crops being sold in retail grocery stores. In an effort to 

increase the amount of local specialty crops offered in retail stores, 

Sweet Grown Alabama, in conjunction with the Alabama Department of 

Agriculture & Industries, plans to purchase local procurement data 

from a pilot group of retailers and distributors. The goal is for retail 

stores to use those funds to increase the amount of local specialty 

crops purchased and subsequently offered in their stores. Data 

collected will be shared with producers to encourage planting of more 

specialty crops in the state to meet demand.

$75,492.44
2

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Alabama Fruit and 

Vegetable Growers 

Association Education and 

Promotion Campaign

The Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is a member 

driven, 501(c)(5) association that works to improve the specialty crop 

industry through research, advocacy, education and promotion. The 

association is composed of all fruit and vegetable farmers from across 

Alabama, specialty crop researchers, and industry partners. The 

association supports and implements educational programs across 

Alabama, including an annual conference that commonly draws over 

200 specialty crop producers. If a SCBG is awarded, the association will: 

1. Hold multiple grower meetings across the state, in partnership with 

the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Commercial Horticulture 

Team, over the duration of the grant; 2. Promote specialty crops 

through multiple farmer market events and social media campaigns; 3. 

Plan and execute an annual conference that will include researchers 

from across Alabama and the Southeast to educate over 200 farmers 

on topics including improved methods of specialty crop production, 

marketing and food safety; and 4. Provide flash drives containing over 

25 hours of educational content to all program participants and start a 

YouTube channel for farmers.

$25,000.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Evaluating the Economic 

Benefit of BT Toxins and 

Foliar Sprays in Alabama 

Sweet Corn

Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extensive System will 

conduct research trials to evaluate the efficacy of existing Bacillus 

thuringiensis (Bt) traits in sweet corn as well as the efficacy of currently 

recommended foliar sprays. The Bt toxins used in sweet corn have 

developed resistance to target pests, including corn earworm and fall 

armyworm, forcing growers to resort to additional, expensive chemical 

applications. Organic growers have few options with foliar Bt sprays, 

but these utilize the same toxins that have developed resistance and 

may no longer be as efficacious. This project will evaluate both the 

status of Bt resistance in Alabama sweet corn and the chemicals used 

as foliar sprays to control major ear-feeding pests. An economic 

analysis will be done to identify which control method is the most costeffective for local growers. Results from this project will be reported 

through Extension publications, videos, and workshops in an effort to 

raise awareness on resistance and cost-saving measures for sweet corn 

growers.

$38,609.00
3

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Exploring Innovative Peach 

Rootstocks and Training 

Systems for High-Density 

Highly Efficient Orchards in 

Alabama

Auburn University will partner with the ADAI to enhance the 

competitiveness of peach production in Alabama through investigating 

the performance of improved disease resistant peach rootstock 

varieties. Experimental trees will be cultivated under highly efficient 

innovative Perpendicular-V training system. Results will be 

disseminated to stakeholders through grower meetings, field days, 

printed materials and web outlets. The outcomes will lead to 

sustainable peach production practices resulting in reduced inputs, 

increased yield, increased efficiency, improved fruit quality and 

increased economic return to the grower, and will contribute to 

sustainable cultural pest control, improved food safety and increased 

consumption of specialty crops. An experimental plot consisting of 

‘Cresthaven’ variety grafted on 7 newly developed size-controlling and 

disease (Armillaria Root Rot, Peach Tree Short Life) resistant peach 

rootstock trained to a highly efficient Perpendicular -V training system 

and located at the Chilton REC, Clanton will be utilized. We will use five 

replications of four-tree experimental unit blocks arranged in a 

Randomized Complete Block Design to record data and determine 

rootstock cultivar responses. Project findings will be disseminated 

through diverse educational programs and delivered to the state 

constituents through field demonstrations, workshops, grower 

meetings, printed, video and other web designed materials.

$39,999.60

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Improving Nursery 

Production by Reducing 

Root Zone Temperatures

Auburn University will partner with Alabama Department of Agriculture 

and Industries to develop strategies to reduce root zone temperatures 

in container nurseries. This project will decrease crop loss and improve 

plant growth through evaluation and demonstration of novel methods 

to reduce heat gain in nursery containers. This project will involve trials 

at research centers and collaborating farms across the state. The goal 

of this project is to improve yield and reduce damage in container 

production due to elevated RZT by increasing awareness of the 

problem and evaluating and demonstrating alternative RZT cooling 

methods.

$40,000.00
4

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Improving Turfgrass 

Drought Tolerance Using 

Biofertilizer

The use of endophytic symbionts is a promising natural and an effective 

alternative to sustain and improve plant growth and enhance plant 

environmental stress tolerance without damaging the environment or 

human well-being. The specific objective of this project is to develop a 

cocktail of beneficial fungal endophytes that can be used to improve 

turfgrass drought tolerance, therefore conserve water usage. 

Specifically, we will optimize the production of large quantities highly 

concentrated eight beneficial fungal endophytes to be applied as 

biofertilizer to exciting or new turfgrass. The biofertilizer will improve 

grass water usage and drought tolerance, therefore saving water and 

improve turfgrass quality. All fungal endophytes used in this study were 

isolated from naturally growing plants of different Alabama habitats 

and they have been proven beneficial to various crops including 

Bermudagrass. The outcomes of the project include determination of 

the best concentration of these beneficial endophyte cocktail that can 

be used to improve Bermudagrasses and Bahiagrass drought tolerance 

and water usage. The research finding will develop a bio-fertilizers that 

is essential for many Alabama industries such as golf courses as well as 

beneficial to residential and business lawns.

$39,934.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Marketing and Promotion 

Campaign for Alabama 

Watermelons

The Gulf Coast Watermelon Association will promote the Alabama 

watermelon industry by utilizing our Industry Representative to 

educate children and adults about the health benefits and versatility of 

watermelon consumption through school/library visits, retail 

promotions and farmers’ market promotions. Further, the advertising 

and promotion will enhance sales and benefit the Alabama watermelon 

industry as a whole. The Industry Representative will be The Gulf Coast 

Watermelon Association Queen for the current year. Each year a young 

woman is selected based on interview skills, knowledge of agriculture 

and watermelon industry, approachability, poise, and personality. Her 

role is to be a spokesperson for our Association and for the watermelon 

industry. She will interact directly with the public.

$11,145.39
5

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Pesticide and Safety 

Training Program for 

Specialty Crops

The Alabama Green Industry Training Center, Inc.’s mission is to 

promote the professionalism of the Green Industry through education 

and training, and looks to provide training to the growers and users of 

Greenhouse, Nursery, Floriculture, and Sod specialty crops to improve 

their skills in areas including business operations, vehicle & equipment 

efficiencies, safety practices, pest identification, pesticide safety, and 

specialty crop use.

$21,714.66

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90 Plant Something: Alabama

The Alabama Nursery & Landscape Association (ALNLA) will continue 

exposing consumers to the national Plant Something marketing 

campaign while further developing and promoting the informative and 

inspirational consumer horticulture website, 

PlantSomethingAlabama.com, created with Phase 1 grant funding. By 

increasing consumer awareness of the benefits of gardening, best 

gardening practices, and discovery of local Independent Retail Garden 

Centers, we hope to increase sales of Alabama grown ornamental, 

floriculture, and vegetable specialty crops. The purpose of this project 

is to increase the sales volume of Alabama grown specialty ornamental 

and floriculture crops, through third phase development and 

promotion of the PlantSomethingAlabama.com Consumer Horticulture 

Website and associated marketing campaign.

$25,000.00
6

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Preventing Vegetable Yield 

Losses on Alabama Small 

Farms through IPM 

Demonstrations and Direct 

Farmer Training

This Auburn University/Alabama Cooperative Extension proposal aims 

at providing critical insect pest monitoring and integrated pest 

management training to specialty crop producers with the long-term 

goal of reducing yield losses to under 10 percent and improving farm 

income by 25 percent from major crops by implementing three levels of 

pest management. This project will establish six new IPM 

demonstration locations across various communities in Alabama, with 

emphasis on low-resource and veteran farms that need the support; 

each location will become the site for further training of all producers 

and educators interested in new information. In addition, this project 

will revise current major publications such as the SE Vegetable 

Production Handbook, the High Tunnel Crop Production Handbook, and 

Organic/Urban IPM Slide Charts; every farmer reached through this 

project will receive free copies of all publications at meetings without 

cost. Many digital media resources will also be developed that include 

blog articles, webinars, pest scouting and management videos, virtual 

farm tours, and Facebook Live weekly events to reach 500 produced 

directly. We will also provide annual evaluation data via well-designed 

posters and presentations. All digital and print publications will 

acknowledge ADAI and this grant.

$39,949.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Promoting Child and Adult 

Nutrition Knowledge and 

Consumption of Pecans

The University of Alabama will examine the nutritional benefits of 

pecans grown in Alabama, design a nutrition education program to 

promote child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of 

pecans, and assess the effectiveness of this nutrition education 

program on consumers’ acceptability toward pecan consumption. The 

health benefits of pecans have not been fully elucidated and thus 

warrant further in-depth research. More understanding of the 

nutritional benefits of pecans and promoting the knowledge about the 

nutritional value of pecans among children and adults is expected to 

increase both the health status of the public and the profitability of 

pecan farmers.

$39,755.00
7

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Protocol Development for 

the On-Farm Cultivation of 

Armillaria-Resistant ‘MP-29’ 

Rootstock

Researchers at Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative 

Extension Service will increase availability of resources in an effort to 

reduce the spread of Armillaria root rot (ARR) in peach orchards by 

developing a protocol for the on-farm cultivation of ARR-resistant ‘MP29’ rootstock derived from tissue culture. Trees grafted on ‘MP-29’ 

rootstock are in short supply as nursery operators are reluctant to 

produce this rootstock because of its slow growth and characteristic 

development pattern. Cultural practices normally used in field 

production to stimulate plant growth in other crops will be used to 

encourage faster growth of ‘MP-29’ rootstock. Field studies will be 

conducted and results disseminated at conferences, works, webinars, 

and blogs. Results will culminate in the development of a protocol 

available to growers as an e-curriculum on how to cultivate on-farm 

‘MP-29’ rootstock derived from tissue culture.

$38,502.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$516,633.90

Reducing Temperatures in 

High Tunnels and 

Greenhouses

Auburn University and Alabama Extension will partner with Alabama 

Department of Agriculture and Industries to evaluate and demonstrate 

effective strategies to reduce summer temperatures in high tunnels 

and greenhouses. By improving the cooling efficiency of high tunnels 

and greenhouses, summer production will increase and a quicker 

return on investment will be realized. Crops will also be exposed to 

more stable temperatures throughout the year through the use of 

better designed structures and automation. The goal of this project is 

to increase production in naturally ventilated high tunnels and 

greenhouses by demonstrating effective methods for cooling during 

Alabama’s extreme summer temperatures.

$40,000.00
8

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $251,526.70

2021 Southeast Alaska 

Farmers Summit: A Forum 

for Specialty Crop Growers

The 2021 Southeast Alaska Farmer’s Summit: a forum for specialty crop 

growers is a venue for farmers region-wide to gather together to share 

strategies and learn innovative methods and techniques about growing 

specialty crops from research projects done by former Alaska SCBGP 

grantees, industry professionals, government organizations and 

university researchers. Marja Smets & Daniel (Bo) Varsano of Farragut 

Farm LLC will work with an advisory committee made up of five 

regional farmers, a University of Alaska Extension Services agent and a 

USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service agent to organize and 

host a 3 day comprehensive summit that includes presentations, 

workshops, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities for 

established farmers, as well as growers just entering into the field. 

Summit participants will learn a variety of methods and strategies for 

sustainable & efficient specialty crop production systems, as well as 

safe and responsible postharvest/food handling techniques.

$22,900.00

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $251,526.70 Alaska Agriculture Export Market Expansion Project

The Alaska Division of Agriculture will partner with outreach 

organizations and producers to encourage companies who use Alaska 

Grown specialty crops in their products to expand their market reach 

and increase export opportunities to them by providing travel stipends 

to attend trade missions and export markets relating to their products. 

In Alaska, many of our expanding companies who show a concerted 

effort to purchase Alaskan specialty crops for their products voice 

hesitancy to expand their sales beyond Alaska and purchase more 

Alaskan specialty crops. Market growth in Alaska is limited to our small 

population. If companies could reach a larger audience and buying 

market, they indicate that they would increase production and in turn 

increase purchases of Alaskan Grown specialty crops. We aim to allow 

them access to market expo by providing travel stipend to showcase 

their products and expand markets.

$30,193.91
9

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $251,526.70

Alaska Farmers Market 

Manager and Specialty Crop 

Vendor Training Toolkit

Cook Inlet keeper, on behalf of the Alaska Farmers Market Association, 

will provide farmers markets and specialty crop vendors with 

foundational organization materials and best practices, in order to build 

more robust, safe, and consistent markets for local foods sales. This will 

be accomplished through the creation and dissemination of an Alaska 

Farmers Market Manager and Specialty Crop Vendor Training Toolkit, 

based on proven methods and stated market needs. AFMA believes 

that Alaska Farmers Market Manager and Specialty Crop Vendor 

Training Toolkit will be invaluable for market organizers and vendors 

trying to encourage the growth and sustainability of farmers markets, 

from large and urban to small and rural, and increase economic 

opportunities for farmers. The creation of this Toolkit will lead to a 

formalized in-person or remote -delivery Certified Market Manager 

training program in the future.

$38,745.00

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $251,526.70

Alaska Specialty Crop 

Producers Harmonized GAP 

Cost Share Assistance and 

Group GAP Education

The Alaska Division of Agriculture (AK-DOA) will manage an Alaska 

Specialty Crop producer funding assistance opportunity for the costs 

associated with obtaining buyer- required food safety, third party 

process audits and certifications, specifically, Harmonized GAP and 

GAP+. AK-DOA will educate industry on an additional food safety 

auditing system, Group GAP, which is designed for small scale 

producers, and an alternate to third party process audits. Small scale 

Alaska Specialty Crop Producers would like to expand their market 

access, but there is minimal interest from this industry to obtain a 

HGAP audit, due to the expense of these audits. The auditing system, 

Group Gap, may be alternative for this industry, to access retail and 

wholesale markets, who cannot sustain the high costs of an HGAP 

audits. The AK-DOA and USDA AMS will provide opportunities to 

present information on GroupGap, through producer and industry 

conferences, webinars, etc.

$19,040.00
10

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $251,526.70

Assessment of Damage 

Caused by Lygus Bugs in 

Alaska Peony Production

The University of Alaska Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station 

will assist Alaska peony growers in making informed decisions regarding 

control of Lygus bugs. The damage caused by these insects will be 

evaluated and characterized by confining the bugs to plants and by 

sampling of natural populations. Recommendations resulting from this 

research will be disseminated to stakeholders through publications and 

growers’ meetings. This project will assess Lygus bug populations using 

different sampling methods and determining loss of marketable flower 

buds due to Lygus damage in several peony fields. This data will allow 

us to determine what sampling protocol (sticky cards, sweep nets, or 

beating) will be the best predictor of subsequent crop losses.

$22,719.00

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $251,526.70 Chilkat Valley Orchard Project

Haines has a history of orchards and agriculture. With a warming 

climate, improved tree fruit varieties and rootstocks, and Alaska-region 

growing methods, there exists significant unmet potential for orchards 

and tree fruits to make a greater contribution both to the Chilkat Valley 

economy and to community food security. The broad purpose of the 

Chilkat Valley Orchard Project is to fulfill this unmet potential. To 

accomplish this, the Chilkat Valley Historical Society, Inc., in partnership 

with the American Bald Eagle Foundation, seek to accomplish the 

following general tasks: a. Expanding community orchard knowledge, 

skill and productivity through outreach and education programs, b. 

Identifying and assessing local property and selectively advising 

property owners, where significant new orchard production can 

strengthen Chilkat Valley tree fruit production, economic 

competitiveness, and food security, c. Organizing to support the longterm success of tree-fruit cultivation and establishing an experimental 

orchard, in collaboration with External Supporter, the University of 

Alaska-Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service.

$26,986.00
11

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $251,526.70

Potential Distribution 

Systems for Kenai Peninsula 

Farmers: An In-Depth 

Comparison of Various 

Models

Homer Soil & Water Conservation District will produce an in-depth 

guide for those interested in creating distribution services for food from 

Kenai Peninsula farms that compares various distribution models for 

coordinating deliveries from multiple small farms. The publication will 

outline logistical considerations in Alaska, and will feature successful 

and unsuccessful ventures tried elsewhere and lessons that they can 

teach, the positions of local farmers and restauranteurs on which 

models they’d be interested to work with and why, and will be 

outreached through presentations and a variety of print and online 

media. This project will aid in the development of distribution systems 

to help Kenai Peninsula farmers to better connect with larger buyers, 

like restaurants, and may prove relevant and beneficial to other 

specialty crop producers across Alaska.

$22,287.06

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $251,526.70 Root Washer Development and Workshop

Alaska Pacific University (APU) will build, trial, and share – through 

publicly available plans and a guided workshop – an affordable 

dependable mechanical barrel root washer, which we believe will 

increase root crop processing efficiency and quality for Alaskan 

farmers. APU will research available plans for a root washer and 

evaluate which would be most easily constructed by farmers with basic 

building skills from locally available materials. Research will focus on 

several plan concepts outlined online in videos, or blogs from Michigan 

State University, Versaland (an independent farm design company in 

Iowa), The Ecology Action Center, Orchard Hill Farm (WA), and more. 

Evaluation criteria will include ease of use, availability and affordability 

of materials (goal to build a washer for under $1000), and ease of 

construction by individuals with basic building skills and tools. APU will 

then build a prototype washer and trial the machine for one growing 

season, gathering data on efficiency, ease of use, and durability. After 

making any necessary improvements to the original design, APU will 

host a farmer workshop, teaching farmers how to build and use their 

own root washer. We plan to use grant funds to purchase parts for five 

root washers to be built at this workshop. We believe that this process 

will remove the barriers of time, expertise, and materials that many 

farmers face, and allow more farmers to use mechanical root washers 

on their farms to increase efficiency.

$15,072.00
12

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

American

Samoa

Department of

Agriculture

$282,679.16

Improve the territory’s food 

security position by

increasing specialty crop 

production via affordable 

and accessible hydroponic 

systems

The American Samoa Government Department of Agriculture (ASG 

DOA) will strengthen the territory’s food security position by promoting 

the growth of specialty crops (lettuce, spinach, chives, cucumbers, 

tomatoes, herbs, peppers, and others) by using simple, affordable, and 

accessible hydroponic systems.

$282,679.16

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

1. Arizona Specialty Crop 

Reference Guide Update 

2021

The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) will update and 

reproduce approximately 30,000 copies of an educational reference 

guide for consumers which will include: (1) Where our fruits, vegetables 

and plants come from and the benefits reaped from buying Arizona 

grown produce and plants; (2) Directory of Farmers’ Markets, U-Pick 

Farms, Vineyards and Lavender Farms throughout Arizona; (3) Directory 

of Arizona Wine Grape Growers; (4) Listing of Arizona Specialty Crop 

availability by season; and (5) Food safety information for fruits and 

vegetables (What’s being done and what consumers can do)

$100,000.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23 2. Continuation of GHP/GAP 

One-to-One Assistance

The Arizona Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Consultation and 

Training (ACT) division will offer and provide one-on-one assistance to 

fresh fruit and vegetable producers/growers, distributors, wholesalers 

and handlers so that they can become USDA GHP/GAP certified. This 

assistance program will provide benefits to those producers looking to 

address food safety concerns of their customers. These funds will be 

used for a GHP/GAP Coordinator to expand upon the education and 

outreach efforts of the current GHP/GAP Certification Training Program 

and to provide “one on one” assistance to training participants as 

needed to develop GHP/GAP procedures. ACT is taking GHP/GAP 

training to the next level by becoming involved with the Sun Produce 

Cooperative, which grew from the Maricopa County Arizona GROUP 

GAP Project. This project is to incorporate the small growers of

Maricopa County into a collective food safety assessment and 

certification system permitting these growers and producers to expand 

their operations and markets. The growers realize that certification is 

crucial to their fulfillments. ACT will serve as food safety training lead 

and consultation for this GROUP to individual GHP/GAP plans, when 

required. One requirement of grower membership of the Co-op is to 

become GHP/GAP certified within one year of joining.

$52,000.00
13

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

3. Promoting The Online 

Arizona Certified Nursery 

Professional Program

The Arizona Nursery Association (ANA), will use these grant funds to 

promote the new, online educational offerings for Arizona Certified 

Nursery Professional training. By utilizing several promotional tools 

including social media, advertisements in industry trade magazines, 

personal visits to retail nurseries, and working with vocational 

agricultural teachers, we will increase knowledge of and enrollment in 

the new online program.

$19,010.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23 4. UofA SWAG, A Hands-on 

Approach to Ag Literacy

This project would be delivered through the Southwest Ag for Kids 

(SWAG) program which is an agriculture literacy program operating 

through the UA Cooperative Extension in Yuma County school districts. 

The SWAG program was implemented in the spring of 2017 and 

reached 594 students and 24 teachers that first semester. The demand 

for the program has grown substantially and as of fall 2019, reached 

2,712 students and 97 teachers during the fall semester. With this 

project, SWAG would deliver lessons on iceberg lettuce and dates 

targeting 5th thru 7th grade students. These lessons would cover the 

life cycle, nutritional value, food safety, and the importance of the crop 

to the local economy. The instruction would be delivered by utilizing 

breakout boxes as an instructional tool. Breakout boxes are an “escape 

room in a box” where the students unlock various locks to access what 

is inside the box. While solving the puzzles to gain access to the locks, 

the students are learning about iceberg lettuce and dates.

$12,420.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

5. Are We Over-Fertilizing 

Arizona Pecans with 

Nitrogen?

Nitrogen is applied to Arizona pecans in larger quantities than any 

other nutrient, however data that quantify the need for specific 

amounts of nitrogen fertilizer are lacking. The University of Arizona will 

expand a multi-year study, started with immature pecan trees in a 

commercial Arizona orchard, to evaluate response of nut-bearing pecan 

trees to applied nitrogen to quantify tree nitrogen demand. Results will 

be disseminated through presentations to pecan growers, and by 

providing revised University of Arizona fertilizer recommendations in a 

Cooperative Extension bulletin.

$7,164.00
14

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

6. Arizona Wine Grape 

Varietal Research and 

Evaluation Initiative (AWVR)

In conjunction with Arizona landowners and wine grape industry 

constituents, the University of Arizona and College of Agriculture, Life 

and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension will bring together 

researchers and industry professionals in a two-day deliberation and 

forum to share expert knowledge and collaborate with the 3 American 

Viticulture Areas (AVA) among stakeholder communities, in order to 

develop investment to support a long-term plan in establishing a 

University of Arizona Wine Grape Varietal Research and Evaluation 

Station. The two-day forum will unite statewide wine industry 

constituents along with national and international experts in the 

planning and design of a viticulture research facility. Breakout sessions 

during this event will primarily be focused on the input and needs of 

the current wine grape industry producers and how this facility will 

generate support for their wine grape industry and economic return. 

The ultimate outcome of this collaboration is to generate a model or 

process, along with technology, for future support of developing the 

research facility and seeing it through fruition. This meeting will be held 

in person but will be delayed within the 1-year project period, and if 

needed, a no-cost extension would be requested to continue with the 

plan to hold an in-person meeting.

$15,609.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

7. Assessment of Decline 

and Contributing Diseases 

in Arizona Ash Trees

Arizona or velvet ash (‘Modesto’) is a common urban tree used in 

landscapes and parks across the state to provide shade and seasonal 

foliar color. A growing number of ash tree stands in Arizona Urban 

forestry exhibit a range of symptoms including witches’ brooms, 

dieback, reduced growth, and tree mortality. Phytoplasmas, Verticillium 

wilt, cotton root rot, and abiotic stress may contribute to Arizona ash 

decline. The University of Arizona will mitigate ash decline (AD) by: 1) 

surveying ash trees to determine how prevalent AD is in Arizona and 

what factors are contributing to AD, 2) determining whether 

Phytoplasma is responsible for AD in Arizona, and 3) educating arborists 

and landscape professionals on the biology, epidemiology and 

management of AD. The project outcomes are numerous AD-affected 

ash trees that will get correct diagnosis and proper management. Saved 

ash trees will continue to provide shade and aesthetic beauty for 

Arizona citizens.

$38,969.00
15

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

8. BMPs to Reduce Crop 

Contamination from Furrow 

Irrigation

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension will evaluate four (4) 

Best Management Practices (BMPs) available to growers to reduce 

bacterial transfer from contaminated furrow irrigation water to leafy 

greens. The research driven extension team will specifically focus on

evaluating solutions for furrow irrigated romaine and leaf lettuce and 

will provide recommendations to industry after the completion of the 

two-year project.

$32,380.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

9. Controlling Fusarium Wilt 

in Lettuce Using Precision 

Applied Steam

The University of Arizona will develop and evaluate an innovative soil 

disinfestation technology, use of precision applied steam, for 

controlling soilborne pathogens that cause Fusarium wilt of lettuce. We 

will disseminate knowledge gained and demonstrate the technologies 

developed from this project to growers and lettuce industry personnel 

through field days, extension meetings, publications and websites.

$94,710.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

10. Determining the threat 

of Xylella Leaf Scorch in 

Arizona

An outbreak of leaf scorch disease emerged in several vinifera 

vineyards and pecan orchards in Cochise County. Very high prevalence 

of leaf scorch was reported, with a large number of stakeholders 

reaching out to University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Plant 

Pathologist and agent. The goal of this project is to determine what 

causes leaf scorch in grapevines and pecan trees as well as what factors 

are driving this outbreak, so that ecology-based disease management 

strategies can be devised and immediately implemented. Project 

outputs will be shared with growers, pest control advisors, University of 

Arizona Cooperative Extension advisors and the scientific community 

via on-farm workshops, field days, conference presentations, and 

online publications.

$64,889.00
16

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

11. Economic Impact and 

Resiliency of Arizona’s 

Agricultural and Food 

Industries

This project will estimate the economic impact of the agricultural and 

food industries utilizing the both the 2019 and 2020 data from IMPLAN 

– the leading data and software supplier for this type of regional 

economic analysis. First, using 2019 data we will estimate the 

contribution of the overall agricultural and food industries to the state 

of Arizona’s entire economy. Second, based on those estimates, we will 

then estimate the contribution of specialty crops within the overall 

agricultural and food industries. It is noted that this will establish the

pre-novel coronavirus (COVID-19 hereafter) pandemic baseline of 

economic resiliency. Moreover, the provision of this economic impact 

information is crucial to stakeholders in Arizona and fills in the gap 

since the last such study was published using 2014 data. Third and 

lastly, given the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the agricultural and 

food industries as well as the non-agricultural and non-food industries 

in 2020, we will estimate its impact.

$78,832.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

12. Evaluation of biological 

fungicides to manage late 

blight in celery

Dr. Bindu Poudel at University of Arizona, Yuma County Cooperative 

Extension will lead this project. Martin Porchas Sr. and Rebecca 

Ramirez will assist in coordinating the project. This project aims at 

establishing a biofungicide efficacy trial at University of Arizona. A large 

percentage of celery grown in Yuma area is organically grown, the 

growers struggle with finding right biologicals for disease management 

in organic celery. This project will evaluate the efficacy of different 

biological fungicides available in market for late blight of celery. Duda 

Farm Fresh Foods will be the cooperator in this project providing 

feedbacks and relevant information about celery production. The end 

goal of the project is to establish an efficacy trial that is conducted 

every year at University of Arizona. Once this trial is conducted for first 

year, data generated and public having access to the research plot on 

an organized field day, the program will be self-sustainable. Once first 

year data is generated and public shows enough interest, private 

sectors (biofungicide companies) will be paying for their products to be 

included in the trial in following years. Starting 2021, biofungicide

efficacy trial in celery will be a regular component for Yuma Plant 

Pathology Program dedicated to providing scientifically relevant 

information to the agriculture community.

$40,969.00
17

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

13. Field Trials for Disease 

Management of Fusarium 

Wilt of Lettuce

To accomplish the objectives of this project, the Yuma Center of 

Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA), a public-private partnership 

between the University of Arizona and the desert agriculture industry, 

has partnered with Arizona lettuce industry producer-cooperators and 

the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Fusarium wilt of 

lettuce is severely impacting productivity and thus, the competitiveness 

of the Arizona lettuce industry. Since 2015, YCEDA has managed annual 

SCBGP projects evaluating commercial and precommercial lettuce 

cultivars for resistance to Fusarium wilt, chemical and biological crop 

protection products for disease suppressing activity, and cultural 

management methods via trials in commercial fields. A greater 

understanding of disease management has been gained from these 

trials and this project will continue collecting these important data over 

the next two years by increasing the number of lettuce breeding lines 

and cultivars evaluated for disease resistance including new 

commercial cultivars, continuing to evaluate promising crop protection 

products and evaluating cultural methods for reducing pathogen 

populations in soil and techniques for avoiding the disease. Objectives 

for this trial were developed based on feedback from Arizona lettuce 

industry members and from data gathered by a recent industry survey 

undertaken by YCEDA. Trials will be conducted each fall, and results will 

be widely disseminated each spring to the Arizona lettuce industry 

through reports, seminars, electronic media and field days to aid in 

disease management decisions.

$57,333.00
18

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

14. Guayule Insect Pest 

Management During Stand 

Establishment

The University of Arizona will work with agro-industry, guayule industry 

and their scientists, growers, and Pest Control Advisors to develop best 

practices for insect management at stand establishment of direct 

seeded guayule through experimental research. Of greatest concern is 

the damage caused by the palestriped flea beetle (Systena blanda). 

Insect pests are a critical threat to stand emergence and establishment, 

causing lost productivity and lost input efficiency (reduction in 

efficiency of weed controls, irrigation losses, etc.). Field studies will be 

performed in experimental plots and with commercial growers. We will 

work to develop efficient, effective, and economically viable methods 

to reduce, mitigate, or eliminate palestriped flea beetle pressure in 

guayule during stand establishment. We will identify effective 

chemistries to compliment or replace the only registered chemical 

control for flea beetles and determine the most effective timing of 

applications. We will develop cultural controls, such as companion 

planting, to compliment or replace the use of chemical controls. 

Additionally, we will pilot study methods for faunal surveys in 

commercial guayule fields that will help establish the safety and 

sustainability of pest control techniques developed for guayule. Project 

outcomes will be of great value to growers in the state and to industry 

who need stand integrity to economically produce guayule. Outcomes 

for stakeholders will include effective chemical controls and cultural 

controls that economically prevent insect damage during guayule stand 

establishment resulting in a healthy more uniform stand that is able to 

tolerate adverse conditions, ultimately avoiding lost productivity and 

costly additional inputs.

$57,333.00
19

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

15. Improving Transparency 

of Pesticide Registration 

Review for Specialty Crops

The University of Arizona will work with the Arizona Department of 

Agriculture (ADA) to maintain ongoing access to verified and improved 

pesticide use data, for the benefit of Arizona specialty crop industries. 

Data will be available to support research priorities of specialty crops, 

Extension education, and pesticide registration needs, including 

informing ongoing EPA registration reviews of the benefits of key 

chemistries for production of specialty crops. We will enhance the 

competitiveness of Arizona specialty crop industries by improving 

transparency of, and producer access to, EPA’s registration review 

process. We will solicit feedback from our network of end-users to 

improve our communication processes and web-based tools, enhancing 

producer capacity to respond to pesticide registration issues that 

directly impact specialty crops industries. We will continue to work with 

end-users and Arizona Farm Bureau partners to develop and submit 

comments to EPA on behalf of specialty crop producers and convene 

our stakeholder advisory board via teleconference to inform ongoing 

priorities. Outcomes of this project for specialty crops stakeholders 

include increased transparency of the EPA registration review process, 

improved access to information and resources to influence pesticide 

registration review decisions, and ongoing industry access to accurate 

pesticide use data.

$55,138.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

16. Incorporating soil 

amendments to manage 

Fusarium wilt in Lettuce

The PI of the project, Dr. Bindu Poudel is a newly hired plant 

pathologist at University of Arizona-Yuma county cooperative 

extension. The PI has been working with local growers, and pest control 

advisors over the past year, understanding the local needs. The Yuma 

plant health clinic which is a component of the PIs program receives 

high volumes of samples infected with fusarium. Fusarium wilt is a huge 

problem in lettuce production and is very difficult to manage. Lack of 

resistant varieties, the inability of growers to do crop rotation that 

requires at least 4 years of rotation, and little understanding of soil 

health are some of the main hindrances in disease management. This 

project aims at using different soil amendments available in market to 

improve soil health as well as different cultural practice to manage the 

disease. The idea behind soil amendments is to add beneficial microbes 

in the soil that promote healthier soil, thus reducing the plant 

$90,938.00
20

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

pathogens. The project will be conducted 2 years in a row on the same 

field to see the effect of amendments over the span of two years. 

Different plant species will be used as cover crop in summer to evaluate 

their effect. A susceptible variety “Raider” will be used in the study. 

Each season a field day will be held and opened for the public to look at 

the results.

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23 17. Methods to Control Palo 

Verde Broom

The University of Arizona will determine best practices for controlling 

blue palo verde (BPV) witches broom in nurseries through further 

refined molecular testing for the emaravirus causing the disease, and 

by investigating the relationship between time of infection and 

appearance of broom symptoms. The Arizona Nursery Association 

strongly supports this project. Many BPV landscape trees in Arizona are 

infected by an eriophyid mite-transmitted emaravirus causing witches 

broom, dieback, and eventual tree removal. Previously we identified an 

unknown emaravirus, blue paloverde virus (BPVV) associated with BPV 

trees exhibiting broom symptoms and found an association between 

BPV disease and the eriophyid paloverde mite, the suspected vector. 

Our objectives are: 1. Inoculate virus-free plants with BPVV and 

determine the time required between virus detection and broom 

symptom development. 2. Develop and optimize quantitative PCR to 

enable detection of the four viral RNAs to improve sensitivity of BPVV 

detection in mites and plants. 3. Offer BPVV testing to wholesale 

nurseries in Arizona, to determine presence or absence of BPVV in 

nursery stock. Virus testing will be done by RT-PCR and qPCR, methods 

developed and refined in the last two years, to detect BPVV in plants 

and mites. Defining the amount of time required for paloverde plants 

to become infected after mite-inoculation, detecting BPVV using a 

more sensitive method, and understanding the amount of time 

required for development of broom symptoms following inoculation 

(latency) will bring growers substantially closer to controlling the 

disease and make the production of virus-free BPV nursery trees a 

reality.

$99,758.00
21

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

18. Microbial Quality of 

Backflush Water from 

Irrigation Sand Media Filters

The University of Arizona will assess the microbial quality of water 

backflushed from drip irrigation sand filters. Most drip irrigation 

systems used for commercial-scale agriculture use filters to prevent the 

drip lines from clogging due to organic matter, turbidity or sediment, 

and suspended solids. Sand and disk filters, while effective at reducing 

downstream clogging of drip tape, require routine backflushing to 

remove the buildup of particulates that block the filters to keep them 

operating efficiently. Both indicator and pathogenic microorganisms 

are also concentrated during this process and can be present in the 

backflushed water. Common practice by industry requires the 

backflushed water to be discharged into a canal or ditch, which could 

result in microbial loading of the surface water and lead to increased 

risk to downstream users. In this study, backflush water will be 

collected and tested for generic E. coli, total coliform bacteria, and 

Salmonella. Samples will be collected three times during backflush 

operations – at the start, middle, and end of the operation. Samples 

collected during the growing season will be archived for 90 days prior 

to analysis for pathogens. In addition, the efficacy of several 

disinfectants will be evaluated against enteric bacteria present in 

backflush waters under varying conditions (e.g., temperature, turbidity, 

amount of total dissolved solids). The goal of this research is to assess 

the microbial quality of sand filter backflush water and develop 

recommendations for grower/irrigator Best Management Practices 

(BMPs) for their safe disposal and/or treatment that will be 

disseminated to the broader grower community.

$88,023.00
22

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

19. Quantitative and 

Temporal Assessment of 

Non-Desert Landscape Tree 

Shade

Enumeral Research and Consulting LLC received grant funds from the 

2018 and 2019 SCBGP funding cycles which have allowed us to develop 

reliable manual and automated methodologies for accurately 

measuring the climate mitigation potential of shade from landscape 

trees. The 2018 grant employed handheld equipment and made shortduration measurements of temperature differential between shaded 

and unshaded soil surfaces. With the 2019 grant we were able to 

repeat the experiments using hand-held instruments on non-native 

landscape trees species, purchase climate micro-loggers to collect 

temperature data 24 hours a day for multiple days and to develop 

analytical tools that will handle the high volume of data collected on 

desert-adapted landscape trees. We now propose to use these microloggers and analytic software to examine populations of non-native 

landscape tree species. All equipment purchased in the previous two 

funding cycles will be used to complete the proposed study. With the 

limited number of “ground truth” studies in the Urban Forest/Urban 

Heat Island literature (and none with desert-adapted trees), it seemed 

prudent, empirically, to adopt this stepwise approach to our research. 

The proposed study would complete the full cycle of these experiments 

and should allow us to make data-based comparisons of the 

temperature mitigation characteristics between the two primary 

cohorts of the Arizona landscape tree palette.

$88,023.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23 20. Reducing Impact of 

Lemon Brown Wood Rot

One of the greatest challenges for lemon growers in Arizona is the 

economically viable management of citrus brown wood rot (BWR). The 

causal fungal pathogen Fomitopsis meliae spreads from tree to tree 

and from orchard to orchard through airborne fungal spores and 

attacks trees by gaining entry through pruning wounds and other 

injuries. Thus, infected branch removal and wound protection are two 

key components behind effective disease management strategies. 

However, our knowledge of early symptom expression, seasonal 

abundance of spore inoculum and fungicide efficacy is limited, making 

manipulations exceedingly difficult. The expected outcomes of this 

project are to enhance the competitiveness of Arizona’s $55.5 million 

citrus industry by: a) identifying new chemical tools for BWR 

management, b) informing growers of seasonal abundance of fungal 

$33,000.00
23

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

spore inoculum, and c) educating growers on early BWR symptomology 

and epidemiology of BWR.

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

21. The second population 

survey of Fusarium on 

lettuce in Arizona

The University of Arizona will characterize the genetic and pathogenic 

diversity of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lactucae (FOL), causal agent of 

Fusarium wilt of lettuce. The first characterization of FOL in Arizona was 

conducted by the Pryor Lab in 2005. At that time, 27 fields were known 

to be infested, and from these fields 20 strains of the pathogen were 

genetically characterized by genetic fingerprinting and by pathogenicity 

testing. Eight haplotypes were identified with no variation in 

pathogenicity. Since then, FOL has spread extensively across the lettuce 

production areas of the state. Importantly, increases in disease severity 

have been observed by lettuce producers and it is believed that 

pathogen diversity has substantially increased, creating challenges in 

building durable management strategies. The objectives of this work 

are to conduct a second survey of FOL in Arizona to characterize new 

genotypes that have become established, determine prevalence and 

distribution, and most importantly, test their pathogenicity in 

greenhouse-based lettuce variety trials. The work includes a 

comprehensive sampling of lettuce fields in the Yuma production area. 

FOL will be isolated from soil and plant tissue and DNA purified from 

each isolate. The DNA will be characterized by genetic fingerprinting 

and sequencing of known diagnostic genes. Importantly, greenhouse 

studies will establish differential pathogenicity of the recovered isolates 

by testing them against specific lettuce cultivars using new techniques 

developed by the Pryor lab. This will be the second FOL survey 

$67,168.00
24

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

conducted in Arizona and will provide the most comprehensive 

characterization of pathogen populations in the state.

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23

22. Upgrading Yuma Plant 

Health Clinic to a Molecular 

Diagnostic Lab

Yuma Plant Health Clinic (https://extension.arizona.edu/yuma-planthealth-clinic) is operated by Yuma County Cooperative Extension –

University of Arizona and supervised by Dr. Bindu Poudel. In 2019, the 

diagnostic samples received approximately 250 drop offs and analyzed 

over 700 plant samples. Yuma Plant Health Clinic (YPHC) has been 

providing the diagnostic service to the agriculture community free of 

charge. With the success of the clinic, we are looking at upgrading the 

diagnostic lab to a molecular diagnostic (DNA testing) laboratory. 

Growers as of now have been sending samples to labs outside the 

state, paying high fees. This project aims at providing molecular 

diagnostic service to the community at affordable price. Robert Emmitt, 

from Agdia Inc. has volunteered as a cooperator in this project 

providing information on reagents, equipment, pricing etc. Vegetable 

growing season in Yuma, Arizona starts in September and molecular 

diagnostic service will be available at YPHC starting September 2020. 

$23,674.00
25

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

The service will include specific test for plant pathogens, including but 

not limited Polymerase Chain Reaction, ELISA/Immunostrips, 

Isothermal amplification etc.

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,413,543.23 23. Water and Salt 

Management for Celery

The University of Arizona’s Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert 

Agriculture (YCEDA) has teamed up with UA and USDA Researchers, 

Irrigation Districts, USDA, USBR, NASA, Arizona Commodity Councils, 

and others to measure water applied, evapotranspiration, and soil 

salinity levels in order to generate data that can be used to create 

management tools for most desert cropping systems. Ongoing research 

under this initiative has focused on lettuce, spinach, melons, 

watermelons, and brassica. However, celery is becoming a crop of 

growing importance in Yuma for which we currently do not have data 

or a commodity funding partner. The objectives of this project are to 

measure evapotranspiration from celery across different production 

scenarios; measure water application efficiency and distribution 

uniformity; and determine soil moisture and salt distribution during the 

cropping season.

$85,350.00
26

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$360,789.54

Establishing the Arkansas 

Quality Wine Program to 

Support and Expand the 

Arkansas Grape and Wine 

Industry

The University of Arkansas (UA) System Division of Agriculture offers a 

unique approach to address challenges that face the Arkansas grape 

and wine industry in terms of variability in wine quality and lack of 

consumer awareness of Arkansas wines. The UA System aims to 

increase quality of Arkansas commercial wines in partnership with 

grape and wine industry personnel and other organizations. Although 

not currently recognized as a major wine-producing region, Arkansas 

has a significant economic impact but faces challenges with 

inconsistent wine quality and lack of consumer knowledge about 

commercial Arkansas-made wines. Establishing quality and sensory 

standards for commercial wines can motivate winemakers and increase 

consumer awareness of the Arkansas grape and wine industry.

$72,115.00

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$360,789.54

Growing Arkansas’ 

Institutional Procurement 

of Locally Produced

Specialty Crops

The Access to Healthy Foods Research Group (ATHFRG) at Arkansas 

Children’s Research Institute proposes to expand availability and access 

to specialty crops by conducting formative research, evaluation, and 

findings dissemination to support “farm to institution” - integration of 

locally procured products into institutional food environments - in 

Arkansas. Building on its FY19 Specialty Crop Block Grant, this proposal 

seeks to take findings from stakeholder interviews and the first annual 

report of the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act to create and disseminate 

training and technical assistance materials for growers and wholesale 

and institutional buyers.

$94,254.00

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$360,789.54

Harvest of the Season -

Featuring Arkansas 

Specialty Crops and 

Supporting Farmers Growth 

in New Markets

Arkansas invested $1,255,960 in local foods, with the average school 

district spending 2% of their budget on local products based on the 

USDA Farm to School Census of 2015. Similarly, as reported in the Local 

Food, Farms, and Jobs Act Report of 2019, agencies, entities, and 

institutions spent $27,842,172.42 total, around 15% of their total 

budget on locally grown, and packaged and processed products within 

the state of Arkansas. The purpose of this project is to build and 

strengthen connections between specialty crop farmers and Arkansas 

institutions, increasing procurement opportunities at schools, and 

other wholesale markets by capitalizing on the promotional strength of 

Arkansas Farm to School, Arkansas Grown, Arkansas Made, and 

Homegrown by Heroes.

$91,530.80
27

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$360,789.54

Practices to Increase the 

Efficiency and Sustainability 

of Blackberry Production in 

Arkansas

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative 

Extension Service will partner with blackberry growers to develop 

research-based recommendations for new training methods and cane 

management practices for blackberry production in the state. The 

project will evaluate ways to reduce labor costs through alternative 

training methods for moveable trellises and through evaluation of a 

plant growth regulator. The project will also evaluate how these 

practices impact pest management and fruit quality in order to increase 

the competitiveness of this specialty crop in Arkansas. Workshops and 

virtual tours of the research will be conducted in conjunction with the 

Arkansas Blackberry Growers Association.

$75,000.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26 1. Cascade Farm and Ranch 

Regenerator

The project will incubate new regenerative specialty crop farms by 

providing access to affordable land, implements, mentoring, markets, 

economic skill development, financing, and connections to land tenure 

opportunities for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. A new 

generation of skilled farmers is needed in California to continue feeding 

the nation, but access to affordable land is one of their biggest 

challenges. This project will help diverse new farmers launch strong 

businesses. By 2022, the project will incubate eight new land-based 

specialty crop production businesses. The project will prioritize 

supporting women and farmers of color. Results will be evaluated by 

counting the number of beginning farmers in the program who go into 

specialty crop production, and the number of farmers in the program 

who are from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.

$97,360.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

2. A Sweeter Future: Honey, 

Education, 

Entrepreneurship

Responsible science-based apiary management is desperately needed 

in today's beekeeping enterprises. The project provides high school 

students with a holistic hands-on educational opportunity, focusing on 

the development of young professional beekeepers by teaching both 

technical and entrepreneurship skills. Students will learn the business 

of managing an apiary along with the procedures for collecting, 

extracting, and packaging of honey and flowers. The project will 

empower beginning and socially disadvantaged student farmers by 

providing the knowledge and skills necessary to have impactful careers 

in the specialty crop industry. Success will be measured by the total 

$99,974.00
28

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

number of students that will pursue a career in the specialty crop 

industry.

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

3. Training Juveniles and 

Foster Youth Between the 

Ages of Sixteen and 

Twenty-Five to Produce and 

Grow

Specialty Crops

For more than five years, Aisha Academy (AA) has been providing 

comprehensive health, education and human support services to Los 

Angeles County foster and homeless transitional-age-youth (ages 16 to 

25). There are approximately 80,000 foster children in California with 

over 5,000 aging out of the system every year. Studies show that nearly 

two-thirds of the transitioning foster youth in California face imminent 

homelessness while older youth and young adults remain among Los 

Angeles County’s most under-served populations, facing multiple 

barriers to becoming self-sufficient and productive adults. AA has 

identified gaps in the vocational training landscape and determined 

that there is a lack of workers to drive tractors for farmers. AA will train 

juveniles and foster youth between the ages of 16 and 25 who have 

aged out of the system. The training will provide job readiness skills, 

certification in tractor driving and a guaranteed job through strategic 

partnerships with organizations such as the California Association

of Wine Grape Growers and Sam Cobb Farms.

$100,485.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26 4. We Love California 

Grownifornians

The project will implement a multi-platform digital campaign and retail 

promotions to create strong support from the retail trade and increase 

consumer demand for California specialty crops and specialty crop 

products. The multiplatform digital campaign will utilize contextually 

relevant media placements, deliver rich and engaging experiences 

within impactful media, integrate multiple influencer marketing 

programs, and utilize social media to reach consumers in shareable 

environments. Key performance indicators that will measure success of 

the multi-platform digital media campaign are quality and viewable 

impressions, content engagements, and content views.

$2,000,000.00
29

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

5. Growing Domestic 

California Prune Sales by 

Increasing Demand for 

Prune Ingredients in Food 

Products

Sales of California prunes in global markets have steadily declined each 

year since the 2015/2016 market year, dropping 19 percent since then. 

With exports equaling approximately 50 percent of California prune 

sales, California prune growers need to build new high-value customers 

for their crop to maintain viability. In addition to other functional 

benefits, California prunes are a natural, low-sugar substitute and with 

77 percent of United States consumers seeking to limit/avoid sugar 

(International Food Information Council), prunes are an ideal ingredient 

to meet this need. As such, Sunsweet Growers (SSG) seeks to promote 

California prune ingredients as a sugar substitute/functional ingredient 

to food companies, specifically for use in baked goods and bars.

$450,000.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

6. Acquiring California Dried 

Fruit in Schools and on the 

USDA's Federal Commodity 

Entitlement List

To meet the demands of strict school district guidelines as well as the 

picky palates of school-aged children, the California Dried Fruit 

Coalition (CDFC), a coalition of California's date, dried fig, prunes and 

raisin farmers, created a new product through qualitative and 

quantitative research, prototype testing in schools with kids and staff, 

and key decision maker engagement. To continue the strong 

momentum and enthusiasm for the new product, the CDFC is 

requesting additional Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funding to 

pilot the product in schools and ultimately secure California Dried Fruit 

on the USDA Federal Commodity Entitlement list.

$450,000.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

7. Updating Perceptions: 

Connecting California Wine 

to a Well-Balanced Lifestyle

In 2018, the growth rate of retail wine sales in the United States 

declined for the first time in more than 25 years and experts also 

predict ongoing declines in the restaurant channel. Declines are 

attributed, in part, to consumers shifting from wine to hard seltzers, 

"light" cocktails, and other alternatives perceived to better align with a 

well-balanced lifestyle. Declining demand deeply impacts the 5,900 

growers and 3,900 wineries who produce California winegrapes and 

wine, and who need a strong domestic home for their crop and wine 

for viability. To combat declines, Wine Institute will leverage their 85-

years of experience marketing California wine to launch a marketing 

and public relations campaign establishing California wine as 

complementary to the well-balanced "California lifestyle" and 

synonymous with being outdoors and active; enjoying produce-driven 

cuisine; and valuing sustainability.

$448,000.00
30

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

8. Consumer Direct to Dry 

Creek Valley: Increasing 

Demand for California's 

Signature Grape, Zinfandel

Restaurant visitation is at a 28-year low, with 80 percent of meals now 

being prepared at home. This is a significant increase from a decade 

earlier and will continue to increase over the next five years. For highend wine drinkers, 77 percent indicate that trial in a restaurant would 

have a strong influence on choosing a winery to visit. This trend poses a 

threat to Dry Creek Valley's wineries, and its signature wine grape, 

Zinfandel, 75 percent of which is sold directly to consumers through 

winery visitation. This project boosts awareness and trial by contracting 

with chefs and influencers in three direct flight markets (Denver, 

Seattle, Phoenix) to create food and wine pairings that consumers can 

cook at home, sample via in-market events, and encourage visitation to 

the region.

$427,059.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

9. Substantiating and 

Communicating "The 

California Grown Fig 

Nutrition Story"

Figs have a historical and modern-day reputation for their many health 

benefits. From multiple references in the Bible to Firmenich, a leading 

global flavor company, naming fig the 2018 flavor of the year, figs stand 

the test of time. But there is no time like now to solidify and 

communicate "The California Grown Fig Nutrition Story" to 

differentiate California Figs from foreign imports. While the California 

Fig industry produces 100 percent of figs sold commercially in the 

United States, imports represent 60 percent of figs sold in the United 

States. The California Fig industry has seen a staggering 57 percent 

increase in fig imports (2017 versus 2016), a 361 percent increase from 

Spain and export trade uncertainties, further threatening the economic 

viability of the California Fig industry.

$449,020.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

10. Boosting California 

Processing Tomato Sales by 

Sharing Nutritional Value, 

Farmers’ Stories, and

Recipes with Consumers

California grows 98 percent of the processing tomatoes in the United 

States, a tomato variety used in sauces, ketchup, and paste. Since 2014, 

crop prices have declined by approximately 20 percent, in part from 

low vegetable consumption with only 9.3 percent of adults eating the 

daily vegetable recommendations. California's tomato growers need to 

build consumption and demand for viability. Opportunity exists with 

millennial consumers because they spend a higher percentage on 

vegetables than Generation X and baby boomers, and 46 percent of 

millennial primary shoppers have young families for which to buy and 

cook.

$450,000.00
31

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

11. The Grow Native 

Campaign: Supporting 

California’s Original 

Specialty Crop

Water districts and cities are incentivizing homeowners to transition 

from lawns to water-wise native plants. However, a 2017 State of the 

Industry Report conducted by Garden Center found specialty categories 

like native plants comprising only three percent of sales. Nursery 

professionals have helped the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) 

clarify the problem: consumers do not know what plants to choose, 

where to buy native plants, and how to care for them. To address this, 

CNPS's goal is to work with nearly 90 already-identified California 

nurseries and growers to increase their sales of 10 native specialty 

crops by 20 percent. CNPS will achieve this through an integrated 

marketing campaign featuring point of sale materials, how-to microvideos, and social media.

$442,690.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

12. Foodwise Kids and 

Families: Increasing 

California Specialty Crop 

Consumption Through 

Cooking,

Nutrition Education, and 

Market Tours

This project will increase access to and consumption of California 

specialty crops for approximately 11,500 children and families by 

providing nutritional education and increasing familiarity of specialty 

crops through market field trips and cooking classes. Public school 

students will meet and learn from California specialty crop growers at 

farmer markets, resulting in 1) personal connections to growers and 

familiarity with markets, for ongoing direct California specialty crop 

sales; and 2) experience preparing and preserving California specialty 

crops. After field trips, students will deepen their knowledge and skills 

during classroom cooking lessons. Then students and family members 

will learn to cook and enjoy California specialty crops together in a 

family cooking night. Pre- and post- program surveys will measure 

changes in awareness, knowledge, and consumption of California 

specialty crops.

$390,870.00
32

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

13. From the Ground Up: 

Building Youth Leadership 

Through Specialty Crop 

Urban Agriculture and

Nutrition Education

From the Ground Up (FGU) is an internship and apprenticeship program 

that engages teens from South Central Los Angeles to increase access 

to and consumption of specialty crops. By working on Community 

Services Unlimited urban farms, youth will learn to grow specialty 

crops, their health benefits, and how to prepare tasty, culturally 

appropriate, healthy dishes using seasonal specialty crops through 

hands-on nutrition education. Youth will deepen their knowledge by 

delivering hands-on gardening workshops and nutrition education, 

including cooking demonstrations, to the broader community. Youth 

will develop and implement educational presentations that increase 

consumption of specialty crops, and support for the specialty crop 

industry, among residents of an urban community that has limited 

access to fresh produce.

$232,875.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

14. Expanding Farmer to 

Consumer Relationships at 

Faith Community Sites in 

the San Francisco Bay Area

This project will increase consumption and sales of specialty crops by 

promoting direct marketing relationships between producers and faithbased institutions. Project objectives include, 1) develop 40 marketing 

outlets including farm stands, and community supported agriculture at 

faith sites; 2) provide nutrition education to 600 individuals at market 

outlets and 20 farm tours; and 3) facilitate farmers using assets owned 

by faith groups including land for at least 12 farms and gardens, and 

eight commercial kitchens for processing. The project builds on seven 

years of experience in Sonoma, Marin, Alameda, and Contra Costa 

counties with new partnerships with social service providers in 

underserved communities. The project will offer workshops in those 

four counties and provide technical assistance to partners in nine 

counties.

$331,105.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

15. Expanding 

Opportunities in Hospital 

Food Service for Small and 

Mid-Scale California 

Specialty Crop

Growers

This project addresses barriers and enhances pathways for specialty 

crops to move from regional farms into the University of California, 

Davis Medical Center (UCDMC), a large-scale institutional kitchen and 

flagship for local purchasing within the Capital region. The project will, 

1) increase purchase of fresh California specialty crops by 20 percent, 

including shifting from out of state or United States; 2) pilot a 

communication process for sharing UCDMC purchasing projections with 

regional producers, minimizing market uncertainty/risk for farmers by 

forecasting sales; 3) provide technical assistance for 75 growers and 

$449,496.00
33

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

five food hubs to sell to institutional buyers; 4) develop skills for 227 

cooks, dieticians, and managers; and 5) educate patients/cafeteria 

customers with 500 recipe cards.

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

16. Increasing Access to and 

Consumption of California 

Grown Specialty Crops in 

the California Corrections

System

This project will increase demand for California grown specialty crops 

by working to establish systems to increase procurement of California 

grown fruits, vegetables, and nuts in California Department of 

Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) facilities. The project will: 1)

educate CDCR stakeholders about the benefits of procuring and serving 

more California grown specialty crops; 2) work with stakeholders to 

develop policy and systems-level changes to promote procurement of 

California grown specialty crops; and 3) work with formerly 

incarcerated individuals to understand opportunities and barriers to 

increase consumption of California grown specialty crops in CDCR 

facilities and to provide them with nutrition education. The project 

broadly will reach 120,000 incarcerated people.

$439,345.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

17. Making Global Solutions 

Local: Increasing Awareness 

and Consumption of 

Nutrient-Dense Moringa for

All Californians

Increasing consumption and production of climate-sensitive nutrientdense specialty crops in California is imperative. Moringa oleifera 

(moringa) is an ideal crop in speed with California’s mission to have a 

healthier environment, healthier people, and prosperous farmers. 

While utilization of moringa at a global level is rapidly increasing, there 

is a vast knowledge gap in California and unmet potential for local 

market growth. Through presentations and intensive trainings, the 

project will sequentially increase awareness, knowledge, availability, 

and access of moringa to over 25,000 California residents, with a focus 

on underserved communities. Impact assessment of knowledge gained, 

taste preferences, adoption of cultivation, and consumption of moringa 

will be measured by quantitative and qualitative means.

$446,341.00
34

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

18. Building the Capacity of 

Growers and School Food 

Buyers to Increase Specialty 

Crop Sales

Community Alliance with Family Farmers facilitated $3.5 million in local 

institutional specialty crop sales in two years. Fifty four percent of 

California school districts intend to increase local purchasing, yet many 

challenges exist, including underutilized resources and confusing bid 

requirements. The project will increase local specialty crop sales in 

schools by providing interactive guidance paired with hands on 

technical assistance that builds buyer's capacity and producer's 

response. Transforming existing, static procurement guides into

interactive, user-friendly decision and implementation support tools 

will help 15 school districts, serving over 140,000 students, meet local 

procurement goals while increasing institutional sales accounts for 

more specialty crop farmers. Success measurements are increased local 

specialty crop use at 15 participating school districts, local preference 

bid awards, increased specialty crop sales for more farmers, individuals 

reached, and interactive resource use.

$367,282.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

19. Growing Together: 

Building Sustainable School 

Gardens in Los Angeles

"Growing Together: Building Sustainable School Gardens in Los 

Angeles" will promote California specialty crop consumption among Los 

Angeles (LA) County school students by partnering with LA County's 

well-established Master Gardener Program to support and sustain 

school gardens at high-need schools. School gardens introduce 

students to nutritious specialty crops and influence lifelong eating 

habits, yet most garden programs in LA County are under resourced. 

The project will train Master Gardeners on the unique needs of school 

gardens and place them at high-need schools for their required 

volunteer service hours, providing support to schools to sustain and 

grow garden programs. The project will also establish a curriculum, 

program model, and community partnerships that will endure beyond 

the grant period.

$277,950.00
35

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

20. From Harvest of the 

Month to Harvest of the 

Moment: Increasing Local 

Specialty Crops in Humboldt

County Schools

The Humboldt County Office of Education (HCOE) has piloted several 

strategies to help farmers and school districts overcome the challenges 

of Farm to School procurement in rural Humboldt County. One strategy 

shows the most potential: when procuring a local produce item for the 

Harvest of the Month (HOTM) education program, HCOE has added 

onto the order on behalf of school cafeterias when the farmer has 

enough of the item to meet demand. The farmer delivers produce to 

HCOE which is then distributed to the schools at no charge. This project 

will expand this aggregation/distribution model beyond featured HOTM 

items, providing a critical market outlet for local produce farmers and 

increasing access to healthy specialty crops in schools.

$207,155.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

21. Specialty Crop Nutrition 

Education and Promotion 

Program (SCNEPP)

Led by our 18-year-old nutrition education team, Sustainable Economic 

Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEELA) integrates specialty crop promotion 

and marketing strategies across SEE-LA's six farmers' markets that 

feature 86 specialty crop producers serving 13,000 Angelenos weekly. 

The program will provide 36 bilingual adult nutrition education classes, 

developed by a registered dietitian featuring culturally appropriate 

recipe demonstrations, 12 summer kids' culinary classes with hands-on 

learning in produce preparation, and 24 seasonal specialty crop 

marketing events annually with interactive learning, taste tests, and 

market-wide promotion of specialty crop producers. Classes will be 

prioritized in SEE-LA's four farmers' markets in underserved 

communities.

$450,000.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

23. California's County 

Bounty: An Agricultural 

Tour of California's 

Specialty Crops by County

"California's County Bounty" addresses the need to educate consumers 

about the many benefits of consuming California specialty crops. The 

project will highlight the top commodities grown within each of 

California's 58 counties as well as the diversity of specialty crops in 

California. This will be framed within a 7,000-9,000 square foot 

interactive exhibit at the annual California State Fair. The exhibit will 

provide experiential learning to visitors by way of demonstrations, 

samples, interactive activities, educational signage, farmer/producer 

talks and more. Additionally, the project will create a Specialty Crop 

Workshop Series that will take place in the "California Classroom" at 

the State Fair.

$395,212.00
36

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

24. Increasing Specialty 

Crop Access and Education 

in Underserved 

Communities and Schools

This project will expand demand for specialty crop fruits and vegetables 

while improving the health of underserved Central Coast communities 

through Food Bank nutrition education and expansion of specialty crop 

offerings at area school districts. Food Bank nutrition education will 

reach 2,600 children and 2,200 adults. School district purchasing will 

impact 4,000 additional children. The project will increase Food Bank 

clients' familiarity with specialty crops and local Farmers' Markets, 

after-school programs, preschools, and via cooking classes. Also, Slow 

Money San Luis Obispo will engage at least three school districts in 

expanding specialty crop purchases from at least six new California 

farmers, supporting purchases with farmer visits and tastings to 

increase the number of students consuming California specialty crops.

$449,317.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

25. Make Mine California: 

Improving Specialty Crop 

Access and Education in 

Schools

The one billion school meals served each year in California represent 

one billion opportunities to create lifelong consumers of California 

specialty crops by providing students with fresh, delicious fruits and 

vegetables, and education that increase their awareness of healthy 

specialty crops. Yet, most food service directors lack accessible 

information about available specialty crops grown in California, the 

tools to procure them, and resources to meaningfully engage students. 

The Make Mine California project will encourage public school districts 

to procure specialty crops by providing Make Mine California specialty 

crop lists from distributors and proven strategies to engage youth 

through farm to school events and farmer visits.

$335,738.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26 26. Specialty Crop 

Workforce Ready Academy

California's specialty crop growers are in critical need of a skilled 

workforce. Skilled labor shortages are meaningfully impacting the 

economy. Nationally, this gap cost over $3 billion in gross domestic 

product growth in 2012 alone. The Specialty Crop Workforce Ready 

Academy (Academy) is designed to tackle this issue by training a new 

crop of individuals able to meet the needs of nut growers in Stanislaus 

County. AgSafe, with the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) 

and VOLT Institute will align education with the industry to create a 

four-part training program for Come Back Kids. The students are 18 and 

older, left the educational system and returned for their General 

Education Development and specific workforce skills to enhance their 

ability to secure local jobs.

$93,856.00
37

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

27. Food Safety 

Modernization Act and 

Related Training for the 

California Central Valley 

Specialty Crop

Industry

This project will enable the specialty crop industry to enhance its 

competitiveness by ensuring compliance to the Food Safety 

Modernization Act (FSMA). It will support California's Central Valley 

specialty crop industry with the adoption of FSMA requirements by 

providing local and affordable food safety trainings. The local specialty 

crop industry has difficulty attending convenient and affordable food 

safety training as these trainings are offered in larger cities and require 

out of town travel that is costly and disruptive to business operations. 

College of the Sequoias has experience delivering local, convenient, and 

affordable FSMA and related food safety trainings. The project's aim is 

to reach the local specialty crop industry and their workforce on farms, 

packing houses, and food processing plants.

$2,016,809.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

28. Providing Produce 

Safety Rule Training to Help 

Growers Comply with The 

Food Safety Modernization

Act

California experienced 2,672 foodborne illness outbreaks from 1998-

2017 which caused 59,075 illnesses, 4,156 hospitalizations and 138 

deaths; 46 percent of foodborne illnesses are traced to produce. 

Education can prevent illness; as such the Food Safety Modernization 

Act and the Produce Safety Rule require many California specialty crop 

growers to be trained/Produce Safety Alliance certified to ensure food 

safety. Sixty-five percent of California farms required to comply have 

not done so, mainly due to high compliance costs. Low-cost training is 

urgently needed as the lack of complying farms impacts the 

competitiveness of entire industry. Through a proven partnership, Farm 

Employers Labor Service, CA Farm Bureau, and Safe Food Alliance seek

to provide 31 low-cost trainings, bringing more California farms into 

compliance, a high industry priority.

$408,679.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

29. Building and Retaining 

Current and Next 

Generation Workforce for 

Napa Winegrape Industry

California's agriculture labor shortage is severe. A 2017 California Farm 

Bureau survey found 69 percent of agriculture employers with seasonal 

labor saw shortages and states problem is more acute for grape 

growers. Napa's 1,338 winegrape growers, employing 9,857, are deeply 

impacted. To combat the economic/environmental impacts of this 

labor crisis on Napa farms, a larger regional skilled labor force must be 

both attracted and retained. Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation seeks 

to leverage its strong training reputation/experience to both introduce 

new workers to industry and retain the existing workforce by 1) 

executing a mentorship program to recruit new young people to 

$447,141.00
38

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

industry; and 2) executing workshops, conferences, and English literacy 

courses to train/expand technical skills of current workforce

(operators/farmworkers).

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

30. Development of 

Efficient Drying Methods 

for Off-Ground Harvested 

Almonds

California produces about 1.2 million tons of almonds annually with an 

economic output of over $5.6 billion. The current harvesting method of 

almonds is associated with the two main problems of dust generation 

and microbial contamination from soil. Recently, the Almond Board of 

California (ABC) and the almond industry have determined to address 

these problems by developing alternate harvesting technologies to 

reduce dust generation and the risk of microbial contamination. The 

off-ground/shakecatch harvesting method is considered the most 

promising method to mitigate dust generation and almond 

contamination. However, the almonds harvested with the new method 

need to be dried with heated air to handle the large volume of the 

product for ensured quality and safety.

$447,884.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

31. Development of a LowCost and Accessible 

Evapotranspiration Toolkit 

for Irrigation Management 

of

Almonds and Other Woody 

Tree Crops

Better water management tools are needed to ensure sustainable 

irrigated agricultural production in California. Grower-friendly tools 

emerging from remote sensing show great promise to fill this need. 

One such tool, the newly developed OpenET platform, will provide lowcost, accessible, and spatially distributed data at sub-field resolutions 

based on an ensemble of crop evapotranspiration (ET) models. OpenET 

will be operational in December 2020, but rigorous validation of its 

almond ET estimates has yet to occur. This project will provide 

validation by building on the success of the Grape Remote sensing 

Atmospheric Profile and Evapotranspiration Experiment (GRAPEX), led 

by Co-Principal Investigator Kustas, whom successfully tested an ET 

model based on satellite thermal imagery and accurately quantifies 

daily ET for commercial vineyards at 30m resolution.

$448,105.00
39

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

32. Toward a Circular 

Economy: From Agricultural 

Waste to Sustainable Citrus 

Production Through

Microbe-Mediated 

Processes

California's 1.4 million acres of almond crop produces 650,000 tons of 

low value almond shells. This project aims to demonstrate the use of 

two almond waste by-products, biochar (BC) and pyroligneous acid 

(PA), to sequester soil carbon, reduce agrochemical use, and enhance 

the beneficial native citrus microbiome which play a crucial role in plant 

growth, health, and stress resilience. BC will be amended to soil mixes 

and PA delivered through irrigation systems under greenhouse and

field conditions. The costs and benefits of BC and PA will be estimated 

throughout its use to determine economic feasibility.

$446,401.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

33. Development of Natural 

Antimicrobial Agents from 

Byproducts of Olives

The pre- and post-harvest, fruit and vegetable processing industries are 

in need of new, natural, and environmentally sustainable antimicrobials 

to reduce the use of conventional chemical preservatives. This is an 

opportunity for the California olive oil industry since the large number 

of byproducts generated from the processing of olive oil are considered 

"waste" while, in fact, they contain phenolic compounds that have a 

high potential as antimicrobials. This project aims to develop natural 

antimicrobial treatments (sprays, dips, and/or coatings) made from 

olive byproducts to increase the value of the crop and the overall 

sustainability of the food ecosystem. The success of the project will be 

evaluated based on the success in discovery of antibacterial 

compounds from the olive byproducts, illustration of synergistic

enhancement of antimicrobial activity with mild processing 

technologies, and adoption of the new antimicrobial technologies by 

industry.

$446,515.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

34. Optimizing Irrigation 

Innovation, Salinity 

Management, and Soil 

Health in California 

Processing Tomato

Systems

California processing tomatoes grow on 240,000 acres of soil, drink 

640,000 acre-feet of water, and generate $900 million. Though 80 

percent of farms converted to subsurface drip irrigation, the 

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act incentivizes further efforts 

such as deficit or precision irrigation. However, conservation irrigation

practices may exacerbate salinity or deteriorate soil health by 

perturbing microbial communities and biogeochemistry. This 

collaborative project will, 1) advance deficit irrigation guidelines for 

optimizing water, yield, flavor, nutrition, salinity, and soil health in 

processing tomato; 2) provide mapping and cost-benefit tools for 

incorporating deficit and precision irrigation into subsurface drip 

$395,348.00
40

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

operations; and 3) quantify tradeoffs between conservation irrigation 

practices, salinity,

and soil health for climate-smart decision support.

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

35. Exploring Genetic 

Control of Plant 

Metabolome for Developing 

Drought Resilient Lettuce 

Cultivars

Lettuce is produced under high irrigation requirements and is very 

sensitive to drought conditions. It is reported that drought conditions 

lead to metabolic reprogramming of plants resulting in the 

accumulation of antioxidant compounds, amino-acids, carbohydrates, 

alcohols and proline, which together have an osmo-protective role. This 

project will perform comprehensive metabolome studies on drought 

sensitive and tolerant genotypes to identify key metabolites 

accumulated in the plants due to water-stress. Genomic loci controlling 

the concentration of metabolites will be identified using an interspecific 

recombinant mapping population.

$375,047.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

36. Converting Almond and 

Walnut Hulls into Food and 

Health Products

This project aims to create high value food and health products from 

almond and walnut hulls to increase the economic value and ensure 

sustainable management of these byproducts. The project objectives 

are to extract sugars, phenolic compounds, and other nutrients from 

the hulls; convert the extracts into food and nutraceutical products; 

and evaluate the nutritional and health benefits and the economic 

values of these products. Building on a previous project that was 

funded by the Almond Board of California, processes for extraction and 

hydrolysis of the hulls to liberate antioxidants and sugars will be 

optimized and scaled up.

$338,853.00
41

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

37. Nutrient Management 

with Cover Crops: 

Effectiveness of Recently 

Selected Fava Bean Lines as 

Mix

Components

Fava bean is a component of most cover crop mixes because of its 

substantial biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potential. As part of a 

2018 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) award, the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture fava bean germplasm was screened for BNF, 

seed size, biomass, height, harvest index, and resistance to lodging, 

black aphid, and chocolate spot disease. This project will grow the 

selected accessions with common California cover crop mixes at 

California locations that vary in rainfall and soil type. The research will, 

1) identify the BNF and nitrogen benefits of the new fava bean 

genotypes compared to current varieties and to other legume cover 

crops, 2) identify small-seeded fava bean genotypes that perform well 

in mixes with other species to reduce the seeding cost of cover 

cropping, 3) address the interaction of the new fava bean genotypes, 

which vary in height and biomass, with other species, and 4) fill the 

knowledge gap about plant traits that contribute to cover crop 

benefits.

$427,414.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

38. Root Knot Nematode 

Control Using Encapsulated 

Plant Extracts

The overall goals of this project are, 1) to develop formulations of 

diverse-class, biochemical pesticides including isothiocyanates, 

alkaloids, and terpenoids with improved stability, efficacy, and reduced 

phytotoxicity, and 2) to apply them to control root knot nematodes in 

soil and demonstrate their efficacy in field trials for strawberries, 

tomatoes and carrots. The success of this project will address the 

unmet needs of developing control nematode pathogens in organic and 

conventional agriculture and providing alternatives to chemical 

fumigation and pesticides. Biochemical pesticides derived from plants 

are sustainable but are not commonly used due their limited stability, 

half-life, and in some case phytotoxicity. In summary, by developing 

sustainable bio-pesticides for controlling root-knot nematodes, this 

project aims to aid in developing alternatives to fumigation of soil.

$449,547.00
42

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

39. High-Throughput 

Screening of Walnut and 

Pistachio Rootstocks for 

Resilience to Water Deficit

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), combined 

with interannual variability in California's snowpack and the resulting 

supply of surface water, will inevitably lead to years of water deficit for 

California tree crops. Walnut and pistachio are among California's most 

valuable tree crops and their orchards mature slowly and remain 

productive for decades, implying that orchards planted today must 

anticipate SGMA-mandated deadlines for fully sustainable basins, 

beginning in 2040. Rootstock resilience to water deficit is desirable 

because it would enable growers to sacrifice yield in drought years 

without jeopardizing the orchard itself. This project aims to optimize 

high-throughput greenhouse screens for resilience to water deficit, and 

to identify predictive markers for rootstock breeding through screening

of diverse germplasm.

$206,995.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

40. Regional Orchard Soil 

Health and Greenhouse Gas 

Emissions After Whole 

Orchard Recycling

Whole orchard recycling (WOR), the process of returning orchard 

biomass to the soil, can significantly increase soil organic carbon (C), 

and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to removal or 

burning. New incentives to reduce GHGs and sequester C suggest that 

WOR is a viable method to enhance the sustainability of orchard 

production practices. More than 200,000 acres of California almond 

orchards are approaching the end of productive life. Regional surveys 

are needed to document differences in C storage and changes to 

overall soil health in different soil types and climate regimes in WOR 

replanted orchards. Changes in total GHG emissions of all three major 

GHGs (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane) are needed to 

understand if adoption of WOR by growers will facilitate the mitigation 

of climate change.

$449,209.00
43

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

41. Extension of the 

CropManage DecisionSupport System to 

Viticultural Management

The CropManage (CM) decision-support web-application was originally 

developed by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) 

to address irrigation and nutrient management in cool-season 

vegetables. CM has undergone extensive verification in scientific 

irrigation trials in Salinas Valley, performed in concert with the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), 

and currently serves over 2,000 specialty crop stakeholders. This 

proposal would extend CM operations to vineyards, which rank highly 

among statewide planted acreage and revenues. As a heavily managed 

perennial crop, grapes are somewhat more complex to model than 

vegetable crops. This project will involve introduction of a vineyard 

water stress component within CM, addition of sub-models for nitrogen 

management and early-season depletion of stored soil moisture, and 

accounting for cover crop and canopy management.

$385,538.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

42. Management Solutions 

for Fusarium Falciforme, an 

Emerging, Destructive 

Disease of Tomato and 

Other

Annual Specialty Crops

Fusarium falciforme is emerging in California as one of the most 

destructive diseases of tomato, rapidly killing plants and significantly 

reducing yields. Recent work indicates this is also a pathogen of 

cucurbits, pepper, and legumes. The goal of this project is to establish 

fundamental management parameters that can effectively mitigate 

losses in affected specialty crops by: 1) determining pathogen host 

range, 2) establishing optimal and harmful crop rotations (targeting 

management in tomato), and 3) identifying resistance in commercial 

cultivars of tomato, pumpkin, melon, and other specialty crops. The 

project team will transfer new information and technologies through

diagnosis and management guidelines and workshops, outreach 

publications and presentations, and diagnosis services.

$202,536.00
44

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

43. Advanced Breeding for 

Broad Genetic Resistance to 

Downy Mildew in Spinach 

for Organic Production

In spinach, new genetic resistance-breaking races of downy mildew 

(DM) appear every two years, threatening crops, especially for organic 

production. This project extends the project team's current program 

by: 1) developing race-specific DNA assays to survey DM diversity in 

spinach growing regions over two years, 2) genetically mapping genes 

and breeding broad genetic resistance to DM for organic production to 

reduce losses, and 3) training students in pathology, plant breeding, 

and extension, and extending knowledge to growers and industry 

personnel. The impact of this project will be measured with: 1) survey 

and interview data from the University of California Cooperative 

Extension (UCCE), and industry personnel and growers, 2) the 

specificity and adoption of in-field DM assays, 3) the development and 

adoption of germplasm with improved genetic resistance across 

multiple DM races, and 4) experiential learning opportunities by 

students. Outreach will be achieved with workshops, field days, 

professional classes, meetings, internships, and media.

$449,374.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

44. Early Detection of 

Botrytis Species and Rapid 

Characterization of 

Fungicide-Resistant Isolates 

in

Strawberry

Strawberry production, distribution, and retail suffer from significant 

losses due to fruit spoilage caused by Botrytis species (spp.). The 

disease is not easily detectable until fruit show visible infection 

symptoms. The project proposes to develop non-destructive methods 

for early detection of Botrytis via multi/hyperspectral imaging and 

sensing of volatiles, allowing the timely application of disease 

management in the field, decision making at harvest, and control 

conditions during storage and distribution of fruit. The project also 

plans to design a rapid and precise clustered regularly interspaced short 

palindromic repeats (CRISPR-Cas) approach for detecting known 

fungicide-resistant Botrytis isolates in the field without the need for a 

polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in order to support targeted disease 

control. These tools will be evaluated in commercial settings ensuring 

their widespread applicability.

$298,903.00
45

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

45. Systematic 

Identification of Oomycete 

Plant Pathogens Important 

to California Specialty Crops

Virtually every specialty crop is susceptible to an Oomycete plant 

pathogen (Phytophthora, Pythium, Phytopythium), so having a method 

for systematically identifying all species in a production system would 

facilitate improving management practices as well as provide a means 

for monitoring the presence/spread of regulated invasive species. This 

project expands the validation of an existing marker technology to 

address this need using DNA sequence analysis of a highly specific 

selectively amplified template from environmental samples. A database 

of sequence data for species identification has been under 

development, and along with tools for assisting in analysis, is listed on a 

publicly available website. The proposed research will provide a more 

comprehensive sequence database and validate the technology for 

pathogen identification/quantification on a broader scale for use in 

California specialty crop production systems.

$442,411.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

46. Host Resistance and 

Fumigation Alternatives for 

Control of Macrophomina 

Phaseolina in Strawberry

Disease caused by Macrophomina phaseolina is a serious constraint on 

strawberry production in California. Robust resistance is not currently 

available in cultivars, and little is known about alternatives to soil 

fumigation for management of this disease. The goal of this project is to 

accelerate efforts to breed Macrophomina-resistant strawberry 

cultivars and test non-fumigation methods for disease reduction. The 

outcomes of this project will result in significant progress by strawberry 

breeding programs in producing cultivars with resistance to 

Macrophomina, validation of Macrophomina-resistance for 28 offpatent cultivars that breeders can use as resistance donors, critical 

information on the genomics of resistance to this pathogen, and nonfumigation methods for disease control.

$318,796.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

47. Interregional 

Surveillance of Spinach and 

Lettuce Downy Mildew in 

California to Improve 

Management

Practices

Downy mildews (DM) are major disease constraints for spinach and 

lettuce industries in California, causing severe damage to leaves and 

rendering the fresh products unmarketable. DMs can be managed with 

the application of fungicides, but routine fungicide applications result in 

large expenditures and can lead to fungicide resistance in the 

pathogen. There is also an increasing demand to limit chemical inputs 

due to the potentially negative environmental impacts. This project 

aims to: 1) multiplex two current detection assays into one for dual 

pathogen detection in a single a reaction, 2) determine levels of these 

$438,518.00
46

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

pathogens in different regions (Salinas, Imperial, and Coachella Valleys), 

and to 3) use this information to associate spore load with increased or 

decreased disease risk in the different regions examined.

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26 48. Testing New Apple 

Rootstocks in California

This project will focus on providing support for testing the viability of 

utilizing new rootstocks on California apples. In 2019, the California 

Apple Commission (CAC) met with Dr. Gennaro Fazio, Apple Rootstock 

Breeder and Geneticist of the United States Department of Agriculture, 

Agricultural Research Service (USDA, ARS), National Apple Rootstock 

Breeding Program in Geneva, New York. As a result of this meeting, the 

CAC was presented with the opportunity to participate in the study to 

test several of these new rootstocks in California. This grant will assist 

the industry in implementing rootstock trials that have the potential to 

increase the overall productivity of California apple growers, reduce the 

number of pesticides and post-harvest treatments, and create 

resistance to the destructive disease, fire blight.

$61,684.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

49. Preventing Xylella 

Fastidiosa in California Ripe 

Olive by Determining 

Susceptibility of California 

Ripe

Olive Varieties

Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is a plant pathogenic bacterium that causes 

economically devastating diseases worldwide and has a wide host 

range. Previous California Olive Committee (COC) funded research 

showed that California strains of Xf from field-infected olive trees can 

be transmitted by the glassywinged sharpshooter, but olive varieties 

used in California are resistant to California strains of Xf. In 2013, Xf was 

detected for the first time in Europe and devastated olive orchards in 

Italy. The Italian strain of Xf belongs to subspecies pauca, which is not 

known to occur in California. Currently, the California ripe olive industry 

utilizes and is reliant on two olive varieties for ripe olive production.

$60,180.00
47

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

50. Varietal Improvement

of Fresh-Market Long Bean

to Overcome Biotic Stresses

and Expand Production

Long bean (asparagus bean, Asian yardlong bean) is the vegetable type 

of cowpea; a climate-resilient and nutritious food legume grown by 

Southeast Asian farmers in the Central Valley of California and 

marketed to Asian immigrant communities across the United States. 

Insect pests are major threats, reducing yield and quality of all current 

cultivars. The project team will implement short-term plant breeding 

protocols and extension activities to develop resistant varieties. 

Sources of natural resistance found in African cowpea germplasm and 

existing knowledge of marker-trait associations for aphid and root-knot 

nematode resistance will be applied in marker-assisted breeding. Local 

cultivars with stacked resistance genes will be developed.

$404,041.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

51. Bio-based Antimicrobial

Coatings for Reducing Risk

of Cross-Contamination

During Harvesting

The Center for Produce Safety will partner with University of California, 

Davis, to develop food ingredient-based antimicrobial coatings for

harvesting equipment and tools. Cross contamination is a major food

safety risk when pathogens from soil, humans, or other environmental

factors are introduced or persist on harvesting equipment and tool

surfaces during produce harvesting. The overall goal of this project is to 

develop field-deployable food ingredient-based antimicrobial coatings 

to manage cross contamination risks during harvesting. These 

antimicrobial coatings will be formulated with selected food-grade 

ingredients and a commonly used chlorine-based sanitizer. 

$330,700.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

52. Waxing of Whole

Produce and its

Involvement in and Impact

on Microbial Food Safety

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) will partner with University of 

California, Davis, to assess the impact of commercial storage and 

finishing waxes on microbial food safety. After harvest, many fresh 

fruits and vegetables are washed and waxed to prevent premature 

rotting and to extend shelf life. Waxing has been widely used by the 

produce industry, but information about its impact on microbial food 

safety is very limited. To address this knowledge gap, this project will 

use citrus fruit (oranges and lemons) as the model commodities and 

conduct a systematic evaluation of waxes used by the produce industry. 

The microbial and chemical properties of a wide range of citrus storage 

and finishing waxes available from industry collaborators will be 

evaluated. Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes will be separately 

inoculated into the waxes to mimic potential contamination of the wax 

$238,336.00
48

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

at a packinghouse, and the survival of pathogens will be monitored at 

ambient temperature and 4°C.

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

53. When the E. coli Hits 

the Fan! Evaluating the 

Risks of Dust-Associated 

Produce CrossContamination

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) will partner with University of 

Arizona to better understand how wind-driven dust in agricultural 

environments can impact produce safety. Dust represents an 

understudied vehicle for microbial dispersal and produce 

contamination by pathogens. Dust deposits onto plant surfaces during 

cultivation and from wind-driven dust in agricultural environments. 

These deposits can impact food safety when the sources include 

particles from reservoirs of pathogens, both natural and those related 

to animal feedlot operations. This project will: (i) evaluate the role of 

dust in transferring foodborne pathogens to produce surfaces grown in 

eastern and western agricultural regions of the United States, (ii) 

determine the role of humidity in the deposition of dust on produce 

and the survival of pathogens in dust, and (iii) test dust particulates 

from animal operations in both regions for the presence of biomarkers 

that are indicative of fecal contamination and potentially the presence 

of pathogens.

$207,787.00
49

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

54. Field Evaluation of 

Microfluidic Paper-Based 

Analytical Devices for 

Microbial Source Tracking

The Center for Produce Safety will partner with Purdue University to 

develop a novel and rapid risk assessment tool that can be used in the 

field by growers to assess fecal contamination. Foodborne pathogens 

on fresh produce can lead to serious health issues. The sources of these 

pathogens often are wild animals or animal feeding operations. Current 

methods for assessing the risk of animal-source contamination on 

produce are costly, time-consuming, and lab-based. The anticipated 

outcome of this project is a validated, field-deployable growers' risk 

assessment biomarkers investigative tool (Grower's Risk Assessment 

Biomarkers Investigative Tool [GRABIT]) that will provide results of 

animal-source contamination within an hour (instead of waiting for 

days with traditional methods).

$413,500.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

55. Determination of 

Physical and Chemical 

Mechanisms to Prevent 

Cyclospora Infection

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) will partner with University of 

Tennessee to identify new control measures for inactivation of 

Cyclospora in agricultural water and on the surface of produce. 

Cyclospora is a ubiquitous parasite that causes gastrointestinal illness in 

humans and is typically acquired through consumption of contaminated 

water or contaminated fresh produce. In 2018, the first Cyclospora 

infection tied to domestically grown produce was reported, 

demonstrating the increased threat to U.S. consumers. Few studies 

have investigated methods to inactivate Cyclospora due to two 

bottlenecks: the inability to culture the organism has limited the 

number of oocysts that can be collected for inactivation studies; and 

the viability or infectivity of Cyclospora oocysts can only be assessed by 

analysis of sporulation rates, which must be determined 

microscopically by a trained investigator.

$419,521.00
50

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

56. Survival of Infectious 

Human Norovirus in Water 

and on Leafy Greens

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) will partner with University of 

Georgia to assess the survival of infectious human norovirus in water 

and on lettuce. In the United States, the majority of foodborne illnesses 

are caused by human norovirus (HuNoV). Lettuce and other leafy 

greens are most often implicated in outbreaks associated with HuNoV. 

Previous research has reported the presence of the virus genetic 

material in surface water, but data on the survival of the infectious 

virus in the water are limited. Until recently, it was challenging to 

determine HuNoV infectivity because the virus was difficult to grow in 

cell culture; however, a new cell culture system based on human 

intestinal enteroid (HIE) cells was developed to measure HuNoV 

infectivity.

$219,143.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

57. Digital Farm-To-Facility 

Food Safety Testing 

Optimization

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) will partner with University of 

Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to create an integrated model to define 

optimum food safety testing for produce. Effective food safety testing 

in the produce industry is limited by inconsistent requirements for 

product testing and a history of approaches focusing on single points in 

the supply chain. This project will build on previous work simulating 

both in-field and packinghouse pathogen product testing to create an 

integrated production, harvesting, processing, and packing model to 

define optimum food safety testing schemes for produce. To do this, 

the project will first build a Field-to-Facility model of leafy green 

produce safety testing using spreadsheet- and flowchart-based 

computer simulation.

$236,936.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,844,114.26

58. Overcome Critical Food 

Safety Challenges of 

Blueberry Harvesting

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) will partner with University of 

Georgia to help blueberry growers and packers improve the microbial 

safety of harvested blueberries. U.S. blueberry growers and packers 

implement Good Agricultural and Management Practices to ensure 

berry safety. However, berries are grown in the field and are prone to 

contamination by microorganisms. Containers or lugs for harvested 

berries may carry a relatively high level of microorganisms and, if not 

properly cleaned and sanitized, the lugs can transfer the 

microorganisms from one load of fruits to another. The hygiene 

condition of berry lugs and other harvest containers and equipment is 

very important to the microbial safety of harvested blueberries. This 

$209,817.00
51

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

project will first collect information about the cleaning and sanitation 

practices currently used by blueberry growers/packers, through 

anonymous online and in-person surveys in different U.S. states.

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

1. Colorado Pavilion at 

Produce Marketing 

Association (PMA) Fresh 

Summit 2021

The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) will partner with 

Colorado produce associations, growers, and handlers to exhibit at the 

Produce Marketing Association's (PMA) Fresh Summit Expo, to be held 

in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 21-23, 2021. A Colorado Pavilion 

at PMA, the largest produce expo in the United States, increases 

exposure to and sales potential of Colorado specialty crops and 

companies.

$71,000.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

2. Promoting Success for 

Specialty Crop Vendors and 

Farmers Markets in 

Colorado

The Colorado Farmers Market Association will provide support to 

improve critical business skills among specialty crop vendors at farmers 

markets and enhance the promotion and outreach of farmers markets 

throughout Colorado.

$62,127.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

3. Developing Educational 

Opportunities for Beginning 

and Small-Scale Produce 

Growers in Colorado

The Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association will provide 

conference scholarships and free membership to beginning and smallscale produce growers to increase their production and business 

management knowledge and foster networking relationships with 

growers, buyers, and suppliers around the state.

$8,096.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

4. Increasing Colorado Fruit 

and Vegetable Sales 

Through Consumer 

Promotion tours, Youth 

Education and Social Media

The Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association will increase 

sales of Colorado produce in 2021 and 2022 through promotional 

activities including social media campaigns, public bus tours of produce 

farms, increasing youth interest in produce, and implementing new 

tactics from a national produce advocacy conference.

$45,327.76
52

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

5. Evaluating the Potential 

for Bio-pesticides in 

Colorado Potato Production

To enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of Colorado's potato 

specialty crop sector, the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee 

(CPAC) and scientists at Colorado State University (CSU), in 

collaboration with potato grower cooperators in the San Luis Valley 

(SLV), will evaluate the efficacy and profitability of bio-pesticide usage 

in potato production. The proposed project aims to conduct and 

evaluate a bio-pesticide field trial for potatoes in the SLV, develop 

science-based information related to the expected impacts of biopesticide utilization on potato yield and quality.

$44,991.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

6. Colorado Potato 

Education and Distribution 

throughout Colorado Public 

School Systems

The Colorado Potato Administrative Committee (CPAC) will increase 

market access and education of Colorado Potatoes throughout the 

Denver Public School Systems by offering direct shipments of fresh 

potatoes and educational materials and workshops for students, 

parents and faculty.

$27,247.40

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

7. New Training Systems 

and Rootstocks to Maximize 

Colorado Cherry Orchards' 

Productivity and Fruit 

Quality Potential

Colorado State University through a multi-faceted approach will 

develop sustainable orchard management strategies that improve the 

economic aspects of tree fruit production in western Colorado. The 

general aim of this project is to provide Colorado sweet cherry growers 

with knowledge and technology to produce more value-added fruit 

with less inputs and provide consumers with fruit of consistent and 

excellent quality. New sweet cherry cropping systems that are resilient 

for the Colorado growing conditions and improve productivity and fruit 

quality will be evaluated.

$30,475.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

8. Cultural Methods in the 

Spread and Severity of 

Cytospora Canker in 

Colorado Peach Orchards

This project, lead and executed by Colorado State University, aims to 

develop IPM strategies for Cytospora canker on peaches in Colorado 

caused by Cytospora plurivora. We will build on previous research that 

examined the epidemiology of Cytospora canker using a molecular 

maker specific to C. plurivora. Our goal is to determine if cultural 

factors can be used to reduce the probability of new infections on 

orchard trees.

$90,327.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

9. Developing Best 

Management Practices for 

Organic Chickpea 

Production

Colorado State University will study best management practices for 

organic chickpea production. We expect this project to provide 

practical guidelines for organic producers to successfully grow chickpea. 

Since a good market is currently available for organic chickpea, we 

expect the findings of this project to be adopted by growers 

$58,914.00
53

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

immediately and organic chickpea production and sales to expand in 

the state.

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

10. Peach Cold Hardiness 

Monitoring and 

Management for Improved 

Grower Frost Control

Colorado State University through a multi-faceted approach will 

address peach cold damage challenges in Colorado and will identify 

resilient genotypes and cultural management strategies and utilize 

decision-support to mitigate cold damage. The general aim of this 

project is to provide growers with knowledge and technology to 

improve peach production resilience in the state of CO. Colorado peach 

industry will be benefited by the implementation of this proposal via 

recommendations on cultivar selections and best management 

practices to maximize early acclimation, hardiness and increase 

productivity, economic returns and minimize losses.

$37,635.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

11. Specialty Crop 

Production Research, 

Technical Support, and 

Coordination for Colorado 

Growers: 2021

The Colorado State University (CSU) Specialty Crops Program (SCP) 

Coordinator will oversee and conduct well-focused research combined 

with technical support and outreach to provide Colorado specialty crop 

producers with science-based information to stimulate innovation, 

competitiveness, and success.

$81,148.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

12. Develop High Elevation 

Growing Guides and 

Demonstration Spaces

Fort Lewis College - The Old Fort at Hesperus will coordinate regional 

specialty crop producers to develop twelve growing guides that address 

farming in high elevation, short growing seasons, or arid, irrigationdependent environments. The team will prioritize topics related to 

season extension, water, irrigation, soil fertility, cover crops, seeds, 

transplants, weeds and pests.

$78,745.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

13. Farmer to Farmer 

Mentor Network to Support 

Training Programs in 

Colorado

GoFarm's Farmer to Farmer Network will support English and Spanish 

speaking beginning specialty crop farmers on Colorado's Front Range by 

increasing their knowledge and skills to produce more crops using 

sustainable practices and helping them to build viable businesses by 

connecting them to experienced mentors who are paid for their time.

$39,351.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$861,488.32

14. Preserving Colorado's 

Rare and Endangered Apple 

Genetics to Enhance 

Montezuma Orchard Restoration Project (MORP) will release rare and 

endangered apple varieties that are historic to Colorado and have 

tolerated pests, disease, and drought for over 100 years to hundreds of 

$87,000.00
54

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Specialty Crop Market 

Opportunities

Colorado specialty crop stakeholders through propagation, 

identification, education, and distribution activities.

Commonwealth

of the Northern

Mariana Islands

Department of

Lands and

Natural

Resources

$243,423.25 Specialty Crop Cooking 

Demonstration Project

The Cooking Project will be managed by the Division of Agriculture. The 

project is designed to promote traditional cooking using specialty crops 

on the islands of Rota, Tinian and Saipan. The project will hire chefs on 

all three islands to cook different local recipes at major events or inside 

stores for the people to learn and try to cook these traditional recipes. 

The recipes will also be collected and printed in a pamphlet that will be 

given to the people to reinforce what they’ve learned from the 

demonstrations.

$43,500.00

Commonwealth

of the Northern

Mariana Islands

Department of

Lands and

Natural

Resources

$243,423.25 Ma’afala Breadfruit Project

Once the Ma’afala breadfruit trees are ready for distribution, the 

announcement will be made to inform the community about the 

breadfruit trees. Those who are interested need to sign up and the staff 

will assess their farms first before giving them the plants. This will 

prevent people from taking plants but have no place to grow them. 

Each person will be entitled to one plant. Participants will be 

introduced to the farming of specialty crops as far as how and when to 

plant, providing the plants with water, applying fertilizer and 

insecticide, harvesting, and marketing them. The Division of Agriculture 

will be the applicant for this project. It has an existing land that can be 

used to plant up to 1,000 Ma’afala trees without any problem. It also 

has two nursery facilities where these breadfruit trees can grow until 

they’re big enough to be transported to existing Ma’afala area or to 

their final destinations on Saipan, Tinian and Rota.

$65,000.00

Commonwealth

of the Northern

Mariana Islands

Department of

Lands and

Natural

Resources

$243,423.25 Specialty Crop Workshops

The Division of Agriculture will partner with the Northern Marianas 

College Community Research Education and Extension Services and the 

Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality to conduct a series of 

workshops for the farmers to learn about the different types of 

fertilizers, their purposes and their applications throughout the life of 

the specialty crops. The farmers will also learn about the different types 

of pesticides and insecticides, and to become certified applicator of 

these materials. The workshops will not only be held on Saipan, but

also on the neighboring islands of Tinian and Rota. The implementation 

$39,447.00
55

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

of this project would allow the farmers to be knowledgeable about 

using fertilizers for their plants to be healthy and yield more, as well as 

to be safe for public consumption. Other workshops including 

marketing of the specialty crops will also be conducted to benefit the 

farmers. Staff of these organizations will be conducting these 

workshops, including off island professionals who will be contracted to 

provide the necessary services. The project will also utilize the farmers 

in sharing their knowledge and experience.

Connecticut 

Department of 

Agriculture

$441,555.45

Project 1 - Increasing Access 

to Specialty Crops by 

Removing Barriers to 

Adopting Online Ordering 

Systems

CitySeed will provide technical support to and facilitate peer-to-peer 

exchanges with specialty crop farmers to pilot an online sales platform. 

This platform will boost fruit and vegetable sales at farmers markets as 

well as on-site farm sales across the state during and outside of the 

current health crisis. Our goal is to build capacity among fruit and 

vegetable farmers in and outside of our network to expand current 

access points to accommodate online sales and grow a new customer 

base.

$19,294.00

Connecticut 

Department of 

Agriculture

$441,555.45

Project 2 - Ecotype Project: 

A Native Plant Based 

Approach to Agrarian 

Resilience

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT NOFA) 

champions climate change adaptation strategies as central to its 

mission and to a resilient future of agriculture in Connecticut. The local 

and global decline in beneficial insects (e.g., bees) due to climate 

change, habitat loss, and other factors threatens the future of farming 

that depends on pollination from these insects. CT NOFA is working 

across Connecticut on an innovative approach to increasing pollinator 

habitat: regional seed production. The objective of this project is to 

increase the number and diversity of local ecotype native plants 

growing in our region. CT NOFA is working with farmers, conservation 

scientists, homeowners, land trusts, nursery growers, and botanists to 

increase the seed available to do this work. To this end, CT NOFA will be 

offering “Seed School” to farmers and stakeholders across our state to 

develop the skills needed for seed production.

$73,912.88
56

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Connecticut 

Department of 

Agriculture

$441,555.45

Project 3 - Carving a Path 

for Limited Resource New 

and Beginning Farmers

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAG) will enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crops by providing programs to limited 

resource new and beginning specialty crop farmers across Connecticut. 

The DoAg will encourage access to land through partnerships and 

subsidized leases for limited resource farmers; promote the 

recruitment, education and training of limited resource and socially 

disadvantaged farmers in specialty crops through exploring the 

formation of apprenticeship and mentorship programs. DoAg will seek 

to develop priorities for state programming through focus groups. We 

will work to encourage ag business development and careers in the ag 

industry by providing more inclusive opportunities with universities, 

nonprofits, other state agencies and established organizations.

$259,500.00

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$344,692.93

Building Community 

Resilience through Specialty 

Crops

A Resilient Garden for Specialty Crops (project) will build and 

strengthen the resilience of community food systems and enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crops through increased access, 

knowledge, and consumption for Wilmington’s underserved and 

vulnerable populations. The Delaware Center for Horticulture proposes 

to transform areas of current demonstration gardens, which are 

accessible to urban residents and free to the public, into a model for 

resilient spaces which will provide a sense of our shared history, buffer 

us during the current Coronavirus emergency, and protect us from 

future threats. Specifically, this resilient garden for specialty crops will 

integrate elements of DCH’s urban agricultural and education 

programs, providing educational, interpretive, visual and tangible 

examples of how we can all strengthen our resilience in times of stress. 

Specific to this proposal, DCH will build demonstration specialty crop 

raised beds in our back garden, host family and adult educational 

programs on how to grow your own food, and engage resident seniors 

at the Wilmington Housing Authority’s affordable housing senior facility 

located next door to our facility.

$27,600.00
57

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$344,692.93

Connecting Consumers with 

Specialty Crop Producers 

through Food, Cooking, and 

Agricultural Literacy

The Delaware Department of Agriculture Communications and 

Marketing Section will educate youth and adults on who and how 

specialty crops are grown, how to prepare Delaware Grown recipes, 

and the benefits of eating locally grown through the use of virtual farm 

trips, hands-on learning events and videos created in the Delaware 

Grown kitchen teaching center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 

Delawareans realized how important family farms are in supplying the 

food they need to eat and feed their families. In order to source food, 

many people reached out to local farmers for the first time to get 

access to meats, eggs, herbs, fruits and vegetables. Local farms 

supplied food to the Food Bank of Delaware and other local pantries. 

And Delawareans lined the streets of our towns, waiting to gain 

entrance into the local farmers’ market to purchase food produced 

locally. The sales of specialty crops, value-added products, and other 

agricultural commodities are currently up for calendar year 2020. 

However, we know that if we don’t engage the public with who grows 

their food, how it is safely produced, and give them the tools to 

prepare food that in many cases they would never try on their own, 

that much of this customer base will dissipate as the supply chain in 

stores returns to near normal.

$50,000.00

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$344,692.93

Effectiveness of Deer 

Deterrent Methods to 

Safeguard Specialty Crops

DSU Cooperative extension will quantify the effectiveness of three deer 

deterrent strategies (electric fence, construction fence, and a double 

row wire fence) that are reported to protect specialty crops from 

grazing damage over two growing seasons. Simulated plots will be 

established, baited with game feeders, randomly assigned to one of the 

treatments, and monitored with game cameras to quantify the number 

of deer that visit each plot. Findings from this research will be used to 

formulate management recommendations that will be disseminated to 

specialty crop producers in DE through field days, included in the DSU 

Farm School curriculum, and presentations at DE Ag Week.

$46,820.00
58

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$344,692.93

Mushrooms for Many: 

Turning Low-Value Forest 

Products into LocallyAvailable and Nutritious 

Food Products

Greer Stangl will explore the viability of woodland mushroom 

cultivation using trees and tree by-products of low commercial-value 

native to Delaware and readily available throughout Delaware and the 

Delmarva Peninsula. By making cultivated Shiitake and Wine Cap 

mushrooms locally available to already thriving farmers markets and 

farm-to-market chefs on Delaware’s “Culinary Coast”, consumers, 

producers, and the local economy will benefit. These findings will be 

shared with grower groups and experts. This project will serve as a 

model for other producers in Delaware and on the Delmarva Peninsula; 

supply locally cultivated mushrooms to consumers, value-added 

producers, and wholesale markets; inform landowners about an added 

use of their forested land; and provide incentive to remove invasive 

trees in exchange for use in mushroom production or other commercial 

uses.

$27,236.50

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$344,692.93

MWUL & Urban Acres--

Individual Vertical Farm 

Initiative

Understanding the current need within vulnerable communities, this 

project will provide needy families with a customized indoor vertical 

garden, enabling individuals to grow and turn their own produce 

throughout the year. More importantly, this initiative serves as a 

springboard in introducing underserved communities to fresh produce 

and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The U.S. Department of Agriculture 

defines food insecurity as limited or uncertain availability of 

nutritionally adequate foods or uncertain ability to acquire these foods 

in socially acceptable ways. In 2016, 12% of Delaware's 16.8% of 

Delaware's children were food insecure. And recent studies from 

feedingamerica.org show that in Delaware, 117,320 people are 

struggling with hunger (based upon food bank data). Unfortunately, 

these numbers are higher within the two zip codes of 19801 and 19805 

which have also been decimated due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

$31,440.00
59

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$344,692.93

No-Till Production for 

Specialty Crops on Two 

Scales

University of Delaware’s Weed Science Program will conduct research 

at the Carvel Research and Education Center to improve soil health in 

specialty crops. Specialty crop production generally relies on preplant 

tillage to prepare a good seedbed for planting. This springtime tillage 

can cause loss of soil structure and stimulate weed germination. No-till 

is not widely used in specialty crop production because of the concern 

about residue from the previous crop interfering with planting and 

harvesting, cooler soil temperatures and difficulty of smaller planters to 

get proper crop establishment. This proposal aims to address these 

issues with seedbed preparation in the fall, followed by cover cropping 

and then planting into a weed-free seedbed and not stimulating weed 

seed germination. Potential benefits include improved soil health, 

reduced weed populations, and earlier planting dates; all things that 

can reduce expenses and improve farm income. This proposal will 

examine strategies for both large-acreage crops (i.e. processing peas or 

sweet corn) as well as small acreage (i.e. farm market operations). This 

research will look at soil structure, soil nutrients, weed seedling 

number and growth, and crop vigor and yield to determine the benefit 

of the various systems.

$32,607.13

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$344,692.93

Research on New and 

Reemerging Vegetables for 

Processing in Delaware

The University of Delaware is the main institution in the Mid-Atlantic 

region conducting research on processing vegetable crops due to the 

historically large acreage in the state. The goal of this project is to 

provide a research base on expanding processing vegetable crop 

opportunities for Delaware. Processing companies will be surveyed for 

potential opportunities for vegetable crop sourcing from DE. We will 

then conduct adaptation research on selected processing vegetable 

crops to address opportunities. This project will address research needs 

to support processing vegetable production in Delaware. This includes 

evaluating recently identified processing crop opportunities for the 

region (such as sweet potatoes, and beets), reevaluating past crops for 

current potential (such as specialty lima beans), and evaluating new 

processing crops for the region (such as swiss chard and beet greens). 

This project will address these areas by providing the necessary applied 

research base.

$48,934.00
60

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$344,692.93

Researching and Education 

for Growing Food in 

Extremely Limited Spaces

Timothy Myers, operating as “Fresh Start Microfarm” will implement a 

program that researches the types and amount of food that can be 

grow in extremely small spaces. The main food items to be researched 

will be microgreens and mushrooms. These will be grown in small areas 

that are unused in one’s household (Garage, Attic, Closet) as well as in 

small structures (outdoor sheds, greenhouse, utility trailer). This project 

will serve to educate people on the subject of growing food in small 

areas. Many people believe that they need a large space to grow food, 

and this project will help those people realize that it is possible to grow 

food in incredibly small spaces. The program will focus on educating 

people who don’t have access to fresh, nutrient dense food. This will 

allow them to implement the systems that I will research and add 

nutrient dense food to their diets.

$33,402.15

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$344,692.93

Specialty Crops for 

Healthier Communities 

(SCHC)

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware proposes to develop a 

garden/greenhouse project on the grounds of the Western Sussex Boys 

& Girls Club in Seaford, Delaware. The project, Specialty Crops for 

Healthier Communities (SCHC) will incorporate an on-site garden as the 

basis of an educational program to teach youth and families the 

importance of specialty crops such as blueberries, blackberries and goji 

berries. In addition to berries, the youth participants will learn how to 

plant, care for, harvest and prepare their vegetables they have grown 

for consumption. To help promote the value of fresh grown produce 

and berries, monthly community dinners will be held as educational 

outreach to the community and opportunities for “U-Pick Berries Days” 

and Farmer’s Markets will help to make these products more 

assessable to the general community.

$46,492.50

University of the 

District of 

Columbia

$241,627.00

Mitigating Climate Change 

through Soil- Carbon 

Sequestration Techniques 

in Regenerative Urban 

Agriculture’ Curriculum 

Development and 

Implementation

Common Good City Farm will mitigate climate change and its effects on 

specialty crop production by developing and teaching curriculum on 

regenerative urban agriculture techniques used in specialty crop 

production to mitigate and build crop resilience to climate change.

$55,398.00
61

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

University of the 

District of 

Columbia

$241,627.00

Latin American Youth 

Center’s Food and Nutrition 

Program

Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) will improve access, awareness, 

and knowledge of specialty crops through the Food and Nutrition 

Program (FNP). FNP will teach youth how to identify, grow, cultivate, 

and cook specialty crops through urban garden classes, cooking classes, 

and drop-in classes at LAYC’s District of Columbia (DC) site and partner 

locations. Participants who complete FNP will take a pre- and post-test 

to measure their increased skills and knowledge of specialty crops.

$55,398.00

University of the 

District of 

Columbia

$241,627.00

Maya Angelou Schools 

Seeds for Success 

Internship Program

The Maya Angelou Schools, an alternative charter school network 

located in Washington D.C.’s Ward 7, will implement a workforce 

development program for socially disadvantaged farmers who are 

students in our Young Adult Learning Center (YALC) to help them gain 

knowledge and skills in urban farming and food distribution.

$55,398.00

University of the 

District of 

Columbia

$241,627.00

Your Greens is a One in a 

Million Community 

Supported Agriculture (CSA) 

program

IDEA Public Charter School will improve food access and enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crops in underserved communities by 

developing a school-operated, community-supported agriculture (CSA) 

program for students and the community.

$55,398.00

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 1: Increasing 

Pollination of Florida 

Blueberries through 

Optimal Planting Design 

and the Use of Alternative 

Managed Pollinators

Blueberries are a growing and profitable industry in Florida with recent 

annual crop sales exceeding 60 million dollars. Pollination is arguably 

the most critical step in the formation of blueberry fruit and many FL 

growers have reported pollination problems recently. Historically, 

Florida blueberry growers have relied heavily on managed honeybees 

for pollination, but they are not the most effective pollinator, and 

reliance on a single species is risky and expensive. More recently, 

managed bumble bees have become an option, but limited studies 

have been done on them in FL blueberries. This study will: 1) determine 

the effects of cultivar planting arrangement on pollination and yields in 

FL blueberries, and 2) evaluate the use of managed bumble bees in 

combination with managed honeybees for FL blueberry pollination. 

Research will be conducted across multiple commercial farms and in a 

replicated trial. We will share results with growers through pollination 

demonstration events, online extension publications, and presentations 

at the annual growers meeting. Project impact will be determined 

through a long-term grower survey. Increasing pollination of Florida 

blueberries will significantly increase crop revenue and the 

sustainability of growing blueberries in Florida.

$168,815.00
62

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66 Project 2: Improved Silkfly 

Control for Sweetcorn

Silkflies are a major pest of fresh market sweetcorn in Florida. Silkfly 

damage to sweetcorn ears and silks make ears unmarketable for fresh 

market. The long-term goal of this project is to develop sweetcorn 

breeding lines with enhanced silkfly resistance and develop methods to 

improve silkfly monitoring to enable more efficient use of pesticides. 

Florida produces nearly a quarter of all the sweetcorn grown in the US. 

Sweetcorn is mostly produced in South Florida for the fresh market 

(more than 30,000 acres) with an industry value in excess of $100 

million annually. Silkflies are currently a major problem for Florida 

sweetcorn growers as insecticides are only effective against the adult 

flies. Therefore, daily spraying is commonly required to prevent 

infestation during ear development. This added production and 

environmental cost is coupled with the risk that heavy infestations can 

lead to entire fields being lost, as silkfly damage renders them 

unsuitable for the fresh market. Sweetcorn producers therefore have 

an urgent need both for sweetcorn varieties that have enhanced 

resistance to silkflies and more effective silkfly monitoring techniques 

so that pesticide use can be optimized.

$149,936.00
63

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 3: Develop Efficient 

Post-Harvest Debittering 

Technologies for HlbInfected Citrus Fruits and 

Juices

This project is in collaboration with the Florida Citrus Processors 

Association, Gulf Citrus Growers Association, and Florida Citrus Mutual. 

Florida produces 60% of the citrus in the United States and 90% of 

Florida oranges are processed into juice. Effectively all orange and 

grapefruit trees in Florida are infected with HLB (Huanglongbing, or 

citrus greening) to varying degrees. Grapefruits are affected more 

severely by HLB than orange trees. HLB-infected oranges have strong 

bitter and sour tastes due to higher content of limonin, nomilin, and 

citric acid. HLB-infected grapefruits also contain these compounds in 

addition to the more bitter naringin. There is a pressing need to 

implement effective debittering technologies to produce citrus fruits 

and juices with better tastes and flavors for consumers. To address 

these issues, we will design and test post-harvest treatments for HLB 

infected oranges and grapefruits using ethylene and ethephon for 

metabolic degradation of bitter and sour compounds. We will then 

identify adsorbent resins and resin combinations with the highest 

selectivity towards bitter compounds in HLB affected juices, optimize 

debittering operation by determining adsorption rate, equilibrium, 

kinetics, and subsequent mathematic modelling and pilot testing. 

Finally, we will evaluate the taste, favor, and overall consumer 

acceptability of post-harvest treated and HLB infected fruits and juices 

using sensory panels. Research findings will be disseminated to citrus 

growers and processors throughout the state. By improving the flavor 

and quality of citrus juice produced from HLB infected fruits, this 

project is expected to significantly increase the sales and profits of 

Florida citrus.

$141,389.00

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 4: Evaluating the 

Efficacy of Limonene 

Scented Kaolin and Two 

New Commercialized 

Insecticides to Control 

Whiteflies in Tomatoes

The University of Florida will mitigate the spread of whitefly infestation 

in vegetables by investigating the use of limonene-scented kaolin (LSK) 

to control whiteflies in tomatoes. We found that kaolin’s repellency 

against whiteflies is improved by adding limonene. We plan to 1) find 

the optimal concentration of limonene to be applied in the field in 

regard to cost and phytotoxicity, 2) investigate the efficacy of LSK when 

combined with conventional insecticide sprays, including new 

insecticides developed against whiteflies, and 3) evaluate LSK in farm 

settings in coordination with collaborative farmers.

$168,955.00
64

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 5: The Power to 

Pick. Would You Rather...? 

Specialty Crop Nutrients

Students have the power to pick but do they have the background 

knowledge to make informed decisions? Everyday students go into 

their school lunchrooms and have to make decisions on what they will 

eat. Many students enter the cafeteria without the background 

knowledge of what produce is grown in Florida, what important macro 

and micronutrients that produce supplies to their body and what 

nutrients their bodies need most. Florida Agriculture in the Classroom 

(FAITC) will create ten nutritional posters that will be put up in 1,000 

cafeterias in the 67 Florida school districts. Each month for ten months 

a poster will be created that will cover an important nutrient that 

students need and the food options they have to intake those 

nutrients. The posters will be in the Would You Rather??? game format 

to keep the students entertained while waiting in cafeteria food lines. 

FAITC’s grant will also include funding for School Garden Grant projects. 

Florida PreK-12 grade teachers will be eligible for the School Garden 

Grants. Grant recipients will be required to grow Florida specialty crops 

and use at least one lesson from FAITC's school garden curricula. These 

gardens will encourage students to learn about Florida's specialty 

crops, eat fresh fruits and vegetables and learn about healthy eating.

$43,884.20

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 6: Use of Traps to 

Monitor Silk Flies in Sweet 

Corn Fields and Adjacent 

Habitats

Corn silk flies (CSFs) are the most severe ear-feeding insect pests 

infesting sweet corn in Florida. These pests are intensively managed 

with insecticides. However, significant crop losses still occur, and 

improved management tactics are immediately needed. The proposed 

two-year project aims to complement previous and ongoing research 

by determining the active space of traps for CSF sampling, determining 

the trapping efficiency of traps for each CSF species, determining the 

relative abundance of CSFs in commercial sweet corn fields and 

adjacent habitats, and disseminating research results to Florida sweet 

corn stakeholders. Research and educational activities will be 

conducted by the University of Florida on commercial farms in the 

Everglades Agricultural Area, in the Homestead area, and at the 

University of Florida/IFAS Everglades REC in Belle Glade. The proposed 

project will provide sweet corn stakeholders with new CSF 

management recommendations encouraging the use of traps for CSF 

population monitoring and the consideration of adjacent habitats when 

$98,689.00
65

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

scouting and applying insecticides. The adoption of these 

recommendations is expected to lead to a more effective CSF 

management strategy.

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 7: Development of 

Sulfur Recommendations to 

Improve Nitrogen and 

Phosphorus Efficiency for 

Florida Potato Growers

The University of Florida - IFAS will develop the sulfur (S) 

recommendation to improve nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) efficiency 

for Florida potato growers, which will result in improved yield and 

water quality. Presently, Florida potato growers are applying excessive 

amounts of S, ~300 pounds/acre due to the lack of recommendation. 

The higher the S application, the lower N of N and P uptake by the 

plant. This negatively impacts crop yield and increases leaching and 

erosion of N and P. The objectives of this study are to develop S 

recommendations with different combinations of N and P rates on 

multiple sites to find the best combination for optimum yield. Water 

quality (leached water analysis); crop yield and quality; soil moisture; 

weather; S, N and P uptake; tissue sampling; and soil physical, chemical, 

and biological data will be used for this study. An economic optimum N

rate (EONR) and maximum return to N rate (MRTN) will be compared 

for recommendations. A multispectral sensor will be used to monitor 

plant health and adjust fertilizer applications, which will help in 

developing yield prediction models. Significant outcomes of this study 

include an independent S recommendation for fresh market and 

processing potatoes, an optimum recommendation rate of N and P 

with S application. An online mobile application where growers will be 

able to access required S rates for their field conditions using maximum 

yield potential with ideal N and P rates. It will help in reducing N and P 

leaching and erosion.

$188,026.00
66

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 8: Thrips 

Management in Strawberry 

and Pepper Production

Chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) are 

difficult to manage in strawberries and peppers, both of which 

contribute to the billion-dollar specialty crop industry of Florida. About 

88% of strawberry growers in Florida have double-cropped fields. 

Commonly, pepper is grown as the second crop. Both strawberry and 

pepper are highly susceptible to thrips. Chilli thrips can easily develop 

resistance to insecticides. Currently, a limited number of insecticides 

with varying modes of action are effective in managing this pest. 

Therefore, in this study, the strawberry and vegetable entomologists 

have joined forces to develop an improved integrated pest 

management program for thrips control by better understanding the 

population dynamics of pest thrips in typical double-cropped 

strawberry fields. Through cooperative effort of both entomologists 

and growers at the University of Florida, a well-rounded thrips 

management program will thus be developed that addresses the state 

and federal funding priorities, benefits the conventional strawberry and 

pepper growers, as well as the growers transitioning into organic 

production in Florida.

$294,854.00

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 9: Smart and 

Precision Sprayer for Tree 

Crops

University of Florida’s (UF) Southwest Florida Research and Education 

Center (SWFREC) will develop a smart and precision sprayer for Florida 

tree crops. The overall goal of this project is to promote an 

environmentally friendly Integrated Pest and Disease Management 

(IPDM) by developing a smart spraying technology utilizing machine 

vision and sensing and artificial intelligence. This technology has a real 

potential to deliver more productive and sustainable agriculture, based 

on a more precise and cost-efficient approach, especially in a scenario 

of farming labor shortage and climate change. Dissemination of results 

will occur at grower meetings, field days, industry meetings, and 

production videos illustrating the technology.

$117,430.00
67

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 10: Improving 

Strawberry Water-use 

Efficiency Through Surge 

Irrigation Schemes and 

Plant Monitoring 

Technologies

Reducing Florida's water use, and nutrient loading is a priority to realize 

sustainable economic growth and to improve quality of life. Agricultural 

water-use represents around 40% of Florida's total water consumption. 

This project, conducted by the University of Florida, aims at reducing 

irrigation water-use in Florida through appropriating surge irrigation 

schemes for strawberry bareroot transplant establishment. Water-use, 

soil and plant water content, strawberry plant health and growth 

patterns, as well as yield will be observed using manual and 

technology-assisted imaging techniques for each surge irrigation 

scheme and tested variety. The results of this project will be 

demonstrated to Florida's strawberry growers through a series of field 

day presentations, extension events, and EDIS publications. We expect 

that implementing the surge irrigation schemes appropriated by this 

project will lead to up to 50% water-use savings, which accounts for 

billions of water gallons and leads to a reduction of nutrient loading.

$135,066.00

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 11: Development 

and Application of a 

Management Program for 

Blueberry Gall Midge in 

Florida’s Blueberry 

Plantings

The University of Florida’s Fruit and Vegetable IPM laboratory and the 

Blueberry Breeding and Genomics laboratory are partnering with the 

Florida Blueberry Growers Association to develop a comprehensive 

integrated pest management program to mitigate the establishment 

and spread of blueberry gall midge (BGM) in blueberry plantings. We 

will study the distribution and movement of gall midges and survey the 

population of gall midges on commercial farms in the various counties. 

Our primary goal is to develop and implement strategies to manage gall 

midge populations and improve yields in southern highbush 

blueberries. The project’s outcomes include a better understanding of 

distribution patterns that will provide growers with a clearer 

understanding on what areas of the plantings are infested with BGM in 

space and time; a list of southern highbush blueberry cultivars that 

have demonstrated resistance to BGM and blueberry tip midge (BTM); 

the time of the year when BGM are expected to emerge; 

recommended replacement times for mulch to reduce pupal 

development; and investigate the effectiveness of reduced-risk 

insecticides on BGM, BTM, and their key parasitoids. We will provide 

information to stakeholders and blueberry growers on blueberry gall 

$165,486.00
68

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

midge biology and management via grower meetings, field days, 

extension bulletins and web-based information.

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 12: Increasing the 

Availability of Lettuce in 

Florida by Modifying Heat 

Tolerance

The lettuce season is currently shortened because cultivars used in 

Florida are not adapted to the warmer temperatures. High 

temperatures can reduce germination rates and cause tip burn and 

premature bolting, reducing marketable yields and the length of time 

lettuce can be grown profitably in Florida. University of Florida 

researchers will identify lettuce cultivars able to germinate at high 

temperatures and experiment with production on South Florida muck 

soils and North Florida sandy soils. An economic analysis will be 

conducted to compare production costs and potential returns from 

growing lettuce in the different regions and soil types. Heat-tolerant 

cultivars and the ability to grow on sandy soils may give Florida growers 

the opportunity to keep current markets, extend the production 

season, supply lettuce during market shortages, and expand production 

areas. This research will assist growers with decisions on the future of 

the leafy vegetable industry in Florida.

$156,519.00
69

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 13: Determination 

of Consumer Preference, 

Market Opportunities and 

Evaluation of Horticultural 

Requirements for the Finger 

Lime in Florida

This project builds on a previously funded FDACS study that sought to 

evaluate different rootstocks and fertilizer regimes to assess their 

suitability for finger lime (an HLB tolerant citrus relative) production. 

That previous study successfully established a finger lime plot under 

several different rootstocks and fertilizer regimes, and collected 

information on tree growth, development and HLB susceptibility. The 

finger lime trees will begin to fruit soon, and information about 

consumer’s acceptance of the fruit will allow us to inform interested 

growers about potential market opportunities for the fruit. In addition, 

basic marketing information for citrus growers interested in finger lime 

production will be generated. The main objectives of this University of 

Florida project include (1) Identify the appropriate rootstock(s) for 

optimum finger lime production; (2) Identify the appropriate fertilizer 

regime for finger lime production (3) collect HLB and citrus canker 

incidence data (4) assessment of market opportunities for finger limes 

in the US East Coast market; (5) investigate finger limes’ preferences in 

both institutional and consumers markets; (6) provide pricing 

information at the institutional and consumer’s market level and (7) 

communicate with growers through seminars and publications to 

inform them about the results of the project.

$226,231.00

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 14: Nitrogen 

Management and Plant 

Quality Monitoring Using 

Optical Sensor Technology 

in Native and Non-Native 

Specialty Crops

This project, conducted by Florida International University, will 

demonstrate the use of non-destructive handheld sensors to precisely 

estimate the N requirement of specialty crops and help lower fertilizer 

costs and nutrient losses. In consultation with the stakeholders such as 

Pine Island Nursery, Costa Farms, Florida Association of Native 

Nurseries, and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, various native 

(Cocoplum, Cabbage Palm, Red Mulberry, Satin Leaf and Wild Coffee) 

and also commercially grown non-native (Cocoa) plants will be used 

that are of great importance to the South Florida region for both their 

ecological and economical purposes. The study will also conduct a 

primary survey of sample farmers to assess their perception about the 

adaptability of this practice. The result of this study could serve as a 

guideline for nursery producers and landscape personnel as a fast and 

non-destructive tool for sustainable fertilizer management practices 

within the ornamental plant industry.

$82,677.37
70

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 15: The Impact of 

Mexican Competition on 

the Florida Tomato and 

Strawberry Industries: 

Industry Trajectories and 

Solutions

Florida tomato and strawberry industries have been threatened by the 

increasing competition from Mexico. The influx of imports from Mexico 

has depressed market prices and caused significant losses for Florida 

growers. Mexican government subsidy and cheap labor give Mexican 

growers a significant competitive advantage over their Florida 

counterparts, driving the rapid growth of Mexican imports. Florida 

industries and policymakers have been seeking effective mechanisms 

to address the challenge. Solutions include trade policy measures as 

well as development of new technologies (e.g., automation) to address 

labor issues. Policy makers and growers need a thorough study of how 

certain trade policy tools will affect the industry and how technological 

breakthroughs will change the industry trajectories. The objectives of 

this project are threefold. First, the researchers at the Gulf Coast 

Research and Education Center, University of Florida will quantify the 

economic impact of market challenges on the Florida tomato and 

strawberry industries with the most up-to-date data. Second, the team 

will examine the effect of potential trade policy tools on industry 

trajectories. Third, industry trajectories under different technology 

development scenarios will be further analyzed to provide insights to 

inform policy and business decision making.

$159,933.00

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 16: Production 

Optimization as a Weed 

Control Solution: Combining 

Designer Substrates and 

Strategic Fertilizer 

Placement for Weed 

Control in C

Nursery crops (ornamentals) are one of the most important specialty 

crops in Florida with annual sales of $3 billion, greater than many other 

specialty crops combined. Weed management is a continuing challenge 

for producers with an estimated cost of $11,000 per acre. Unlike other 

crop systems, nursery production is unique due to high diversity of crop 

species and because production practices (substrate composition, 

fertilizer type, irrigation regime, etc.) can be dramatically different 

based upon grower preference and nursery infrastructure. Desired 

outcomes of this project are to increase growers’ profits by developing 

new weed management protocols based upon production practices 

that reduce the number of herbicide applications needed, reduce labor 

costs, and save growers millions of dollars across the state. To achieve 

project objectives, the University of Florida will conduct container and 

greenhouse experiments to optimize the combination of designer 

$63,068.00
71

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

substrates and strategic fertilization for improved weed control and 

consistent crop performance.

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 17: Florida Specialty 

Crop Growers Broadcast 

Media Campaign

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) 

will address challenges facing growers as a result of the COVID-19 crisis 

and promote specialty crops through broadcast advertising in Florida’s 

six largest markets. This campaign is designed to increase the 

competitiveness of Florida’s specialty crops, by driving retail sales. The 

funds requested for this project will allow FDACS to contract media 

buying services and, as a result, promote specialty crop growers to 

approximately 80% of Florida’s population.

To maximize the reach of this project, FDACS’ Division of Marketing will 

produce the commercial and support its message with an integrated 

marketing strategy. This strategy will include programmatic display ads, 

social media campaigns, digital coupons, email marketing campaigns, 

and merchandise displays at major retailers. These additional 

marketing efforts will supplement the commercial.

$315,486.00
72

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 18: Cold Hardy 

Citrus Marketing and 

Distribution Improvements

The Cold Hardy Citrus Association, a 501(c)(5) nonprofit, was formed to 

promote and develop the Cold Hardy Citrus industry by building a 

network of producers, packers, shippers and consumers to facilitate the 

exchange of information and ideas. The association encourages 

ongoing research into the developing, growing, husbandry, and 

marketing practices of the citrus industry. This marketing proposal is 

designed to increase retail and consumer demand and consumption for 

Northern Florida cold hardy citrus from approximately 3,000,000 

pounds in 2019, to at least 8,000,000 pounds in 2021. We will develop 

and implement a strategic marketing plan to achieve these initial 

growth objectives, while building a foundation for continued growth as 

consumers become familiar with and enjoy cold hardy citrus varieties. 

This plan will include retailer and consumer market research; 

consumer-facing branding of the cold hardy fruit; design and creation 

of sales tools, website, packaging and merchandising displays; trade 

and consumer public relations and social media; regional trade show 

participation; and advertising.

$396,177.08

Florida 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$3,562,694.66

Project 19: Understanding 

and Predicting Food Safety 

Risks Posed by Wild Birds

The Center for Produce Safety will partner with University of Georgia to 

understand how wild birds serve as vectors for pathogens from nearby 

animal agriculture to produce fields. This project will examine the role 

of poultry and cattle in influencing the pathogens deposited onto fresh 

produce by wild birds. Mapping and modeling technologies will be 

implemented to develop risk profiles resulting from links between 

integrated or proximal animal agriculture and wild bird feces containing 

viable pathogens that are deposited on produce foliage. Highresolution molecular tools will be used to generate pathogen 

population profiles and, alongside genomic analyses, will be used to 

attribute pathogen source to zoonotic reservoirs associated with 

animal agriculture. Results of this study will be summarized in project 

reports, presented at the annual Center for Produce Safety Research 

Symposium, and published in peer-reviewed journals. The data 

collected will provide produce growers with science-based knowledge 

and tools to assess the risks that wild birds pose to food safety on their 

farms, based on farm-specific local and landscape farming practices. 

Additional outcomes include an industry guidance document released 

$405,403.00
73

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

through University of Georgia Extension, and on-farm videos that 

demonstrate best practices for bird exclusion from produce.

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01 1. Fueling Georgia's Future

Fueling Georgia’s Future is a collaborative specialty crop promotional 

program managed by the Georgia Grown Commodity Commission in 

partnership with the Georgia Department of Education. The goal of the 

program is to increase consumption of Georgia Grown specialty crops 

in school lunches. The program will achieve this outcome through 

promotional materials, events, and social media advertising distributed 

to Georgia schools.

$75,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01 2. Georgia Knows Best

Georgia Knows Best is an initiative of Georgia Grown and the Georgia 

produce industry to increase awareness of Georgia specialty crops, and 

drive consumers to purchase Georgia produce over imports. The 

following crops will be featured: greens, sweet potatoes, squash, 

Vidalia onions, blueberries, peaches, sweet corn, and watermelon 

among others. Georgia Grown will utilize tactics heavy in digital and 

social media, but will also evaluate, budget permitting, video tactics 

such as YouTube TrueView and OTT/CTV.

$100,000.00
74

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

3. Enhancing the 

Sustainability of Georgia's 

Citrus Industry

The Georgia Citrus Association (GCA) in partnership with the University 

of Georgia (UGA) proposes to promote the GA citrus industry and to 

increase the overall competitiveness and sustainability of the emerging 

Georgia satsuma industry by delivering comprehensive educational 

materials with reliable and effective research-based information on 

grower-identified topics that will help to solve pressing technical 

challenges at both pre- and post-harvest stages through presentations, 

demonstrations and/or other educational tools.

$29,997.72

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

4. Consumer and Retail 

Engagement and Education 

will Increase Specialty Crop 

Consumption

Currently there is a need to engage and educate consumers, students, 

and retailers alike on the importance of purchasing Georgia grown 

produce when they are in season. The individual choices of consumers 

and retailers will come together to have tremendous economic impacts 

for farms and their employees, local communities, counties, state, and 

ultimately the nation.

$100,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

5. Marketing Georgia 

Grown Products to National 

Retailers (2020 PMA)

This project will provide a national stage for Georgia growers and 

produce organizations to make more retailers aware of the high quality, 

nutritional value and diversity of the fruit and vegetables grown in 

Georgia. The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, working 

in cooperation with growers, commodity organizations and 

agribusiness companies across Georgia, will feature Georgia’s specialty 

crop fresh produce industry as a part of a new 2020 PMA Fresh Summit 

being presented as a virtual trade show.

$20,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

6. Continuing to Provide 

Educational Resources to 

Increase Specialty Crop 

Producers Profitability 

(SERFVC)

The number of obstacles faced by the southeastern fresh produce 

specialty crop industry over the past several years has been 

unprecedented. From natural disasters to decreased markets, 

increased regulations to a worldwide pandemic impacting every aspect 

of a grower, packer, shipper operation, the need for sound decisions 

based on the latest technology and research is vital.

$80,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

7. Statewide Survey and 

Diagnosis of Citrus Canker 

in Georgia Groves

The citrus industry in Georgia has been growing exponentially in recent 

years. One of the greatest threats that citrus growers face is from the 

bacterial disease known as citrus canker. This disease is caused by a 

bacterium called by Xanthomonas citri subsp.

$80,000.00
75

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

8. UV-C Radiation to Control 

Dollar Spot Disease in 

Turfgrass

UGA (PI: Dr. Bahri) will assess the efficiency of the UV-c radiation to 

control turfgrass diseases. The technology will be tested in the 

laboratory against the dollar spot and adapt to field conditions in order 

to reduce the environmental and economic impacts of the disease in 

the turfgrass industry. A robot with an efficient UV-c radiation system 

against dollar spot and optimized for the field will be developed to 

benefits golf course superintendents, sport fields managers, lawncare 

companies, homeowners and sod framers.

$109,980.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

9. Exploring Novel Frost 

Protection Strategies for 

Peach and Blueberry 

Production

UGA (PI: Dr. Dario Chavez and co-PI Dr. Mani Sudhagar) fruit research 

and extension specialists in Griffin Campus, Griffin, GA and a Materials 

and Biomedical Engineer will help identifying new frost protection 

strategies for the Georgia peach and blueberry industries. Freeze/frost 

damage has affected peach and blueberry production in Georgia in four 

out of the last five years. Freezes have cost both industries millions of 

dollars in losses.

$90,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

10. A Sustainable Weed 

Management System for GA 

Organic Vegetables

UGA (PI: Dr. Timothy Coolong) will develop an integrated irrigation and 

cultivation management system that can be used by organic farms in 

Georgia to effectively manage weeds. We will develop cultivation 

systems using off-the shelf implements such as finger weeders and 

sweeps combined with shallow subsurface drip irrigation in two organic 

cropping systems that represent two weed pressure scenarios.

$36,400.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

11. Biorational Approaches 

for Detecting and Managing 

Oomycete Diseases on 

Vegetables

UGA (PI: Dr. Pingsheng Ji) will improve management of Phytophthora 

blight (Phytophthora capsici) and downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora 

cubensis), two destructive oomycete diseases on vegetables, by 

developing and integrating sustainable and effective disease 

management approaches and sensitive detection and timely 

monitoring of fungicide resistance development.

$100,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

12. Biology and 

Management of Redheaded 

Flea Beetle in Nurseries

UGA (PI: Dr. Joseph) will develop research-based management tools for 

ornamental nurseries to mitigate the attacks from redheaded flea 

beetle and the new information will be extended through a series of 

grower meetings and other Extension outlets. This project will develop 

a sustainable pest management solution by alleviating the negative 

impacts of this pest in Georgia through reduction of insecticide usage 

and increased adoption of newly developed tactics.

$70,000.00
76

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

13. Aroniaberry: A New 

Fruit and Ornamental 

Specialty Crop for Georgia

The University of Georgia (Dr. Pennisi) will investigate the feasibility of 

Aronia as a new specialty crop for consumption and as an ornamental 

in Georgia. The project will use traditional breeding approach, field 

evaluations, combined with microscopic and nutraceutical analyses.

$90,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01

14. Quality and Safety of 

Cabbage that is Subjected 

to Abusive Conditions

UGA (Dr. Tyl) will assess when cabbage, an important commodity in 

Georgia, is most susceptible to the effects of temperature abuse 

throughout the life of the product, and the magnitude of the changes 

caused by it.

$75,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,348,645.01 15. Vidalia Onions: The 

Sweet Life

The Vidalia Onion Committee will seek to highlight the unique 

characteristics of Georgia’s state vegetable. We will achieve this by 

educating consumers, national grocery store retailers and farmers 

markets on the availability, versatility, flavor, provenance, and what 

makes a Vidalia onion the “premium sweet onion” among all other 

sweet onions. By doing so the Vidalia onion industry will be able to 

command a premium price at market, returning higher profits to the 

growers. The VOC will achieve these goals by launching its “Sweet Life” 

campaign through ad creative, paid media, influencer program and 

media outreach.

$75,000.00

Guam 

Department of 

Agriculture

$243,607.45

The Recovery, Production 

and Distribution of Staple 

Root Crops for Sustainable 

Agricultural Commodity as a 

Result of Crop Loss due to 

Ungulates

Collaborative efforts amongst 40 local root crop producers and the 

Guam Department of Agriculture in the production of staple root crops 

for a sustainable agriculture and as part of food security greatly 

strained by the destructive foraging of ungulates throughout the island. 

A trapping and control effort is being undertaken, however, previous 

efforts in the collection and propagation of various root crops for 

distribution has been greatly challenged by decreased availability of 

plant material needed in the effort to mass produce for distribution to 

local farmers thus to increase production and make available and 

affordable root crops at local markets that is fresh, not imported. 

Compilation of production schedules to reflect number of producer 

recipients of root crops, yields and value will be assessed at the end of 

the growing period. Collection of various types of root crops for nursery 

production and In-Vitro replication will greatly enhance the overall 

availability for seed stock distribution and increased production, a vital 

part of the island’s food security and sustainability.

$221,297.46
77

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

1. Establishing an Avocado 

Orchard as Model for a 

Year-Round Harvest in 

Hawaii.

The University of Hawaii, in collaboration with local farmers, will 

establish a 15-acre avocado (Persea americana) orchard for a yearround harvest, with approximately 40 varieties which yield at different 

seasons (Avocado races, Guatemalan, Mexican, West Indian, and 

hybrids of different races, yield at different times of the year). The 

over-arching goal of this project is to increase and stabilize the local 

avocado production and bridge the gap (lack or low) of production 

seasonality (lowest production between June-Sept.), throughout the 

state. Expected outcomes of this project are: 1) to increase the local 

production of avocado; 2) bridge the gap of production (lack or low) in 

some seasons; 3) reduce the reliance on importing avocado or 

increased chances of exporting avocado; 4) provide more stable yearround labor; 5) Improving the economy, either by reducing imports or 

increasing exports.

$50,000.00

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

2. Educating the Wedding 

Industry on Hawaiian 

Floriculture and How to 

Access It

The Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association will hold a series of 

Floral Design Workshops, Breeders & Growers Forums, and Nursery 

Tours dedicated to wedding industry professionals in order to educate 

them on the benefits of using Hawaii floriculture in wedding design and 

how to access the products. The workshops will showcase floral 

varieties distinctive to each island with professional floral designers 

giving demonstrations on how to create beautiful wedding flowers, 

such as bridal and attendant bouquets, table arrangements, and 

ceremony and reception décor.

$28,000.00

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

3. A simple and low-cost 

DNA technique to identify 

hermaphrodite papaya 

seedlings

Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (HARC) will introduce and adopt a 

simple and low-cost DNA technique to help Hawaii papaya farmers to 

identify desired hermaphrodite papaya seedlings and help Hawaii's 

papaya industry recover more rapidly from the May 2018 natural 

disasters of a volcanic eruption and flooding on different islands. 

Currently field plantings start with multiple seedlings, e.g., 3 to 5 per 

planting hole, are maintained until trees flower at 5 months when holes 

are thinned to single hermaphrodites. Using the proposed simple and 

low-cost DNA technique, HARC could identify and discard female 

seedlings prior to field planting to save on the labor, cost, and space 

required for planting and thinning.

$39,910.00
78

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

4. Promoting cacao 

(Theobroma cacao) 

production in Hawaii 

through Ecosystem 

Sustainable and Integrated 

Pest Management (ES-IPM) 

approaches.

The University of Hawaii PEPS Department (Wang and Sipes) will 

promote and enhance cacao production in Hawaii by helping farmers to 

resolve key stumbling blocks. Based on stakeholder inputs, the project 

managers propose to conduct farm-scaping to 1) evaluate the impacts 

of soil cover, insect netting, and night lights on pests and pathogens; 2) 

improve soil and plant health by intercropping cacao with living mulch 

and shelterbelt tree as windbreak; and 3) promote ES-IPM farm-scaping 

system to cacao growers in Hawaii through statewide outreach events. 

The project managers will be redesigning cacao seedling protective 

gear against Chinese rose beetle and wind damage.

$35,000.00

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

5. Statewide Expansion of 

Online Local Seed 

Marketplace to Increase 

Specialty Crop Seed Sales 

and Consumption

Hawaii Seed Growers Network (HSGN) will collaborate with University 

of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service, Hawaii Island Seed Bank, The 

Kohala Center, GoFarm Hawaii, independent seed producers and 

agricultural stakeholder organizations across the State of Hawaii to 

enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through production and 

sale of locally adapted seed varieties. The project will entail a marketing 

and outreach campaign with the aim of increasing sales of and market 

access points for specialty crop seeds cultivated by HSGN; develop 15 

new specialty seed varieties; and continue building and coordinating 

the network of seed producers supplying seed for sale through the 

online marketplace.

$38,000.00

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

6. Increasing the 

Competitiveness of Hawaii’s 

Avocado Industry through 

Coordinated Supply and 

Marketing Strategies.

The Hawaii Farmers Union Foundation (HFUF), in partnership with the 

Hawaii Avocado Association (HAA), proposes a strategic approach to 

strengthen the local avocado industry. The market potential for farmers 

is exciting and the demand currently unmet. An estimated 70% of the 2 

million avocados Hawaii imports could be substituted locally. Mainland 

and international markets, such as Canada, Japan, and Hong Kong are 

willing to pay premium prices and are either established or underway. 

To meet the demand for any of these markets, farmers will need to 

increase supply consistency, which will require a coordinated and costeffective approach.

$35,000.00
79

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

7. Building Hawaii’s 

Capacity for Produce Safety 

Education

The University of Hawaii at Mānoa, the land grant institution for the 

state of Hawaii, is responsible for providing science-based programs to 

support agriculture through Cooperative Extension. Cooperative 

Extension is the outreach component of the College of Tropical 

Agriculture and Human Resources that extends practical applications of 

science to support local food systems by providing non-formal sciencebased education to farmers and other parts of the communities. As 

such, Cooperative Extension forms partnerships within the agricultural 

community, industry associations, governmental agencies to 

accomplish this outreach component.

$35,000.00

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

8. Assessing Dead-End Trap 

Crops for the Management 

of Diamondback Moths in 

Hawaii

The University of Hawaii at Manoa will suppress the growth of 

diamondback moth populations by developing scientifically based 

behavioral control methods, termed dead-end trap cropping, which can 

be deployed on conventional and organic farms. Dead-end trap 

cropping is a method of luring pests to lay eggs on plants that do not 

support the development of their offspring. Results and developed 

methods will be disseminated to stakeholders though grower meetings, 

field days and educational online videos.

$35,000.00

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53 9. Assessing Olive fruit fly 

control strategies in Hawaii

The University of Hawaii at Manoa will assess scientifically based 

strategies to control olive fruit fly (OLF) populations in Hawaii and 

consequently decrease OLF damage on olive. Results and developed 

control strategies will be disseminated to stakeholders though grower 

meetings, field days, CTAHR extension publications and educational 

online videos.

$35,000.00

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

10. Introduce erythrina gall 

wasp resistant tall wiliwili, 

Erythrina variegatea ‘Tropic 

Coral’ for use as windbreaks

The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) will 

propagate, increase and introduce three clones of gall wasp resistant 

tall wiliwili, Erythrina variegata ‘Tropic Coral’. CTAHR has already 

created gall wasp resistant forms of the tall wiliwili. The task now is to 

propagate, increase and distribute them to nurseries, farms and 

ranches statewide. The return of this important windbreak plant will 

result in increased yield, reduced inputs, increased efficiency, increased 

economic return, and conservation of resources.

$32,000.00
80

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

11. Evaluation and 

Promotion of Heat Tolerant 

Protea Cultivars to Increase 

Statewide Grower Adoption

Pincushion Protea, Leucospermum, is a pocket-market flower grown on 

the islands of Hawaii. Demand is high for protea, but production is low 

due to previous inabilities to grow at lower elevations. Several heat 

tolerant cultivars have been screened over the last 10+ years and are 

suitable to growing at low elevation. The applicant organization is 

University of Hawaii, CTAHR, lead Russell Galanti. Protea will be mass 

produced and tested for heat tolerance at two new sites. The massproduced protea will be supplied to industry members on event days. 

Field days and workshops will be held statewide for interested 

stakeholders in the floriculture and nursery industries. Results from 

trials, and trainings on how to grow protea will be the subject.

$20,672.00

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

12. The Hawaii Superfoods 

Project will showcase 

Hawaii specialty crops that 

possess exceptional 

nutrient density.

The North Shore Economic Vitality Partnership (North Shore EVP) 

proposes the Hawaii Superfoods Project to increase access and 

awareness of Hawaii specialty crops throughout the state by educating 

the public on the availability of Hawaii specialty crops that possess 

exceptional nutritional value through informative campaigns, recipe 

card creation and distribution, and social media engagement.

$30,000.00

Hawaii 

Department of 

Agriculture

$496,660.53

13. Increasing Specialty 

Crop Growers’ Share of the 

Food Dollar through 

Kahumana’s Community 

Supported Agriculture 

Program

The State of Hawaii imports approximately 90% of food consumed and 

is dangerously reliant on imported foods; Hawaii Governor Ige set a 

goal of doubling local food production by 2020. More locally grown 

foods will contribute greatly to Hawaii’s economy while providing the 

best quality food for customers. Hawaii’s farmers have started to 

respond to the self-sufficiency challenge; half of all farmers participate 

in some form of direct to consumer sales.

$40,460.00
81

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

1. Evaluation of the spatial 

variability of E. coli in 

irrigation canals for the FDA 

Produce Safety Rule

This project will enhance the competitiveness of Idaho specialty crops 

by assessing the spatiotemporal variability of E. coli in irrigation canals 

in southern Idaho. Project deliverables include a sampling protocol that 

will allow irrigators to comply with the new Food & Drug 

Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety 

Rule. Water sampling will occur at 40 points of diversion (POD) from 

irrigation canals to farms that have average annual sales over $500,000. 

In addition to quantifying E. coli we will also measure dissolved oxygen, 

temperature and total suspended solids at PODs to determine if other, 

more easily made measurements can be used to flag times and 

locations that are potentially problematic. Analysis of the water quality 

data will be done in an open-source coding platform and made publicly 

available through an R shiny application so that individual farmers may 

enter their data to quantify values needed to report to the FDA 

(geometric mean (GM), and statistical threshold (ST)).

$107,376.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

2. Collect and Identify 

Pollinators That Enhance 

Idaho Specialty Crops

We believe that at the conclusion of our grant project we will be able to 

say: a. Working through the College of Idaho, and with students and 

citizen scientists trained in the collection, identification, along with the 

biology, floral preference, and seasonality of our native pollinators in 

order to educate our producers of specialty crops on how to promote 

pollinator growth and sustainability b. We hope to determine viable 

technologies/processes that would in turn support the identified native 

pollinators and their habitats to increase their presence which will 

enhance specialty crop production c. We will provide education about 

the native pollinators and how to support them through science-based 

practices and tools. Our information and knowledge will be shared with 

outreach and education programs presented in the following manner: 

print, online access as well as seminars, workshops, bee friendly 

farming certifications, pesticide certification programs and display of 

specimens at the Orma J Smith Museum of Natural History located on 

the College of Idaho campus.

$86,709.00
82

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

3. Building Awareness, 

Demand, and Increasing 

Sales of Idaho Apples 

through Media and Retail 

Promotions

The proposal “Building Awareness, Demand and Increasing Sales of 

Idaho Apples through Media and Retail Promotions”, outlines a project 

that will be conducted by the Idaho Apple Commission. The goal will be 

to work with local retailers to build demand for Idaho Apples, and build 

strong relationships with those retailers. The project includes a 

marketing program necessary to help the Idaho retailers increase sales, 

and to build awareness of Idaho Apples, on a local and national level. 

The program builds consumer awareness to encourage consumer 

purchases of Idaho Apples. Candi Fitch, Executive Director, Idaho Apple 

Commission, will be in charge of the project oversight. She will work 

with the Idaho Apple Commissioners, industry members, and 

representatives of the Idaho retailers to make sure the project is 

completed in the time allowed and that the end results achieved are in 

the best interest of all parties involved.

$64,900.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

4. Short Tree Architectures 

for Pedestrian Apple 

Orchards to Improve Yield, 

Quality, Nutrients, and 

Labor Cost

The Idaho Apple Commission will establish an agreement with the 

University of Idaho Pomology Program to study the feasibility of 

converting tall trees into a short pedestrian high-density apple orchard 

in which the top of trees can be reached from the ground level without 

using a ladder. Our previous research revealed that the use of a Tall 

Spindle (TS) and Central Leader (CL) training systems in high-density 

apple orchards increased precocity and yield. However, trees in these 

systems were too tall and fruit produced on the top of these trees were 

hard to reach, and thus had poor quality. Cultural practices such as 

pruning, thinning and harvesting of trees with TS and CL systems 

require mechanical equipment, and ladders which are expensive. 

Labour constitutes nearly 50% of the costs in apple production and a 

major portion of workers time is spent on moving ladders that may 

cause accidental fall, costing major legal challenges to growers. 

Pedestrin orchards do not require ladders, and cultural practices can be 

conducted from the ground level.

$150,000.00
83

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

5. Developing rapid 

molecular diagnostic tests 

for bacterial diseases of 

Phaseolus and NonPhaseolus bean species

The Idaho Bean Commission through the University of Idaho and the 

ISDA Plant Pathology lab will develop and validate new molecular 

diagnostic tests for bacterial diseases of beans. This will include tests 

for Xanthomonas (axonopodis) campestris pv. phaseoli/X. fuscans 

subsp. fuscans (causal agents of common blight), Pseudomonas 

syringae pv. syringae (brown spot), Pseudomonas (savastanoi) syringae 

pv. phaseolicola (halo blight) and Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. 

flaccumfaciens (bacterial wilt). These bacterial pathogens can cause 

yield losses of up to 100% in severe disease outbreaks. Also, in order to 

maintain Idaho’s reputation for high quality bean seed, these bacteria 

are regulated pathogens in Idaho.

$89,007.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

6. Increasing Sales and 

Building Awareness of 

Idaho Cherries through Instore Promotions and Social 

Media

The proposal “Increasing Sales and Building Awareness of Idaho 

Cherries through In-store Promotions and Social Media” outlines a 

project that will be conducted by the Idaho Cherry Commission. The 

two-year project goal will be to work with local retailers to build 

demand for Idaho Cherries, and to build strong relationships with those 

retailers. The project will include an extensive Social Media program 

and in-store tasting demos as well as advertising in a trade publication 

early spring to let buyers know when Idaho cherries are available. The 

above-mentioned activities are to help increase sales of Idaho Cherries, 

and build Idaho Cherry identity with consumers, local retailers, and 

within the distribution chains.

$22,200.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

7. Developing integrated 

disease management 

strategies for pink root 

disease of onions

The Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee (IEOOC) through a 

contractual relationship with the University of Idaho and Oregon State 

University will develop new integrated disease management strategies 

for pink root disease in onions. Pink root, caused by the soil-borne 

fungus Setophoma terrestris, is the most important disease of onions in 

the Treasure Valley and is present in at least 85% of onion fields. It is 

capable of causing disease losses of up to 50% although yield losses of 

10 to 20% are common. Presently few options other than fumigation 

are available to growers. Fumigation is expensive and there are 

concerns it is detrimental to soil health.

$133,774.50
84

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

8. Increasing Awareness 

and Sales of Idaho-E. 

Oregon Onions in 

International and Domestic 

Markets

The proposal “Increasing Awareness and Sales of Idaho-E. Oregon 

Onions in International and Domestic Markets”, outlines a project that 

will be conducted by the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee 

(IEOOC). The IEOOC feels that it is important to continually stay in front 

of International and Domestic buyers and consumers, as well as 

foodservice professionals. Continued education for these industry 

segments of Idaho and Eastern Oregon Onions in regard to the 

benefits, versatility, and availability is vital. With the import and export 

markets continually changing it is important to look for new markets 

and to build on existing markets.

$111,637.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

9. Developing Knowledge 

and Creating Awareness for 

Idaho Hops through 

Summer Tours, Social 

Media, and Newsletters

The proposal “Developing Knowledge and Creating Awareness for 

Idaho Hops through Summer Tours, Social Media, and Newsletters” 

outlines a project that will be conducted by the Idaho Hop Growers 

Commission (Commission). The two-year project will include an 

enhanced Social Media program, and further implementation of the 

quarterly newsletter. Still photography will be acquired during the 

stages of growth to harvest. The Commission feels that educating 

consumers and brewers about where hops are grown, and the 

availability and the quality of Idaho hops is important. The local 

Summer Tours outlined in this grant during the two years of the project 

will serve perfectly to continue to build awareness and offer education.

$39,800.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

10. Domestication, 

propagation, and 

commercialization of newgeneration native plant 

products for the Idaho 

nursery industry

This project will provide two economically impactful outputs: 1) new 

and superior, water-conserving native plant products for markets 

associated with the Idaho landscape nursery industry, and 2) plant 

propagation protocols for new native plant products to enhance 

success related to marketing and delivery. Four research objectives will 

frame native plant product development: 1) acquisition of new native 

plant germplasm, 2) critical evaluation of native plant accessions, 3) 

selection of superior native plants with commercial product potential, 

and 4) production of seed and propagules and transfer of market-ready 

native plant products to industry partners.

$134,716.00
85

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

11. United Kingdom 

Dehydrated Potato Growth 

Program

The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) will establish Retail sampling 

programs in the United Kingdom. These programs will increase 

dehydrated potato exports to the United Kingdom. Sampling and other 

marketing programs and activities will be developed to increase 

consumer awareness of the dehydrated products coming from Idaho. 

The project will be overseen by Ross Johnson, Director of International 

for the IPC. 

$130,000.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

12. Marketing Idaho 

Specialty Crops through 

Idaho Preferred Advertising, 

Social Media, Public 

Relations and Retail 

Promotions.

Idaho Preferred®, a program within the Market Development Division 

of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, will continue its 

successful promotion of specialty crops through digital advertising, 

social media, public relations and retail promotions in 2021 and 2022. 

The digital advertising campaign will air in conjunction with an on-theroad retail tour that will include stops at retailers across the state to 

promote seasonal specialty crops with radio remotes, on-site demos, 

sampling and events. Additional in-store demos will start earlier in the 

summer to add in additional specialty crops starting in late June. Social 

media will help promote the tour and events as well as increase 

consumer awareness of seasonal specialty crops. This project will build 

on and expand similar successful projects funded in 2016, 2017, 2018 

and 2019. As a result of this three-prong promotion, sales of fresh 

produce will increase by $1. 5 million over 2019 data.

$164,031.72

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

13. Field trials for an 

automated early season 

potato virus Y (PVY) 

detection system

Idaho State University (ISU) researchers will focus on refining an 

accurate and scalable system using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) 

equipped with a specialized sensor to detect and map individual Potato 

Virus Y (PVY) infected plants within potato seed-producing agroecosystems. ISU was the first University in the state of Idaho to secure 

authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to 

conduct UAS flights. We currently have a blanket Certificate of 

Authorization to fly in any class G airspace under 400 ft. Our prior 

efforts and research results in accuracies of 90 percent or better using a 

machine learning classifier approach to identify PVY in the field, a 

significant improvement over current industry practices. Anticipated 

results are dramatic reductions in grower dependency on pesticide 

control, fertilizer, water, fuel, and equipment inputs and improve yields 

$97,803.16
86

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

and quality of potato seed stock for both seed growers and commercial 

potato producers.

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

14. Why Idaho? – Improving 

perception and encouraging 

growth

The Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission (IWC), led 

by Executive Director, Moya Dolsby, is committed to helping growers 

and winemakers in the state of Idaho produce the best quality wine in 

the region. Dolsby will continue to guide all project elements associated 

with advancing the industry. The wine industry in Idaho is increasing in 

size, quality, and recognition, and is a growing economic sector in 

Idaho. However, reputation and brand awareness remain two of the 

largest constraints on growth. In an effort to showcase the high quality 

and value of Idaho wines the IWC is preparing to launch a new 

advertising and marketing program centered on answering the 

question – “Why Idaho?” The purpose of this campaign is to create 

positive product differentiation amongst a very competitive landscape 

of wine producers.

$190,820.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

15. Development of a fruit 

harvesting robot prototype: 

OrBot (Orchard Robot)

The Robotics Vision Lab of Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) will 

develop a fruit harvesting robot prototype called the Orchard Robot or 

“OrBot”. The OrBot robot prototype will be composed of a machine 

vision system, a 6 degrees-of-freedom manipulator (robotic arm), a 

gripper, and a control system. The machine vision system will be a 

unique combination of a color camera and a depth sensor, which will 

be used to recognize and locate fruit position. A machine vision 

algorithm will be developed to recognize and locate the fruits under 

dynamic, complex, and unstructured environment in the orchard. Once 

the target fruit is located, the control system will direct the manipulator 

towards the fruit and the gripper picks the fruit from the tree. The 

$131,784.00
87

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

control system will be responsible for the eye and hand coordination 

using a customized visual-servo control.

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

16. Increasing Efficiency and 

Economic Return of 

Specialty Crop Seeds 

through Improved 

Technology for Seed 

Cleaning and Germination 

Testing.

The Snake River Seed Cooperative (SRSC) will increase the efficiency 

and economic return of specialty crop seed production, by acquiring 

upgraded tools for seed cleaning and germination testing, enabling 34 

Idaho producers to continue to meet the growing demand for 

sustainably grown and regionally adapted seed. SRSC will train growers 

in the use of these tools and collect and disseminate data related to the 

benefits of the technology upgrade. Thirty new seed varieties will be 

added to SRSC’s collection as a result of better seed cleaning and 

germination technology.

$10,136.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,033,776.00

17. Developing 

sophisticated disease 

surveillance methods to 

safeguard potato soil health 

in Idaho.

Idaho is the leading potato producing state with about 13.4. billion cwt 

of potatoes in 2019. Pathogens are a constant threat to potatoes 

resulting in quantitative and qualitative losses. Soil-borne diseases 

threaten yield and profit for potato production and management can 

account for greater than 10% of production costs. Researchers at the 

University of Idaho propose to develop pathogen detection tests using 

a bulk soil \ extraction method for the recovery of both RNA and DNA 

for a wide range of pathogens (fungi, bacteria and viruses) as well as 

developing field validation data. Our focus will be the development of a 

detection assay for Spongospora/PMTV as this is an emerging problem 

for potato production in Idaho as well as Rhizoctonia and 

Colletotrichum, persistent soilborne problems for potato production.

$138,839.00
88

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Building Demand Among 

Low-Income Clients For 

Specialty Crops Sold at the

61st Street Farmers Market

The 61st Street Farmers Market, a program of the Experimental Station, 

seeks to further expand our Market’s educational programming and 

partnership with Carnegie Elementary School and Jackson Park Terrace 

to rebuild local knowledge of the nutritional benefits and pleasure of 

consuming fresh and healthy foods, and knowledge of how to grow and 

prepare them. In so doing, the Market seeks to increase SNAP client 

participation in the Market as well as sales of Illinois Specialty Crops 

sold there. Through point-of-sale data collection and evaluative 

surveys, we aim to demonstrate increased demand for and 

consumption of Illinois Specialty Crops, as a result of robust and 

dynamic educational outreach in our low-income community.

$26,330.00

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Create and promote a 

digital platform that links 

motivated plant buyers to 

garden centers and growers

The Illinois Green Industry Association (IGIA) will create a digital 

platform to serve as a tool where motivated buyers can connect with 

the high-quality plant material they seek, ultimately linking them to a 

local producer in their community where they can complete the 

purchase. The first phase of the project will be focused on the Illinois 

consumer. We will redesign the gardenillinois.com website to enhance 

the educational offering, focused on the physical, emotional, 

environmental, and economic benefits of plants; offer a plant finder 

tool that will help connect consumers with plants that meet their 

individual needs; and ultimately link the motivated buyer with a local 

retail garden center, nursery, or greenhouse in their community that 

offers the plants they seek. The second phase of the project will focus 

on the wholesale customer; linking landscape professionals, 

municipalities, garden centers, and growers in other states looking to 

purchase high quality plant material from Illinois nursery producers 

that service the wholesale market. As part of the project, a targeted 

marketing campaign will be conducted to drive traffic to the online 

platform to boost sales of plant material in Illinois. This digital platform 

will stabilize the future viability of Illinois’ nursery and garden center 

industry, increase the long-term sustainability of Illinois growers, 

expand the sales of nursery stock at the local retail level and cultivate 

the public’s interest and commitment to install more green goods, 

specifically locally grown trees, flowers and shrubs, in their own 

landscapes.

$88,672.00
89

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Educational Support, 

Outreach, and Marketing 

for Illinois Specialty Crops

The Illinois Specialty Growers Association (ISGA) will offer educational 

opportunities for specialty crop farmers with educational programs at 

the annual Illinois Specialty Crop Conference and additional workshops 

and webinars throughout the 2021 year. This project will provide 

specialty crop growers the opportunity to become informed on 

production and marketing topics pertaining to their industry, including 

keeping up-to-date on some of the newest methods and techniques to 

ensure top grower performance. Furthermore, work to ensure specialty 

crop farms are in compliance with FSMA Produce Rule.

$81,618.00

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Engaging Consumers with 

Woody Perennials and 

Specialty Crop Production 

to Increase Access, 

Knowledge, and 

Consumption

The Land Connection (TLC) will increase knowledge and consumption of 

Illinois specialty crops by engaging consumers with woody perennials, a 

less readily available specialty crop, and home production. To 

accomplish this goal, The Land Connection proposes a project to grow 

the number of Illinois specialty crop cards available, increase and 

diversify the types of resources that are available on Illinois specialty 

crops, and build a robust outreach campaign to ensure a larger 

population of individuals in our state know about the card series and 

online resource portal. The activities in this project include expanding 

the Illinois Specialty Crop Card Series, developed by The Land 

Connection in 2018, to include 30 “How to Grow” cards and 15 woody 

perennial cards. TLC will also develop 26 videos related to home 

specialty crop production and woody perennials. These videos will be 

posted in the Illinois Specialty Crop Resource Portal developed by The 

Land Connection in 2019. Finally, this project will include 6 free to the 

public cooking classes on cooking with woody perennials.

$51,689.31
90

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Expanding training and 

evolving farmers market 

best practices in producerto-consumer local food

systems

The Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) will conduct a series of 

regional, statewide training for new, beginning, socially disadvantaged, 

existing farmers, specialty crop producers, and market managers. The 

series will focus on professional development and training in postpandemic producer-to-consumer local food systems. The training will 

empower Illinois farmers markets - including market managers and 

market vendors - to become more efficient and effective in their 

market-day coordination, sales techniques, marketing efforts, food 

access programs, sanitation, food handling, and improved food safety, 

evolving best practices, and other tools for creating sustainable farmers 

market businesses to promote and sell Illinois specialty crops. 

Furthermore, ILFMA will continue to expand access to consumers 

seeking Illinois farmers markets, specialty crops, and agricultural 

products through the addition of searchable map features for farmers 

markets, producers, and products on the ILFMA website.

$76,550.00

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Good Practices for Growing 

in Chicago Program 

Expansion

AUA’s Good Practices for Growing in Chicago program expansion will 

provide increased technical assistance designed to support Chicagoland 

farmers in implementing good agricultural practices (GAP) that foster 

more sustainable businesses development for urban farm specialty 

crop producers. This expanded technical assistance will be supported

by the development of a 10-member farmer council and a series of 

technical assistance videos. This program expansion will support over 

100 farmers and 50 farm businesses operating in Chicagoland and 

outcomes will be evaluated through one on one conversations, online 

evaluations, and farmer focus groups.

$35,000.00

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Improving urban youth 

garden training program 

through marketing, 

mechanical, and 

environmental operation 

upgrades

The Freeport High School Student Garden, Greenhouse, and Orchard is 

a student-run specialty crop business that produces and sells over 50 

kinds of vegetables, herbs, and fruits.

$10,164.00
91

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Organic Specialty Lettuce 

Production to Increase 

Diversified Revenues for 

Small Growers

This project will determine the suitability and economic value for 

producing organic specialty lettuce in high tunnels for early spring local 

Illinois markets. Our proposed research study and outreach programs 

will give small scale vegetable growers in Illinois some indication of the 

production potential and revenues associated with organic butterhead 

lettuce production in high tunnels. This will be based on our proposed 

research studies involving butterhead lettuce variety and density 

evaluations in a high tunnel environment during the late winter-early 

spring growing environment. Results from the project will be 

disseminated to stakeholders through presentations, printed materials, 

and personal contact at various grower meetings throughout the state, 

as well as by placing a video describing results of the project in an 

online format for Illinois growers to access at any time.

$21,943.00

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Predictive modeling to 

minimize the risk of 

microbial growth associated 

with fresh strawberries

The Southern Illinois University will minimize risk of microbial 

pathogens in fresh strawberries by developing a predictive model for 

microbial growth in different stages of strawberry production, handling, 

treatment, storage, transportation, retail sale and consumption. 

Microbial models will be developed based on microbial growth models 

in strawberry in different handling situations and the model will be 

validated from 3 years data collected at different stages of supply chain 

of strawberries in Illinois. Based on the validated model, strawberry 

handling guidelines will be prepared in the form of a fact sheet 

available at the SIU and Illinois Extension websites. Research results will 

be disseminated at the Specialty Crops conference and Gateway Small 

Fruits conferences. Impact studies will be conducted by pre and post 

project activity surveys of strawberry growers in Illinois.

$117,562.00

Illinois 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,473.30

Specialty Crop Education & 

Consumer Awareness 

through Illinois Agriculture 

in the Classroom: Pumpkin 

Ag Mag

Raising awareness and furthering education on specialty crops is an 

effective way to engage young consumers in understanding the 

importance of agriculture, and leading them to healthy food choices, 

like eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Illinois Agriculture in the 

Classroom has a proven track record as a trusted source for educational 

materials teachers can use to incorporate agriculture into daily 

classroom lessons. Producing an Ag Mag educational resource focused 

on Pumpkins provides a positive introduction to agriculture, specialty 

crops, and the farmers who grow them, by using a popular subject 

$12,000.00
92

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

matter that captures students interest and meets learning standards 

for teachers. Pumpkin Farms throughout Illinois who engage consumers 

can also benefit from access to this free educational resource.

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$478,813.70

Project 1 - Illiana 

Watermelon Association: 

Marketing and Consumer 

Education Campaign to 

Promote Indiana Grown 

Watermelon

The Illiana Watermelon Association requests funds to raise awareness 

of the Indiana watermelon industry and educate consumers on the 

health benefits and versatility of Indiana grown watermelon. Through 

geo-track marketing, social media marketing, and setting up booths at 

community events, the Illiana Watermelon Association will be able to 

educate consumers on the health benefits of Indiana grown 

watermelon and drive consumption. By effectively relaying the health 

benefits of Indiana grown watermelon to consumers, the Illiana 

Watermelon Association will promote healthy, sustainable eating 

habits while helping to continue the growth of agribusiness in Indiana.

$26,560.00

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$478,813.70

Project 2 - Indiana Grown: 

Promotional Marketing for 

Indiana Farmer’s Markets

Indiana Grown will develop and implement an organizational marketing 

plan to assist the market masters to increase sales and consumption of 

specialty crops at farmer’s markets through marketing strategies and 

training opportunities. A marketing plan will be developed to address 

the needs of the market masters to address the needs of the producers 

and to educate the stakeholders and consumers about the benefits of 

farmer’s markets. The market campaign will also target potential firsttime shoppers and new growers to increase the number of farmer’s 

markets across Indiana. The goal of this project is to work with Indiana 

farmer’s markets to build demand for local produce, build a strong 

relationship between the producers and consumers, and increase sales 

in the local markets.

$63,000.00
93

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$478,813.70

Project 3 -Indiana Tree 

Nuts: Building Supply 

Chains for Indiana Grown 

Chestnut, Hazelnut, Pecan 

and Walnut

Indiana University will identify the steps needed to establish an 

Indiana-based supply chain for Indiana Grown chestnuts, hazelnuts, 

pecans and walnuts by conducting a supply chain assessment and 

hosting grower education workshops. Nut trees produce very well in 

Indiana, both cultivated in orchards and wild in forests. Breeders are 

developing improved varieties for Indiana, more landowners are raising 

nuts, and consumer demand for nuts is high. Our focus will be on the 

feasibility of building Indiana’s nut aggregation and processing capacity, 

to increase the amount of value created by Indiana Grown nuts. 

Research activities will collect data from producers, aggregators, 

processors, food manufacturers, and other buyers through 

questionnaires, interviews, and observation. Educational activities will 

present conference workshops for growers, potential growers, and 

processors with representatives we will bring to Indiana from 

neighboring states’ tree nut supply chains.

$76,810.00

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$478,813.70

Project 4 - Hand Hygiene 

Verification using Video 

Analytics

Purdue University will design, build, implement, and evaluate an 

automated hand-hygiene verification observation system that uses 

automated video analytics to monitor and verify that food handlers 

have thoroughly and effectively washed their hands. The system will 

consist of commercially available cameras, a low-cost laptop computer, 

and a video analytics algorithm designed to verify that the necessary 

steps of hand-hygiene have occurred in the proper order and for a 

sufficiently long time. The video analytics algorithm will be designed 

and evaluated to ensure that it is effective across the range of 

environments encountered in a typical Indiana post-harvest processing 

facility. Purdue University will disseminate the basic concept to the 

stakeholders through grower meetings, Good Agricultural Practices 

(GAPs) grower trainings offered by Purdue Extension, and field days 

that are held yearly at the Purdue Agriculture Centers (PACs) located 

throughout Indiana. In addition, Purdue University will disseminate the 

methodology to the appropriate technical communities.

$170,717.00
94

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$478,813.70

Project 5 - Developing best 

management practices for 

the Asiatic garden beetle in 

commercial mint 

production

The Asiatic garden beetle (Maladera castanea), hereafter AGB, is a 

small beetle that attacks more than 100 different plant species, 

including ornamentals, weedy species, and crop plants. Adult beetles 

feed on flowers and foliage, but the most severe damage is inflicted by 

the larval (white grub) stage, which feeds underground on plant roots 

for nearly 10 months of the year. Feeding damage can lead to water 

stress, reductions in crop growth and yield, and even plant death. The 

goals of this project are to: (1) establish flexible economic thresholds 

for AGB in commercial mint fields, (2) evaluate insecticide efficacy 

against AGB grubs in mint, and (3) develop a self-sufficient extension 

program to support grower efforts to manage AGB in Indiana mint 

production systems. Upon completion, these objectives will contribute 

to the development and implementation of best management practices 

for AGB in Indiana mint.

$55,366.00

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$478,813.70

Project 6 - Virtual and 

Interactive on-farm 

Education Program for Fruit 

& Vegetable Farmers

Purdue University will develop this virtual and interactive on-farm 

manufacturing education program for Hoosier fruit and vegetable 

farmers. A growing number of fruit and vegetable farmers start on-farm 

manufacturing to turn produce into value-added food products with an 

intention of increasing profitability and decreasing produce waste. 

Many produce farmers lack necessary processing knowledge and food 

safety management awareness. This project aims to develop a virtual 

and interactive food safety education program for Hoosier produce 

farmers to help them better understand the regulations and provide 

guidelines for various on-farm manufacturing. Effectiveness of this 

education program will be evaluated via surveys and be used to further 

improve the program. Train-the-trainer program will also be developed 

for regulators and extension educators to help them better 

communicate with farmers about the on-farm manufacturing. Our 

ultimate goal is to develop this virtual and interactive on-farm 

manufacturing education program for Hoosier produce farmers to 

produce more wholesome and safe value-added products and to thrive 

with an increased profit and income.

$55,959.00
95

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69 Choose Iowa – Specialty 

Crops Count

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will help 

boost sales of Iowa specialty crops by launching a Choose Iowa 

marketing campaign and distributing marketing kits for specialty crop 

producers. The effort will increase producer access to marketing 

materials, support consumer awareness of local food sources, and 

highlight stories of specialty crop producers stepping up to meet 

nutrition needs in their communities throughout the fight against 

COVID-19 and beyond.

$37,800.00

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69

Choose Local: A Social 

Media and Video Campaign 

to Educate and Empower 

Iowa’s Consumers

Iowa Valley RC&D will launch the Choose Local social media campaign 

with seven high-quality videos that highlight the ways that consumers 

can access local products directly from Iowa producers. Iowa Valley 

Resource Conservation and Development (IVRCD) in

collaboration with a professional videographer, as well as partnering 

farms, farmers markets, and tourism staff, proposes a 30-month project 

to: 1) Produce seven high-quality Choose Local videos, 2) Launch the 

Choose Local social media campaign, 3) Educate Iowa consumers on 

how to purchase local products from direct-market farmers, and 4) 

Present and market the Choose Local social media campaign to Iowa 

tourism and economic development representatives.

$24,000.00

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69

Cooperative Development 

and Demonstration of NoTill Vegetable Production in 

Iowans

Rodale Institute Midwest Organic Center located in Marion, IA will 

conduct research in collaboration with Practical Farmers of Iowa farmer 

cooperators to understand the potential for permanent bed, no-till 

vegetable production to advance soil health, improve crop yields, and 

mitigate weed pressure while communicating results with specialty 

crop growers through field days and presentations at regional 

conferences. Working alongside farmer cooperators as research 

leaders, the project will concentrate on practical on-farm approaches 

and focus on sharing information among specialty crop growers 

through formal and informal education channels. The proposed 

research has the potential to significantly change crop production in 

Iowa by identifying challenges and benefits created by using a 

permanent bed, no-till vegetable production system. A long-term goal 

of the partnership between the RI-MOC and PFI is to work with 

additional partner organizations and farmer cooperators to develop a 

$23,713.00
96

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

multi-year study to further understand and improve no-till vegetable 

production for specialty crop growers in Iowa.

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69

Cultivating Knowledge and 

Shared Experience for LowTill Vegetable Production in 

Iowa

Since 1985, Practical Farmers of Iowa and our members have 

specialized in farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing to build more 

ecologically- and financially sustainable farms. Our farmers are asking 

for opportunities to learn more about low-till vegetable production. 

The work proposed in this grant will jump-start farmer-to-farmer 

knowledge sharing through a low-till intensive track during the PFI 

annual conference. The sessions during this “deep dive” will be led by 

farmers and researchers using no-till and low-till on their farms. We 

anticipate 25% of the ~900 conference attendees will be specialty crop 

producers. Over the two days of the conference, 225 producers will 

attend the low-till sessions. Hundreds more will visit the open-access 

materials and video from the conference online following the event. 

PFI’s tasks during this grant will be to work with our farmer members to 

find and select the best farmers and researchers to invite as presenters, 

design, organize and publicize the conference, help manage logistics for 

speakers, facilitate and manage all aspects of the low-till track during 

the conference, and record and disseminate materials following the 

conference.

$23,997.00
97

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69

Enhancing Local Food 

Procurement and Education 

in Iowa SNAP-Ed Schools

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Farm, Food, and 

Enterprise Development Program will create 9 Pick a Better Snack 

(PABS) lessons focused on Iowa specialty crops. These lessons will be 

informed by local farmer input and implemented by at least 13 PABS 

contractors, which will increase knowledge and intent to access 

specialty crops in 100% of participating contractors; expand local 

specialty crop procurement and education in 13 Iowa school districts 

through partnerships with Iowa specialty crop producers; and increase 

the knowledge of eating specialty crops in 15,900 participating 

students.

$23,961.00

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69

Expanding and Diversifying 

Local Production of 

Specialty Crops via 

Increased Awareness, 

Education and Sales

The Iowa Food Cooperative (IFC) serves as a product sales and 

marketing conduit between specialty crop producers, small farmers, 

small businesses, and local consumers. We are distinct from traditional 

local food producer farmers’ market models in that we use a yearround online marketing/local pick-up system. Recent management and 

system upgrades (introduction of a UPC payment system for our inhouse products, online payment options, website upgrade, an in-depth 

organizational update) have positioned us to take on both more 

producers and more consumers. This project will help facilitate that 

opportunity. The end result of this SCPGP project will be increased 

specialty food production and sales for both existing and new Iowa 

small farm operations. We will accomplish this specialty crop 

production and sales expansion using 3 distinct approaches: 1. 

Increasing awareness of specialty crops and their availability via IFC 

(advertisements, promotions and displays) 2. Increasing access to IFC 

(more distributions sites) 3. Increasing the range of specialty crops 

products available (increase number of specialty crop producers and 

range of products produced).

$22,740.00
98

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69

Increasing Consumption of 

Specialty Crops Among 

Low-Income Iowans

The Iowa Healthiest State Initiative will increase knowledge, 

purchasing, and consumption of specialty crops among low-income 

Iowans utilizing SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) by 

increasing awareness and participation in the Double Up Food Bucks 

fruit and vegetable incentive program. This project will use targeted 

consumer marketing strategies to engage SNAP households to 

participate in the Double Up Food Bucks program and thus increase 

sales of specialty crops at participating farmers markets and grocery 

stores. The DUFB program provides a 1:1 match on SNAP spending, up 

to $10 per day. For example; If SNAP shopper spends $7 in SNAP 

benefits at a participating farmer’s market, they will earn an additional 

$7 of Double Up Food Bucks to spend on more fresh fruits and 

vegetables. This project is projected to increase DUFB redemption on 

fresh fruits and vegetables by 150% resulting in over $230,000 of DUFB 

incentive redemption by SNAP shoppers.

$24,000.00

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69 Iowa Specialty Producers 

Conference

Last year the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship 

received a grant to help support the Iowa Specialty Producers 

Conference. The specialty crop industry was at an impasse. Annual 

conferences were poorly attended and the sustainability questionable. 

A group of individuals from the specialty crop industry approached us 

and asked for assistance in revitalizing a specialty crops conference that 

would put Iowa on the map as a place where

specialty crop producers could network and gain invaluable knowledge 

to move their businesses forward. A partnership was formed, and 

representatives of the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association 

and the Iowa Wine Growers Association worked with representatives of 

the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to begin 

planning a combined annual conference. The conference was titled 

Iowa Specialty Producers Conference and the event exceeded our 

expectations. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land 

Stewardship would like to build off of the success last year and again 

support this conference.

$27,000.00
99

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69

Iowa Wine Country: 

Creating a Regional Wine 

Identity Based on Locally 

Grown Varietals

The Iowa Wine Growers Association (IWGA) will work to establish a 

regional wine identity for Iowa through the design and oversight of a 

comprehensive advertising campaign, passport/rewards program, 

educational materials and participation in tradeshows and events to 

ultimately expose new consumers to Iowa wines being produced from 

locally grown grapes. Work will be contracted with an advertising to 

create and place outdoor ads directing visitors off the interstates 

toward winery locations, a video series featuring Iowa wines and grape 

varietals, as well as a collection of promotional materials including a 

Passport program. IWGA staff time will be spent overseeing the 

campaign, working closely with wineries and vineyards on educational 

opportunities to utilize these materials to improve their own marketing 

efforts, and representing Iowa wines at various regional tasting 

opportunities, tradeshows and other industry-related events to 

educate both consumers and industry members outside the state.

$21,000.00

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69

Promoting the Use of 

Lavender through 

Educational Outreach

The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation will increase awareness and 

understanding of lavender as a specialty crop in Iowa through the 

development of lesson plans and hands-on activities for educators and 

students. The lessons and activities will include lavender production, 

honeybees as pollinators, and feature lavender products like lip balm, 

lotions, honey, and other food items. The lessons will be used by Loess 

Hills Agriculture in the Classroom and other organizations across the 

state. The hands-on activities will be demonstrated at community and 

school events like STEM festivals. They will include samples of lavender 

products including food items for learners to try.

$10,966.00

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69

Strengthening Our Local 

Food System through Our 

Food Hubs

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) will 

work with Iowa food hubs and the Iowa Food Hub Managers Working 

Group to strengthen our food hubs and increase consumers’ access to 

healthy, locally grown produce in our state. This project has analyzed 

the needs of food hubs in the current, changing marketplace and will 

support this market through offering supplies, assistance with delivery 

to new customers and promotion of specialty crops.

$31,320.00
100

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department 

of Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$350,093.69 Valorization of Cold-Hardy 

Grape Pomace

Grape is the largest fruit crop produced in the US estimated at 7.36 

million tons in 2017. About 75% of grape is utilized for wine making 

which generates 25% of total grape weight as pomace, which is 

commonly used as a compost or spread out in vineyards. The goal of 

this project is to add a value to this waste. The department of Food 

Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University will optimize a 

sustainable drying method of cold-hardy grape pomace and produce 

microbiologically safe and stable grape pomace flour that contains 

polyphenols with antioxidant properties. This will be beneficial to the 

wine industry from Iowa by the transformation of their pomace into 

flour. The grape pomace will be dried using energy efficient natural gas 

catalytic infrared dryer. The flour will be characterized for the 

microbiological stability, polyphenol content and its antioxidant 

properties in order to be used by the wine and food industry or 

consumers for baking. The findings will be disseminated to the Iowa 

wine industry through articles and seminars and will be presented to 

the Iowa Specialty Producers Conference.

$23,194.00

Kansas 

Department of 

Agriculture

$331,973.58

1. Increasing specialty crops 

in prepared foods and retail 

sales at Prairieland Market

Prairieland Market (licensed under Prairieland Food Cooperative, Inc.) 

is a food cooperative with a retail store, CSA program, and in-house 

prepared foods (soups, stews, casseroles, and snacks). It seeks to 

expand its programs to increase specialty crop use, distribution, and 

sales. The Market offers a range of specialty crops year-round from 

more than 12 local growers. Prepared foods, made by volunteers in a 

rented commercial kitchen using organic ingredients and locally grown 

food, has grown in popularity to the point that demand often exceeds 

supply. This project will focus on increasing the supply of prepared 

foods while increasing the amount of local specialty crops used as 

ingredients in the various offerings.

$42,655.00

Kansas 

Department of 

Agriculture

$331,973.58

2. Promoting Specialty 

Crops in South Central 

Kansas through the 

Growing Growers Learning 

Network

The Extension Education Foundation, Inc will increase the number of 

successful specialty crop producers growing fruits and vegetables for 

direct market sales in south central Kansas and will increase the 

awareness of and access to locally produced specialty crops. This will be 

done through collaboration with county Extension agents, K-State 

Research & Extension specialists, local non-profits, and other area 

partners to develop and re-envision the Growing Growers program into 

$68,312.03
101

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

a Growing Growers Learning Network (GGLN). This re-envisioned 

program will still focus on providing quality learning experiences for 

new, beginning, and socially disadvantaged producers, related to 

recommended production practices, best food safety practices, and 

developing sustainable businesses in regionally appropriate ways.

Kansas 

Department of 

Agriculture

$331,973.58

3. Building capacity for 

education and research 

opportunities at Kansas 

State University’s Willow 

Lake Student Farm

Kansas State University will establish its Willow Lake Student Farm as 

the premier small- to mid-scale, diversified farm research and training 

center in the Midwest by creating two “outdoor classrooms”, extending 

wireless internet access to the fields, establishing mixed-monoculture 

and polyculture (“food forest”) orchards, retrofitting an existing shed 

for mushroom research and production training, installing signage with 

educational information, expanding the tool library, and updating the 

produce wash station.

$55,692.00

Kansas 

Department of 

Agriculture

$331,973.58

4. Specialty Crop 

Conference Education 

Support

Specialty crops continue to be a growing industry in Kansas. The Kansas 

Department of Agriculture recognizes there are insufficient learning 

opportunities available to Kansas growers. These specialty crop focused 

conferences will provide Kansas specialty crop growers an opportunity 

to learn and discover valuable tools and resources that will help them 

be more competitive and discover new opportunities. The beneficiaries 

of this project will learn more about topics such as: fruit crops, 

vegetable crops, other specialty crops, greenhouse crop production and 

marketing, farm marketing ideas and operations, farmers’ markets and 

organic production and marketing. There will also be sessions covering 

a diversity of general interest topics, including food safety and labor.

$35,732.13

Kansas 

Department of 

Agriculture

$331,973.58

5. Growing and Sustaining 

the Kansas Specialty Crop 

Growers Association

The purpose of this project is to build on the successes of the 2018 

SCBGP “Growing the Vegetable Producers Community With a Specialty 

Crop Growers Association” submitted by Kansas State University. The 

Kansas Specialty Crop Growers Association (KSCGA) was officially 

created in January 2019. Membership has grown steadily, and the 

association seeks to expand and strengthen its support of specialty crop 

growers in Kansas. A 2019 survey of Kansas specialty crop growers 

indicated their top three needs as: increased communication avenues 

to connect producers, more education geared towards specialty crop 

producers (especially in regard to marketing), and more opportunities 

for producers to network with one another.

$61,744.00
102

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Kansas 

Department of 

Agriculture

$331,973.58 6. Fresh Food Matters

Children First (lead), Elderslie Farm, and St. Patrick Catholic School, will 

partner to create the "Fresh Food Matters" to impact 8,055 individuals 

who live in Sedgwick County, to include: For 200 low-income students 

to increase their knowledge of eating more specialty crops through 

experiential learning in the St. Patrick teaching kitchen, including 

monthly classes by Chef Katharine Elders, Elderslie Farm and others, 

managed by the Children First Education VISTA. 755 low-income 

students from four education gardens (one established and three new) 

will understand growing and harvesting specialty crops with guidance 

from the Education Garden Manager and AmeriCorps members.

$55,995.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$323,187.29

1. Defining Best Production 

Methods for Quality 

Sparkling Wine and Cider

The University of Kentucky will conduct winemaking experiments using 

apples and grapes specifically adapted to the climate of Kentucky to 

define best production methods for quality sparkling wine and cider. In 

addition to research on wine and cider production methods, plant 

performance will also be recorded from a recently planted ciderspecific apple orchard at the UK Horticulture Research Farm. Results 

from all experiments will be used by University of Kentucky Extension 

Specialists to make recommendations to current and future sparkling 

wine producers of Kentucky through site visits, grower meetings, and 

field days.

$31,000.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$323,187.29

2. Kentucky’s Organic 

Specialty Crops: Increasing 

Grower Competitiveness 

and Consumer Demand

The Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK) will provide multi-year 

educational, technical assistance and marketing programming that 

builds on successful efforts to increase the number of specialty crop 

producers transitioning to organic, expanding existing organic 

operations and adopting best practices in organic production. 

Additionally, the project will deliver marketing and consumer education 

to increase consumer awareness of Kentucky grown, organic specialty 

crops and their intention to purchase, resulting in increased sales for 

participating farmers.

$57,276.00
103

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$323,187.29

3. A remedy for insect and 

bird pests: Fine-mesh 

netting canopies for use in 

direct to market and youpick berries

A multi-disciplinary team of researchers in the Departments of 

Entomology (Gonthier) and Agricultural Economics (Woods) at the 

University of Kentucky will evaluate an alternative pest control practice 

that simultaneously deters birds, scarab beetle pests, and Spotted-wing 

Drosophila in four small- to mid-sized blackberry operations. The 

project will assess the pest control potential and economic profitability 

of installing canopy-scale fine-mesh exclusion netting (ExcludeNet with 

mesh holes 0.85mm by 1.40mm) compared to organic and 

conventional insecticide treated controls. This netting has advantages 

over traditional exclusion materials, such as heat dissipation, high 

strength, longevity, and water permeability. Our preliminary research 

shows that this netting reduces birds, scarab beetles, SWD, and other 

pests in blackberry and blueberry.

$49,972.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$323,187.29

4. Salad for All-Seasons: 

Building Capacity for YearRound Leafy Green 

Production in Kentucky

The University of Kentucky will build the capacity of vegetable crop 

producers to plan for continued, year-round harvest of leafy greens 

through development of crop growth modeling decision tools and case 

study analysis of the farm-to-institution leafy green value chain. This 

interdisciplinary project will include research on a network of farms in 

central Kentucky, including the UK Horticulture Research farm and 

leading leafy green producers in nearby counties. The data collected on 

these four farms, over two years of year-round production will 

generate data that will be used to create grower-friendly crop growth 

modeling decision tools for 10 leafy greens and other “salad bar” 

specialty crops.

$44,738.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$323,187.29

5. Adding value to Kentucky 

Wines: Creation of the 

Kentucky Wine Technical 

Group

KWTG will be to improve winemaking competency of Kentucky vintners 

and help develop unity in message and wine quality among the diverse 

wine producers throughout the state of Kentucky. To achieve this, the 

Kentucky Wine Technical Group will promote the development and 

standardization of unique Kentucky wine styles through discussions, 

workshops and educational trainings (tasting panels). In addition, 

researchers and industry partners will conduct controlled wine 

experiments to trial novel yeasts with the potential to enhance the 

uniqueness of Kentucky wines. Technical winemaking information and 

scientific findings from the KWTG will be disseminated using several 

platforms to ensure a wide audience base is reached, including 

$53,740.00
104

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

extension publications, conference presentations, informative 

handouts, and published on a newly developed web-portal.

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$323,187.29

6. Production of High-Value 

Pharmaceuticals by 

Cultivation of Artemisia 

annua L (Sweet 

Wormwood).

The University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food, and 

Environment’s Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center is 

seeking funding in collaborations with the Kentucky Department of 

Agriculture for a pilot project to optimize Artemisia annua L. (sweet 

wormwood) production practices. Sweet wormwood is a medicinal 

herb native to Southeast Asia and has been used in traditional Eastern 

medicine for a millennium. Select metabolites produced in sweet 

wormwood leaf (artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin) are direct 

precursors to the number one malaria medicine used worldwide –

artesunate. Artemisinin and dihydroartemisinin have also 

demonstrated favorable outcomes when used to treat human diseases, 

including several different types of cancer. The rise in sweet 

wormwood interest has prompted stakeholders to look at Kentucky for 

sweet wormwood production.

$55,200.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$323,187.29 7. KY State Fair Vegetable 

Room Upgrades

This project if awarded will be able to leverage the entire Kentucky 

Department of Agriculture. This grant will be able to partner with 

multiple programs of within KDA, i.e., Ky Proud, Farmers Markets, 

Organics, Produce Safety, etc., to create a space at the state fair for 

commercial growers compete and receive recognition for their 

production. Through awards to farmers and to farmers markets at the 

largest agricultural gathering in the state, an increased awareness by 

consumers will be achieved, and marketing tools will be gained by the 

grower.

$16,805.92
105

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry

$413,908.19

Assess the efficacy of

antimicrobial properties of 

a turmeric extract-loaded 

nano-emulsion in reducing 

pathogen loads

The goal of this project is to assess the efficacy of applying a food grade 

nano-emulsion containing turmeric (Curcuma longa) (NET), a natural 

antimicrobial agent, to cantaloupes in reducing pathogen loads. 

Pathogenic bacteria presence is expected in fresh produce because 

they can be contaminated from pathogenic bacteria in irrigation water 

and from wildlife. Pathogenic bacteria can be fatal to people who have 

depressed immune systems or underlying health conditions. Produce, 

particularly when consumed raw, can transfer pathogens to the 

consumer.

$47,522.00

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry

$413,908.19

Enhancing Food Safety 

Awareness and Market 

Opportunities of Specialty 

Crop Producers through 

Good Agricultural Practices

The LSU AgCenter will promote educational programs for the adoption 

of on-farm food safety practices that will assist producers in managing 

risk and regulatory changes. Targeting small farmers, packers and 

processors, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Handling 

Practices (GHPs) programs will be offered around the state. Topics 

include food safety, water quality, manure management, worker 

health, sanitation, animal management, handling practices and food 

safety regulations.

$75,550.00

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry

$413,908.19

Evaluating Organic-Based 

Fertilizers and Herbicides 

for Louisiana Lawns

Research and extension personnel at the LSU Agricultural Center will 

evaluate the use of organic fertilizers and herbicides to improve 

sustainability in establishment and maintenance of lawn grasses. 

Results will be disseminated to those in the landscape industry through 

a trade publication, at field days, and annual conferences.

$40,000.00

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry

$413,908.19

Evaluation of a plant-based 

antimicrobial formulation 

on control of damping-off 

and other diseases in 

vegetable seedlings.

The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center will evaluate and 

determine the efficacy of a plant-based antimicrobial formulation on 

preventing and managing damping-off in vegetable seedlings 

transplants in Louisiana.

$32,086.00

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry

$413,908.19

Louisiana Container Grown 

Citrus: Developing Best 

Practices to Support an 

Industry

The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center will investigate the 

potential of growing containerized citrus crops for fresh fruit in 

Louisiana. Nationwide there is a current trend in increasing 

sustainability and efficiency in specialty crop production. Specialty 

crops are shifting from traditional field production to containers due to 

diminishing availability of fumigants, increasing pest pressure, and the 

need for flexible and efficient production practices.

$26,264.00
106

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry

$413,908.19

Soil health benefits of nonfumigant nematicides in 

sweet potato production in 

Louisiana

Louisiana State University will determine the benefit of non-fumigant 

nematicides on biological aspects of soil health in comparison to 

conventional soil fumigation in sweet potato production in Louisiana 

using a combination of field trials, soil suppressiveness bioassays, and 

nematode community analysis. Results will be disseminated to industry 

stakeholders through grower meetings and field days.

$39,990.04

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry

$413,908.19

To Develop an Effective 

Management Program for 

Fireblight and Rust Diseases 

in Mayhaw Production.

Louisiana Mayhaw Association (LMA) and the Louisiana State University 

Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter) will collaborate to develop an 

effective management program for fireblight and rust diseases in 

mayhaw production. Mayhaw diseases including, fireblight caused by 

Erwinia amylovora and quince rust caused by Gymnosporangium 

clavipes, present major obstacles in mayhaw production and may cause 

significant yield loss, if left untreated.

$44,500.00

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry

$413,908.19

Water Testing and 

Management to Help 

Specialty Crop Growers to 

Meet Federal and Marketdriven Requirements

Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) in partnership 

with LSU Agricultural Center (LSUAC) will assist 200 fruit and vegetable 

growers in Louisiana in improving the safety of their commodities by 

providing: (1) education on the importance of safe use of agricultural 

water in growing, harvesting and handling fresh produce, (2) 200 water 

analysis testing kits to educational program participants, (3) free water 

analysis and (4) technical assistance in the form of recommendations to 

the producer for needed agricultural water quality mitigation practices.

$59,370.00

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60

Enhanced IPM practices for 

control of diseases in Maine 

wild blueberry

This University of Maine project, supported by the Wild Blueberry 

Commission of Maine (WBCM), will continue to develop new methods 

of pathogen detection and control and implement those methods in an 

Integrated Pest Management program for diseases. Correct timing of 

fungicides reduces crop loss, is cost effective and can decrease the 

impact to the environment. This program will also educate growers on 

fungicide rotation to decrease the risk of fungicide resistance. Growers 

will be surveyed at educational sessions to determine understanding 

and adoption of the disease management strategies evaluated in this 

program.

$79,994.00

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

$598,034.60

Expanding Maine’s Fresh 

Vegetable Market Through 

Improved Winter Squash 

Storage

The University of Maine will carry out a survey of commercial winter 

squash growing operations to determine the cause of poor storage life 

of this crop. Research at the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment 

Station will evaluate potential pre- and post-harvest treatments of 

$14,595.00
107

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Conservation, and 

Forestry

winter squash, including curing and surface sanitizing techniques to 

improve post-harvest quality and prolong storage life. Improving winter 

squash storage life will allow farmers to significantly extend their 

market season into the fall and winter months, when cash flow is 

typically very slow.

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60

Expanding Maine's Berry 

Industry to Improve Farm 

Profitability

The University of Maine will establish scientifically designed trials of 

strawberries, raspberries, and highbush blueberries at the Maine 

Agriculture Experiment Station in Monmouth to determine the 

adaptability of new varieties from breeding programs both national and 

international, which will generate critical information needed to select 

the best preforming plants for Maine growing conditions and could 

result in significant improvements in current fruit quality and yield 

standards, which will allow Maine farmers to successfully expand fresh 

berry production and meet the growing demand for locally produced 

fruit.

$30,872.00

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60

Expanding on Daybreak 

Growers Alliance’s 

wholesale aggregation, 

marketing and distribution 

model for Maine Specialty 

Grown Crops.

Daybreak Growers Alliance will expand upon its existing wholesale 

program with the aid of a second year of SCBG funding support. In its 

first year, Daybreak Growers Alliance is on track to realize its goal of 

$126,000 in Maine grown specialty crop sales. In its second year, 

Daybreak Growers Alliance’s wholesale program will increase that sales 

goal by 50% to realize $189,000 in specialty crop sales. This increase 

will reflect a 50% increase in sales for DGA’s specialty crop farm 

partners, directly facilitating sales growth for 30+ Maine specialty crop 

farmers.

$38,216.00

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60

Increasing the Sales and 

Price of Maine Pure Maple 

Syrup

The Maine Maple Producers Association will expand its marketing 

efforts by further developing its educational and marketing outreach to 

consumers and by enhancing its communications to maple producers in 

Maine so that marketing is amplified by producers sharing the 

professionally developed marketing strategies with their local and 

regional customers.

$22,500.00
108

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60 Maine Potato IPM - 2021

Without reliable and sustainable pest management strategies, Maine’s 

$500 million potato industry faces the potential for severe crop losses 

resulting in significant reductions in profits and threats to long-term 

viability. To ensure an adequate response to the pest-related hazards 

confronting potato growers, the University of Maine Cooperative 

Extension Potato Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program will 

provide support through field monitoring, disease forecasting, and 

distribution of educational materials.

$83,321.00

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60 Maine Produce Safety 

Improvement Project

The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association will enhance 

the competitiveness of specialty crops and increase the number of 

farms able to come into compliance with the Food Safety 

Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and/or a GAP/GHP 

audit by providing food safety educational, financial, and one-on one 

technical assistance resources to Maine farmers.

$64,956.00

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60

Peach Variety Testing and 

Development for a Local 

Market

The University of Maine at Highmoor Farm will evaluate strategies for 

reducing the risk of producing peaches. We will test 20 new peach 

varieties for climactic adaptation and suitability to the local market, and 

will develop new peach varieties with improved cold hardiness using 

traditional breeding methods. We will also systematically compare sites 

in Maine for yield and tree survival to develop planting 

recommendations for growers. This work will be conducted on behalf 

of Maine’s fruit growers who will be informed of the results and 

progress.

$52,402.00

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60

Pilot to encourage 

GAP/GHP certification for 

growers of eligible specialty 

crops in Maine

The Division of Quality Assurance and Regulations, Department of 

Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, will administer a pilot project 

aimed at opening marketing opportunities for Maine produce growers. 

This program will reimburse growers for 50% of the cost of an initial 

Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices (GAP/GHP) Audit 

up to $500. QAR staff perform the audits under the auspices of the 

Food and Drug Administration; QAR will verify audit costs and process 

requests for reimbursement.

$12,000.00
109

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60

The Millennial Opportunity: 

Expanding Supply, Demand, 

and Infrastructure for a 

New Era of Maine Wild 

Blueberry Sparkling Wine

Bluet, creator of Maine’s first nationally viable wild blueberry sparkling 

wine, will work with a wide range of stakeholders over the next three 

years to: 1) lead unique marketing, distribution and production efforts 

to define, claim and promote a new Maine wild blueberry beverage 

category for the Millennial-driven 21st century market; 2) expand and 

deepen grower and producer participation in this market through 

production, education, and outreach, and 3) begin building the Maine 

wild blueberry wine industry infrastructure needed to drive global 

market access, foster a new generation of local winemakers, and 

champion best practices and policies that sustain growers, producers, 

and a thriving Maine wild blueberry wine industry.

$62,800.00

Maine 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry

$598,034.60

Using Foliar Fertilizers and 

Soil Amendments to 

Improve Wild Blueberry 

Production and Resilience 

to Warming

On behalf of Maine’s wild blueberry farmers, the University of Maine 

proposes this project titled Using Foliar Fertilizers and Soil 

Amendments to Improve Wild Blueberry Production and Resilience to 

Warming. We propose to continue our grant from 2020 into 2021. In 

2020, we evaluated new fertilizers for their efficacy, impact on pest 

presence, yield, berry quality, and cost to the farmer. We also began 

evaluating blueberry growth under three temperature regimes that 

mimic climate warming. Based on our research to date, foliar calcium 

and plant growth regulators merit further study. We also found that 

wild blueberry plants grown at 3 to 5oC above ambient temperatures 

had an extended growth period yet less available soil water and 

nutrients due to increased water loss under warming.

$84,647.00

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$443,020.03

Project 1 - Grow and Fortify 

– “From the Ground to the 

Glass: Using Technology to 

Connect Consumers with 

Craft Beverages”

Grow & Fortify will work with a professional app development company 

to create a free-to-use app that connects residents and visitors with the 

Maryland craft beverage community. The purpose of the app is to 

highlight the farms and craft beverage operations, encourage and 

evaluate specialty crop agritourism in Maryland, and create greater 

awareness of this important sector of the agricultural economy. Grow 

& Fortify will also develop resources, in the form of an online training, 

and checklist template, for other producer organizations who might 

want to consider an app for their industries. Apps are an important tool 

that can be easily disseminated to the public through a variety of 

marketing efforts and campaigns. This effort will educate residents and 

tourists about specialty crops as both a raw agricultural ingredient, as 

$80,000.00
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Organization

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well as the value-added processing that creates an economically 

important, and delicious, final product.

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$443,020.03

Project 2 - Produce Safety 

GAP/GHP Programs to 

provide Market Access and 

FSMA Produce Safety Rule 

Compliance

The Maryland Department of Agriculture Food Quality Assurance 

Program, the University of Maryland Plant Sciences and Landscape 

Architecture Department, University of Maryland Extension and the 

University of Maryland Agricultural Law Education Initiative will partner 

to continue providing coordinated food safety programs based on 

research, lessons learned from previous projects and updates to GAP 

and Produce Safety Rule standards to assist specialty crop producers in 

complying with the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule 

and maintaining/gaining market access. Programs will include in person 

and online formal and informal training, certification of compliance 

with food safety practices, food safety technical assistance, verification 

of food safety practices effectiveness and cost share funds to assist 

with the implementation of effective food safety plans and practices.

$100,315.37

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$443,020.03

Project 3 - Maryland’s Best 

– Promoting Specialty Crops 

to Maryland Consumers, 

Distributors

Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Seafood 

Marketing Section will promote local specialty crops to consumers and 

distributors through advertising, the web site www.marylandsbest.net, 

Maryland Public Television, business to business meetings and point of 

sale promotional material. Maryland specialty crop producers compete 

against worldwide suppliers of specialty crops. This project will build 

upon existing State assets to distinguish local products from the 

competition to consumers and distributors. MDA intends in the COVID 

recovery period to maintain consumer’s awareness of available 

Maryland-grown specialty crops and increase their consumption.

$160,000.00
111

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$443,020.03

Project 4 - Let’s Cut the 

Rug: Investigating Food Safe 

Alternative Materials for 

Watermelon Post-Harvest 

Activities

The University of Maryland will enhance safety of watermelon postharvest practices by evaluating and optimizing use of alternative 

materials for absorbent harvesting and hauling surfaces, disseminating 

results through scientific publications and best practices guides 

presented at statewide stakeholder meetings. This project will 

evaluate the benefits, opportunities, and challenges of implementing 

closed cell foam or food grade rubber in watermelon harvesting 

activities. The persistence of foodborne pathogens, optimal cleaning 

and sanitizing approaches, and the effect of installing this material on 

fruit quality will be evaluated at the University of Maryland Wye 

Research and Education center and on collaborating farms.

$30,000.00

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$443,020.03

Project 5 - Improving Fruit 

Quality of Economically 

Important Apple Cultivars 

Grown in Maryland Using 

Reflective Groundcovers

University of Maryland researchers in partnership with Maryland apple 

growers will evaluate the use of reflective groundcovers to improve 

apple skin color, overall fruit quality, whole tree yield and light 

distribution within the canopy of the commercially grown and 

economically important Honeycrisp apple cultivar. These features will 

be assessed at different stages of Honeycrisp apple fruit ripening and 

two canopy levels. Findings from this study will be used to provide 

apple growers critical information and recommendations that will allow 

them to increase the value and marketability of their crop that can lead 

to greater profits. Knowledge gained will be disseminated to apple 

growers and other stakeholders via extension meetings and 

conferences, field day tours, newsletters, web postings and other 

outreach venues. We anticipate the future adoption of reflective 

groundcovers will help local apple growers improve the profitability of 

their orchards. It is anticipated that this technology will be transferable 

to other specialty crop systems.

$30,000.00

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$453,834.57

1. A More Diverse Harvest: 

Strengthening the Supply 

Chain of Specialty Crops 

Used in Massachusetts 

Schools

In this project Massachusetts Farm to School will expand the successful 

Harvest of the Month program to support schools to source, serve, and 

promote a greater variety and volume of local specialty crops. The 

project will focus on strengthening the role of local food hubs in 

distributing Harvest of the Month crops and providing specialty crops 

that support schools in serving culturally relevant meals.

$53,647.00
112

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$453,834.57

2. Growing HIP Access: 

Expanding Markets for the 

Healthy Incentives Program 

through Pre-Orders

The Regional Environmental Council’s Mobile Market will increase 

access points for SNAP recipients to purchase local produce through 

the Healthy Incentives Program by developing a model for online preorders with scheduled delivery and/or pickup. We will promote this 

additional access point and provide customer education via our existing 

Mobile Market and through a series of Pilot Mobile Markets over the 

course of the grant period.

$62,736.60

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$453,834.57

3. Accelerating Soil Health 

Through Compaction 

Mitigation: a DataSupported Peer-to-Peer 

Farmer

Learning Project

NOFA/Mass (Massachusetts Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming 

Association) will work with Massachusetts farmers to better 

understand how compaction in their farm fields impacts growing 

specialty crops (in this case, mixed vegetables), and how compaction 

impacts yield and farm profitability. We will focus on farmers who are 

working on reducing tillage. Farmers interested in soil health are 

adopting tillage reduction measures, but don’t always understand 

underlying existing soil structural issues from prior management. There 

is not currently a strong understanding among farmers of the 

persistence of compaction, or of the relative capacity of different tools 

to mitigate the issue. Complicating this factor, it is commonly believed 

in the Massachusetts farming community that sandy soils are immune 

to compaction, which impacts awareness and monitoring of soil 

structural issues. This project will support seven farmers who are 

attempting to reduce tillage to better understand both their baseline 

soil density and to assess change over time.

$86,311.00

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$453,834.57

4. Analyzing pesticide levels 

in MA honey, and assessing 

possible routes of exposure 

to improve

recommendations for MA 

honey producers

A previous UMass study (funded by MDAR) found that 100% of wax 

samples and 98% of pollen samples in MA were contaminated with 

pesticides, including the beekeeper-applied miticide coumaphos, which 

is no longer used due to mite resistance and bee toxicity. MA honey 

producers consistently asked the same questions when shown these 

results: “Does this mean my honey is contaminated?” and “Where is 

the coumaphos coming from?” In order to answer these questions and 

provide concrete recommendations to MA honey producers who want 

to sell a safe product, UMass Amherst will: 1) gather 50 honey samples 

from beekeepers around the state and test them for pesticides, and 2) 

purchase wax foundation from four bee supply companies and test 

them for pesticides.

$35,229.76
113

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$453,834.57

5. Enhancing the 

Sustainability and Resiliency 

of Garlic Production in 

Massachusetts

The University of Massachusetts Amherst will work with local vegetable 

growers to introduce a sustainable garlic production system to the 

Northeast. The proposed system is designed to enhance the 

sustainability and resiliency of garlic production by building natural soil 

fertility, increasing biodiversity, and minimizing the need for off-farm 

inputs. Garlic will be relay-cropped into four standing fall planted cover 

crop treatments including oat, field peas, forage radish, and a mixture 

of all three species. At the time of planting garlic will be inoculated with 

arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, which has the potential to increase 

garlic water and nutrient (especially phosphorous) uptake efficiency 

and speed up cover crop residue decomposition in the spring.

$59,322.76

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$453,834.57

6. Development of three 

public domain specialty 

crop cultivars for organic 

agriculture in 

Massachusetts.

Freed Seed Federation will develop three new, open pollinated, 

specialty crop cultivars utilizing a Participatory Plant Breeding model 

involving farmers and professional plant breeders. These will be better 

adapted to low-input, organic agricultural practices in Massachusetts 

than those currently available through commercial seed markets. These 

new varieties will reduce farm dependence on fungicide and fertilizer 

inputs and the time and money spent on their application. The 

proposed unique new cultivars will also have high market appeal and, 

when added to a farm’s cropping system, have the potential to boost 

farm revenue.

$83,455.00

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$453,834.57

7. Revive and Thrive 

Specialty Crop Business 

Program

The Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts (SBN)’s 2020-2021 

Revive and Thrive Specialty Crop Business Program will continue to 

build upon the success of the previous program. The 2020-2021 Revive 

and Thrive Specialty Crop Business Program aims to reduce barriers to 

specialty crop integration by building connections between producers 

and institutional food buyers, bolstering the demand for specialty 

crops, and supporting the overall profitability, variability, and 

sustainability of specialty crop producers.

$36,607.77
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Organization

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to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 1 - International 

Marketing Program –

MDARD - International and 

Domestic Promotion of 

Michigan Specialty Crops

The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development’s 

(MDARD) International Marketing Program will continue collaborative 

work with the Cherry Marketing Institute, Michigan Bean Commission, 

Michigan Apple Committee, and the Michigan Potato Industry 

Commission to promote specialty crops both domestically and 

internationally. New specialty crop commodity groups joining the 

program will include the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Council and the 

Michigan Blueberry Commission. The project will allow Michigan 

specialty crop companies and commodity groups the ability to exhibit 

at domestic and international trade shows and the ability to bring

domestic and international buyers to Michigan as part of a buyers’ 

mission for specialty crops. Connecting the Michigan specialty crop 

industry with potential buyers is critical for the expansion of sales both 

domestically and internationally, especially, as production continues to 

increase and there is additional competition in the domestic market. 

The International Marketing Program will work to secure booth space 

at various trade shows, recruit and assist with organizing the specialty 

crop exhibitors for each of the shows. Additionally, the International 

Marketing Program will collaboratively work with the specialty crop 

commodity groups to provide mini grants to bring either domestic or 

international buyers to Michigan. The goal of all activities is to increase 

purchases of Michigan specialty crops and provide markets for 

producers

$154,096.48

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 2 - Optimization of 

Fertilizer Rate 

Recommendations for 

Michigan Dry Bean 

Growers: Strengthening

Economic and 

Environmental 

Sustainability

The Michigan Bean Commission (MBC), which has demonstrated 

commitment to sound economic development and environmental 

stewardship, will be managing this project. This project is designed to 

provide optimized nutrient recommendations to ensure appropriate 

soil fertility required for enhanced crop productivity. This proposed 

project builds on two years (2019-2020 crop years) of research trials 

designed to establish rate recommendations under small-plot testing. It 

is appropriate to further assess, verify, and optimize these 

recommendations using extensive on-farm "Strip Trials." These largescale trials are essential to validate recommendations under 

commercial conditions. Improvements in fertilizer management within 

$99,998.00
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Organization

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this highly concentrated land space will have a significant impact on 

environmental quality.

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 3 - Michigan 

Greenhouse Growers 

Council - Greenhouse 

Growers Seek Innovative 

Solutions to Control Botrytis 

Blight

This proposal, submitted by the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council 

(MGGC), will reduce Botrytis blight and enhance plant quality by 

developing and extending novel strategies to control Botrytis blight, 

thereby reducing production costs associated with fungicides and 

increasing the industry’s profits. The wholesale value of Michigan’s 

floriculture crops was $475 million in 2018. Our goal is to reduce or 

prevent Botrytis blight and enhance plant quality. This will be achieved 

by determining whether photoperiodic lighting, including different light 

qualities (color), and/or calcium chloride sprays can reduce disease and 

growers’ reliance on fungicides. Providing grower outreach regarding 

novel approaches to Botrytis blight management is an integral 

component of this project and ensures successful outcomes.

$70,000.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 4 - Evaluating 

Effective Management 

Strategies to Control 

Anthracnose Fruit Rot in 

Michigan Blueberries

The Michigan Blueberry Commission is requesting funding from the 

MDARD/USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program in collaboration with 

the Small Fruit and Hop Pathology Laboratory at Michigan State 

University. Michigan has a roughly $120 million blueberry industry and 

nearly 75% of the industry is planted to cultivars which are very 

susceptible to a fruit rot disease known as anthracnose (e.g. Jersey and 

Bluecrop) (USDA-NASS 2016). Anthracnose fruit rot (caused by the 

fungus Colletotrichum acutatum) is difficult for growers to manage and 

typically is controlled by prophylactic applications from bloom until 

harvest. The objectives of this proposal are to 1) re-assess fungicide 

products utilized to control anthracnose, 2) evaluate fungicide 

programs within the industry through grower surveys, 3) assess 

fungicide efficacy to several modes of action and 4) communicate the 

$70,258.00
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information to the industry through outreach efforts within Michigan 

State University.

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 5 - Strategies are 

needed to protect 

Michigan’s cucurbits from 

fungicide resistant downy 

mildew

The Michigan Vegetable Council has partnered with MSU researcher, 

Dr. Mary Hausbeck, to develop crop specific recommendations for the 

state’s cucurbits (slicing and pickling cucumbers, pumpkins, squashes, 

cantaloupe, watermelon, and gourds) to combat the downy mildew 

pathogen (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) that has become resistant to 

key fungicides. Our overall goal is to develop fungicide programs that 

are specifically tailored to 

protect the major cucurbit crops grown in Michigan from downy 

mildew. This will be achieved through replicated fungicide trials which 

will identify effective and efficient programs that are tailored for each 

of the major cucurbit crops grown in Michigan. The anticipated 

outcomes from this project include a decrease in the risk and expense 

from downy mildew.

$91,577.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 6- Managing downy 

mildew in Michigan 

vineyards: investigating 

alternative products, 

fungicide efficacy

and resistance levels

The Michigan State Horticultural Society is requesting funding from the 

MDARD/USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program in collaboration with 

the Small Fruit and Hop Pathology Laboratory at Michigan State 

University. This project focuses the most critical grape disease that 

Michigan’s grape industries face, namely downy mildew. The proposed 

research will investigate a multi-faceted approach to control downy 

mildew for Michigan growers by 1) investigating alternative products 

(e.g. oils, synthetic fungicides and biofungicides), 2) re-assessing 

current fungicide efficacy and update extension materials and 3) 

examining resistance profiles to commonly used synthetic fungicides 

(namely QoIs and CAAs). This proposal will allow the researchers at 

Michigan State University to develop scientifically derived information 

that will be used to manage grapevine downy mildew and the results of 

this project will be disseminated by various annual Michigan State 

University outreach activities and grower focused field days throughout

the state.

$99,500.00
117

Organization

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Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 7 - Development of 

Integrated Weed Control 

Program for Michigan 

Christmas Tree Production

The Michigan Christmas Tree Association, working with Michigan State 

University, is seeking funding to support research to help growers 

improve their productivity and profitability by developing an integrated 

weed control program. The principal objectives include, evaluating 

different combinations of postemergence (POST) herbicides, organic 

mulch, and their combinations on the natural weed populations and 

their phytotoxic effects on four species (Fraser fir, Scotch pine, 

Colorado blue spruce, and Douglas-fir) of Christmas trees during their 

establishment phase in a field trial followed by a separate weed control 

efficacy trial focusing on herbicide-resistant common ragweed species 

and to determine the most appropriate strategy for controlling weeds 

in Christmas tree production. The results and outcome of this research 

will be disseminated to the Christmas tree growers and stakeholders 

through field days, growers’ meetings, and extension/outreach 

publications by Michigan State University.

$72,744.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 8 - Addressing 

priority issues in berry moth 

management for Michigan 

vineyards

National Grape Cooperative will partner with Michigan State University 

to conduct research and extension activities that will 1) improve 

management of grape berry moth and other insects affecting harvest 

quality and yield, and 2) reduce the need for broad spectrum 

insecticides applied to Michigan juice grape vineyards. This project 

addresses the high priority insect issues identified by members of the 

Michigan grape industry and will generate new information on the 

currently available tools for insect control. This information also needs 

to be delivered to growers so they can make informed decisions. To 

ensure this, our project will coordinate research and extension 

activities. We will bring grape growers together twice a year during this 

project to discuss the progress on the project and to use the 

information to develop proactive strategies for reducing insect damage.

$99,637.00
118

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 9 - Michigan celery 

growers seek answers to 

plant “meltdown” which 

threatens the industry’s 

future

Celery Research Inc. has partnered with MSU researchers to determine 

the cause of the destructive plant “meltdown”, a critical issue for 

Michigan’s $19.5 million industry, and develop an effective solution. 

Losses from plant death in the field and poor quality in the packing 

sheds reached a costly level in 2018 and 2019 prompting widespread 

concern. Growers have reported up to 65% plant loss. We propose to 

collect diseased celery samples from grower farms and identify the 

pathogen via molecular analysis. Our field studies will examine whether 

there is a link between production practices including herbicide use and 

cultivar selection with celery “meltdown”. It is only with this 

information that the celery industry can limit the significant economic 

risk that they currently face and enable the research required to 

develop effective and affordable management strategies.

$70,046.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 10 - Identification of 

Potato Varieties with 

Postharvest Disease 

Resistance

Michigan State University will improve potato storability and reduce 

costly storage losses by developing chip and table stock varieties that 

are resistant to postharvest diseases, including Fusarium dry rot, 

bacterial soft rot, Pythium leak, and pink rot. Potato pathology, 

breeding, and outreach programs will develop screening methodologies 

for use in early line, advanced germplasm, and commercial variety 

selection. Tuber resistance to major fungal (Fusarium spp.), bacterial 

(Pectobacterium and Dickeya spp.), and oomycete (Pythium and 

Phytophthora spp.) pathogens will be considered. The findings of this 

research will be disseminated to local, regional, and national 

stakeholders through extension and scientific meetings.

$85,625.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 11 - Integrated 

Approaches to Managing 

Cone Diseases in Michigan 

Hopyards

The Hop Growers of Michigan are requesting funding from the 

MDARD/USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program in collaboration with 

the Small Fruit and Hop Pathology Laboratory at Michigan State 

University. Michigan ranks 4th in overall hop production in the US with 

nearly 1,000 acres being grown in the state (USDA-NASS 2017 Statistical 

Report). Hops are an exciting crop for Michigan but there are 

challenges to growing them within the state due to the humid growing 

environment during summer. The primary pest within the state is 

downy mildew, which is primarily a foliar/shoot disease, but it can 

affect cone development. The objectives of this proposal are to: 1) 

sample hop yards that have a history of Diaporthe spp., 2) evaluate 

$73,258.00
119

Organization

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fungicide efficacy in controlling Diaporthe infections, 3) assess cultivars 

and time periods that are critical to Diaporthe infection and 4) 

communicate the information to the industry through outreach efforts

with Michigan State University.

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 12 - Multifaceted 

Strategies to Communicate 

the Value of Michigan Dry 

Beans: Conventional and 

Digital

Educational Programs to 

Increase Bean C

The Michigan Bean Commission (MBC) has been chartered to enhance 

the production and consumer use of dry beans grown in the State of 

Michigan. The Michigan Bean Commission activities embrace the 

health, food, therapeutic, and dietetic value of beans and bean 

products; carry out market development, market research, and 

promotional programs. This project is designed to enhance consumer 

awareness through educating and engaging them directly regarding the 

health benefits of incorporating nutrient dense dry beans in their daily 

diet. This will be achieved through the implementation of multifaceted 

strategies to communicate and educate the value of Michigan dry 

beans. It is proposed that conventional and digital approaches (social 

media and web-based resources) designed for specialized educational 

programs be targeted to increase Michigan dry bean consumption. 

Beans clearly have a significant role among today's health-conscious 

consumers. Additional bean education and communication for 

consumers is a promising opportunity.

$107,200.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 13 - #1 Target 

Audience Engagement to 

Increase Sales of Michigan 

Apples

In 2018, the Michigan Apple Committee board approved its strategic 

plan for the period 2018 – 2023 and placed consumer awareness in the 

top three of its priorities. Significant emphasis was placed on 

strengthening consumer awareness and increasing market penetration 

of Michigan Apples. MAC aims to increase sales of Michigan Apples by 

leveraging online and direct outreach efforts. This grant is a top priority 

for the Michigan Apple Committee. The Michigan Apple Committee 

proposes to spend $125,000 on outreach to consumer and retail 

audiences that includes social media, advertising, and retail and school 

programs to increase competitiveness of Michigan Apples in the 

marketplace.

$125,000.00
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Organization

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Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 14 - The Dinosaur in 

the Room: Sales & 

Marketing Tools to Prevent 

Extinction of Michigan 

Asparagus

Industry

The Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board (MAAB) will contract with Full 

Tilt Marketing, a marketing agency that specializes in fresh produce 

marketing, for the purpose of growing fresh market demand through a 

focus on retail education and consumer marketing that work together 

to facilitate knowledge of the benefits of USA-grown Michigan 

Asparagus for both retail buyers and traditional supermarket 

consumers. For retail trade marketing we will utilize trade educational 

tools, promotional incentives, press releases, e-newsletters and the 

MAAB website to disseminate information related to recent research 

on asparagus category performance and consumer buying habits to 

retail buyers. On a consumer level we will utilize social food influencers 

to grow audience awareness of the attributes and benefits of Michigan 

asparagus, as well as promote the availability of a digital coupon that 

will be used to incent purchase. Additionally, we will highlight a 

Michigan centric asparagus brand “Bronto Spears” to bring attention to 

Michigan Asparagus in stores and media.

$125,000.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 15 - Publication of 

Instructional Manual for 

Operating a Five Acre 

Institutional Horticulture 

Farm Using an Incarcerated 

Labor Force

The Shiawassee County Sheriff’s Office will write and publish an 

instructional manual on how to operate a five-acre institutional 

horticulture farm using incarcerated labor to grow and distribute fresh 

local vegetables and bedding plants using conventional, sustainable, 

regenerative, and organic production methods in the field and 

greenhouse. Specific parts of the program will include training inmate 

workers for future employment by Michigan specialty crop growers, 

retailers, and food industry; reducing costs to government institutional 

kitchens; along with distributing fresh locally grown produce to food 

pantries, shelters, and distribution events that assist underserved and 

at risk populations in both urban and rural communities often located 

within fresh produce deserts. The instructional manual will be available 

online and a printed version will be distributed to sheriffs in all 83 

counties of Michigan.

$125,000.00
121

Organization

Amount Funded 

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Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 16 - Driving Tart 

Cherry Demand with 

Influential Foodservice 

Operators

With the National Restaurant Association projecting overall restaurant 

sales will hit a new high of $863 billion, the Michigan tart cherry 

industry has an ideal opportunity to increase awareness and use of U.S. 

Montmorency tart cherries on menus across the country. By connecting 

with and inspiring established and next-generation menu decision 

makers to incorporate Michigan tart cherries into their menus through 

a partnership with the Culinary Institute of American (CIA), one of the 

most respected and influential culinary education programs, this 

opportunity can be realized. Through the CIA’s ProChef Discovery 

Program partnership, the Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) will expose 

up-and-coming culinary students and seasoned culinary professionals 

to the multitude of applications where tart cherries can enhance the 

flavor, texture, presentation and overall appeal of menu items. The CIA 

will develop ten content rich videos featuring on-trend tart cherry 

recipes, preparation techniques, product attributes, etc., specifically for 

foodservice operators.

$125,000.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 17 - A 

Comprehensive Marketing 

Project To Improve 

Competitiveness of Lake 

Michigan Shore Wines

Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail (LMSWT) plans to increase consumer 

access to and awareness of Southwest Michigan wine through a 

comprehensive marketing project. Specific project activities include: (1) 

building one cohesive website that is user-friendly consumers to 

navigate and members to update; (2) designing, printing and 

distributing a promotional map of the Southwest Michigan AVA and 

Trail wineries; (3) hiring a professional writer to provide compelling 

written content for promotional print and web pieces; (4) hiring a 

film/media company to design and execute a promotional video to be 

presented on the new website and through social media marketing. 

The project impact will be measured through surveys to assess how 

these tools are engaging consumers. Surveys to member wineries will 

monitor changes in sales and the number of consumer visits to their 

facilities. The Trail will introduce their new website and promotional 

materials at annual events conducted by the Trail and other industry 

partners. Survey results will inform future marketing strategies and be 

available for member wineries and partnering organizations to use.

$88,252.00
122

Organization

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to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 18 - Debating 

Glyphosate, Understanding 

the Prominence of 

Herbicide Resistance and 

Residuals in

Nurseries: Specialty Crops 

Matter!!

The Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) will study the 

effects of “non-target” drift, “target” applications, and herbicide 

persistence in MI nursery operations. This study utilizes the, Summary 

of Herbicide Site of Action (SoA) Classification List, Weed Science 

Society of America (WSSA, 2017). The four herbicide SoA’s considered 

at risk in nursery, due to their over-use include, Microtubule inhibitors 

(Group 3); 5-Enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) Synthase 

inhibitor (Group 9) (Glyphosate); Synthetic auxins (Group 4); and 

Cellulose inhibitors (Group 20, 21 and 29). This “debate” provides a 

great opportunity to talk to nursery growers/ greenhouse 

managers/Christmas tree farmers, etc., about their need to rotate 

herbicides, not use the same products over and over, and become 

reliant on preemergence herbicides, not postemergence herbicide in 

specialty crops. Additionally, because growers have been using the 

same herbicides repeatedly, in preliminary studies, lingering soil 

residues of these over-used herbicides including, glyphosate, clopyralid 

and indaziflam have been found. The effects of these residues have 

never been studied on specialty crops.

$100,000.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural 

Development

$1,992,250.94

Project 19 - Cold Hardiness 

Monitoring for Grapevines 

in Southwest Michigan

The Michigan Grape Society, a non-profit grower organization, will 

partner with Michigan State University to monitor grapevine bud cold 

hardiness during the dormant season from grower-cooperators across 

southwest Michigan. This monitoring will consist of weekly 

measurements of10 or more grape varieties and disseminated through 

articles and/or the MSU extension website to inform growers of 

potential damage events. Ultimately, this information will also be used 

to provide local recommendations for site and cultivar suitability for 

future planting decisions.

$40,000.00
123

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 1 - Statewide 

Promotion of Minnesota 

Grown Specialty Crops

This project, through the Marketing and Development Division of the 

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, increases sales of MN specialty 

crops through statewide marketing, including search engine 

advertising, promoted social media posts and social media advertising, 

and specialty crop advertising in the printed Minnesota Grown 

Directory. Minnesota Grown is the flagship statewide promotion 

program to stimulate demand for and sales of local food and plants. 

Since its founding by the state legislature in 1987, this public-private 

partnership has grown to include 1,341 producer members. Minnesota 

Department of Agriculture (MDA) staff manage the program, which 

includes: a robust online platform and directory, a printed directory, an 

extensive array of marketing materials for member farms and retailers, 

a limited amount of paid TV advertising across Minnesota, and public 

relations activities.

$98,348.48

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 2 - Protecting 

Minnesota’s Christmas Tree 

Industry: The Potential 

Impact of the Elongate 

Hemlock Scale.

The exotic elongate hemlock scale (EHS) was found in Minnesota on 

imported Christmas trees in 2018 and 2019. Through a collaboration 

between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and University of 

Minnesota, this project’s purpose is to determine the potential of this 

insect to survive in Minnesota and its impact on this important 

specialty crop. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) will 

establish a contractual agreement with Dr. Brian Aukema’s forest 

entomology laboratory in the Department of Entomology at the 

University of Minnesota to complete the work of determining the cold 

hardiness of elongate hemlock scale (EHS). EHS is a tiny, invasive 

needle-feeding pest that infests Fraser fir (a popular Christmas tree) as 

well as other firs and spruces.

$92,972.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 3 - Screening for 

Black Rot 

Resistant/Tolerant Cultivars 

of Spring and Fall Broccoli

This project, by the Minnesota Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, 

will screen for black rot (Xanthamonas campestris pv. campestris) 

resistant/tolerant cultivars of spring and fall broccoli to address the 

persistent black rot disease which has resulted in up to 90% yield loss 

for fresh market growers. We will also screen for Alternaria leaf spot, 

an emerging pathogen. There are very few tools available to manage 

this disease, making genetic resistance and tolerance key strategies for 

management.

$34,536.00
124

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 4 - Produce Safety in 

Minnesota: Broadening 

Market Access for Growers 

and Increasing Local 

Produce Purchasing and 

Consumption in Schools

University of Minnesota Extension will provide GAPs education, 

materials, and technical assistance to Minnesota produce growers to 

reduce risks and increase market access to schools to increase local 

produce purchasing and consumption in farm-to-cafeteria and school 

garden programs. University of Minnesota Extension seeks to enhance 

produce safety and increase market access for MN specialty crop 

growers through Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Food Safety 

Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR)-related 

workshops, technical assistance, and resources, including for beginning 

and socially disadvantaged farmers. We also aim to bring relevant GAPs 

and FSMA awareness, education, and materials to institutional 

audiences - particularly schools - to lessen confusion and 

misconceptions related to the safety of local produce, empower local 

purchasing, and reduce food safety concerns and risks in garden 

programs.

$100,000.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 5 - Produce Safety 

Rule Grower Training and 

Post-Training On-Farm 

Produce Safety 

Improvement Grants

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will help produce growers 

understand the FSMA Produce Safety Rule by offering grower trainings 

at a reduced cost, and help growers implement on-farm food safety 

improvements through a mini-grant opportunity.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture Produce Safety Program 

(PSP) has worked directly with Minnesota produce growers for three 

years across the state, providing training, information about the 

Produce Safety Rule (PSR), on-farm visits to discuss food safety 

practices, and starting inspections in the summer of 2019. This work is 

part of the development of a new regulatory inspection program 

focused on the implementation of the PSR, one of seven new Federal 

regulations enacted under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

$100,000.00
125

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 6 - Expanding Deep 

Winter Greenhouse 

Production with Early 

Season Tomatoes

The University of Minnesota Extension’s Regional Sustainable 

Development Partnership (RSDP) will lead and execute this project that 

seeks to expand the Deep Winter Greenhouses (DWG) production 

season by incorporating tomatoes for late spring/early summer 

markets. The project also includes a DWG tomato profitability analysis 

and outreach on DWG production. The University of Minnesota 

Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnership (RSDP) will 

lead and execute this project. This project will identify best practices for 

utilizing passive solar Deep Winter Greenhouses (DWGs) to grow 

tomatoes for late spring/early summer markets.

$100,000.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 7 - Training 

Immigrant Farmers on 

Growing Methods and 

Accessing New Markets for 

Ginger and Strawberries

This project by the Hmong American Farmers Association focuses on 

training small-scale, immigrant Hmong farmers on best practice 

growing methods for ginger and low tunnel day-neutral strawberries, 

increasing regional availability, and improving farmers’ economic 

returns. A successful program will result in training 100 immigrant and 

first-generation Hmong farmers on best growing practices for ginger 

and strawberry production, and 12 Hmong farmers implementing a 

specialty crop growing program over the course of the two-year 

project. The project outcomes will lead to an increased in specialty crop 

producers, increase amounts of locally grown ginger and strawberries 

in the Twin Cities region, and improved earnings and income potential 

for participating HAFA farmer-members, and increased awareness of 

best practice growing methods for other potential specialty crop 

producers.

$98,445.60
126

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 8 - Grass Weed 

Control with Abrasive Grit 

in Minnesota Horticultural 

Crops

West Central Research & Outreach Center through the University of 

Minnesota will execute this project to achieve grass weed control in 

orchards and vineyards without chemicals using high velocity abrasive 

grits derived from residues of Minnesota-based natural products.

This project, by the University of Minnesota West Central Research & 

Outreach Center (WCROC), will advance new technology for controlling 

grassy weeds in specialty crops by comparing air-propelled hazelnut 

shell grit with grits derived from other Minnesota agricultural 

byproducts. Common agricultural residues, such as corn cobs, can be 

processed into abrasive grit. Our research team already has shown that 

these gritty materials can be propelled at high velocities to abrade and 

successfully control broadleaf weeds growing amongst valuable 

horticultural crops. However, corn cob grit is too “soft” to abrade and 

control grass weeds economically.

$81,490.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 9 - Genetic 

Improvement of Hybrid 

Grape Fruit Quality Traits

This project by the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Grape Breeding 

and Enology project will use high-throughput techniques for measuring 

fruit quality combined with genetic mapping to improve the efficiency 

of developing new cold hardy hybrid grapes and improve production 

practices and sustainability for Minnesota farmers. This project, led by 

Dr. Matthew Clark in collaboration with Dr. Adrian Hegeman, aims to 

improve the techniques used to measure important grape fruit quality 

traits including color, flavor and aroma compounds (commonly called 

volatile organic compounds; VOCs). The UMN Grape Breeding project 

will benefit from improved methodologies for characterizing breeding 

germplasm and also for evaluating the impact of viticultural practices 

aimed to improve current cultivar production. Flavor and aroma 

profiles in hybrid grapes are different than common Vitis vinifera 

grapes produced in Mediterranean climates. For example, hybrid 

grapes have more complex colors, and include additional flavor 

compounds (some desirable and some undesirable) that make them 

unique. The goal of the breeding program is to efficiently and precisely 

characterize these attributes as well as use DNA tests to predict the 

performance of young plants on these traits in order to speed up the 

breeding cycle.

$99,929.00
127

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 10 - Genomic 

Approaches for Improving 

Low-Input Turfgrass Sod

This project, conducted by the University of Minnesota, will use 

genomic approaches to improve a low input turfgrass species, strong 

creeping red fescue, for enhanced sod forming ability. Genetic markers 

from this project will be very useful in a molecular plant breeding 

program leading to new cultivars of fine fescues with enhanced sodforming ability. We will communicate results to sod producers and 

other turfgrass managers both through in-person talks and articles in 

professional trade magazines such as the Minnesota Turf and Grounds 

“Clippings”. For this study, we will focus on strong creeping red fescue 

and slender creeping red fescue as they are the only fine fescues that 

produce rhizomes which makes them more favorable for sod 

production. We will genotype 2000 strong creeping red fescue plants 

using the DaRTseq method, resulting in approximately 10,000 single 

nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that can be used in a 

molecular breeding program.

$92,993.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 11 - Managing 

Mechanical and Biological 

Factors That Help Spread 

Potato Virus Y

The University of Minnesota – North West Regional Outreach Center 

proposes to assess and develop controls for mechanical, and biological 

factors that help spread Potato Virus Y, a disease limiting the yield and 

quality of seed potatoes and threatening the MN commercial potato 

industry. The University of Minnesota – Northwest Research & 

Outreach Center (UMN-NWROC) proposes to assess and develop 

controls for mechanical, and biological non-aphid transmission of 

Potato Virus Y (PVY), a disease limiting the yield and quality of seed 

potatoes and threatening the MN commercial potato industry. The 

tactics developed in this research will improve the within season 

management of the disease and improve the certification rates of seed 

potatoes by providing growers with tactics to avoid within-field 

mechanical transmission of PVY and ameliorate the potential vector 

and other impacts of defoliating insects on PVY spread.

$90,494.00
128

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 12 - Identifying and 

Overcoming Stakeholder 

Barriers to Adoption of 

Biotechnology in MN 

Specialty Crops

This project by the University of Minnesota will identify grower and 

consumer barriers to adoption of biotechnology (genetically 

engineered, or gene edited) improved specialty crops in MN to reveal 

opportunities that improve efficiency and quality of specialty crop 

production. Despite the advantages of biotechnology, especially gene 

editing (CRISPR) for crop improvement there is resistance to adoption 

by MN specialty crop growers and consumers. Biotechnology is safe for 

the environment and growers, increases yield, and increases 

profitability, yet negative perceptions prevent adoption. Agronomic 

crops have successfully adopted biotechnology to improve grower and 

environmental outcomes. The goal of this project is to understand the 

barriers to adoption of biotechnology in specialty crops and develop 

educational information to address any misconceptions, concerns, and 

barriers, and in turn, facilitate informed discussion on the topic of 

biotechnology for specialty crop improvement.

$99,924.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,334,002.39

Project 13 - Placing 

Community at the Center of 

New Farm to School Grant 

Support and Evaluation

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) seeks to support 

the success and formally evaluate the implementation of the 

Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)’s pilot of a brand-new 

grant program reimbursing schools for purchases from local farmers. 

With a goal of increasing their purchases of specialty crops from 

Minnesota growers, IATP will provide training and technical assistance 

to schools selected by MDA to receive funding in the pilot year of the 

grant program. At the same time, IATP will work with partners from U 

of MN Extension to design and implement an evaluation plan for the 

grant program, combining community-based participatory evaluation 

strategies with in-depth economic analysis to gather feedback and 

assess the impact of the new program, especially focusing on the actual 

and potential impacts on Minnesota specialty crop growers and 

improvements to distribution systems to expand institutional access to 

local foods. IATP and Extension will provide evaluation data to MDA to 

support and inform their planning for the expansion of the grant 

program beyond its pilot year and produce public-facing materials to 

promote and document the program as it grows.

$88,000.00
129

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Containerized Organic 

Production of Culinary 

Herbs and Spices

Mississippi State University will conduct research to evaluate selected 

culinary herbs and spices suitable for containerized production and to 

develop sustainable management practices. Results will help growers 

diversify crop profiles and improve farm profitability. The objective of 

this project is to evaluate and identify suitable cultivars of selected 

herbs and spices for containerized production and to develop and 

promote sustainable production practices. Results from this project will 

be distributed through direct farmer contacts, meetings, field days, and 

publications.

$12,305.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Effect of Low Rate of 

Dicamba on Tomato at 

Different Growth Stages 

and Its Progeny

Mississippi State University will determine the effect of low rates 

(simulated drift rate) of dicamba (clarity) on tomato at different growth 

stages and possible contamination of the fruit (food safety). The 

experiment will be conducted in the greenhouse. The results of this 

research will show the sensitivity of tomato growth stages to low rate 

of dicamba and if dicamba will translocate in the fruit. Results from this 

project will be made available to stakeholders at the Vegetable Field 

Day, Workshop, and SWSS Annual Meeting.

$27,780.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Expanding Agriculture 

Initiatives in the Mississippi 

Delta by Cultivating, 

Disseminating, and Growing 

Organic Vegetables

The Expanding Agriculture Initiatives in the Mississippi Delta by 

Cultivating, Disseminating, and Growing Organic Vegetables project is 

proposed to assist the Mississippi Delta Community College Agriculture 

department in (1) developing the techniques of growing organic 

specialty vegetables; (2) hosting annual Farmer’s Conferences and 

Workshops; (3) improving fresh vegetable consumption and education 

of the Mississippi Delta (Moorhead) community; and (4) enhancing the 

institutions’ Agriculture program by engaging students in extensive 

research related to specialty crops. With the cooperation of Mississippi 

State University – College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Mississippi 

State Extension Services (Delta Research and Extension Center – DREC 

Office), the Town of Moorhead, and industries such as Simplot Grower 

Solutions and Wade Incorporated at least 35% (727 citizens) of the 

community will be assisted through workshops and educational 

sessions on the importance of fresh fruit and vegetable consumption. 

Yields from the crops will be distributed during the Farmer’s 

Conferences and Workshops.

$18,441.13
130

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

High Tunnel Production of 

Grafted Tomatoes Using 

Different Rootstocks

Mississippi State University will conduct research to: 1) Compare crop 

yield and quality of tomato varieties including commercial hybrid and 

heirloom varieties in a high tunnel; 2) Investigate crop yield and quality 

using three plant types including seedlings and grafted plants with two 

different rootstocks; and 3) Investigate the effect of a high tunnel on 

variety performance and time of fruit production. The ability to provide 

local markets with high quality tomatoes during a relatively off-season 

where other sources are not available is key to high market prices. High 

tunnels serve as an economic tool to increase frost-free days and 

extend growing season into early spring and late fall. Growing grafted 

tomato plants in a high tunnel production system provides growers 

with a unique opportunity to produce tomatoes with high yield, 

superior quality, and higher market price early or late in the season. 

Results from this project are expected to increase competitiveness of 

vegetable production and promote a healthy local food system in 

Mississippi.

$18,572.50

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Impact of Sweet Potato as a 

Natural Energy Food 

Prebiotic to Improve Health 

and Endurance

Mississippi State University (MSU) and the University of Memphis 

propose to investigate the microbial changes associated with a 30-day 

daily ingestion of sweet potatoes and their impact on performance and 

health. To accomplish this, farmers in Pontotoc, Mississippi will provide 

sweet potatoes for participant ingestion throughout the study. Sweet 

potatoes are a nutrient-rich prebiotic food that has been shown to 

improve intestinal health and nutrient utilization through increased 

beneficial bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics improve gut health by 

providing beneficial bacteria with short chain fatty acids, of which 

butyrate is preferred, to increase colonic epithelial cell proliferation 

and cancer cell apoptosis. A moderate sized sweet potato (150 g) 

contains ~53% carbohydrate with 32% of this as simple sugar (e.g. 

glucose). Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel source during 

high intensity physical activity, giving active populations interest in 

consuming the vegetable. The changes in microbial community 

composition have not yet been investigated in conjunction with 

carbohydrate utilization during exercise. Positive outcomes from this 

study will drive an increase in sweet potato consumption for improved 

health and endurance. Microbial community alterations will be 

$34,788.45
131

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

examined in line with carbohydrate utilization during exercise through 

fecal sampling, performance, and cholesterol testing. Positive findings 

of this research will increase the marketability of sweet potatoes to 

active populations for improved health and performance.

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Improving Market Access 

for Mississippi Fruit and 

Vegetable Farmers with 

Food Safety and Audit 

Services

Up in Farms LLC will provide Mississippi fruit and vegetable farms with 

farm training, self-assessment assistance, access to an electronic food 

safety and record keeping system, and USDA Harmonized GAP audit 

services under the USDA Group GAP system, giving more farms access 

to markets that require food safety certification and compliance. We 

propose here to work with growers and MDAC to provide Group GAP 

farm assessment and audit services for up to ten Mississippi fruit and 

vegetable farms for three years.

$7,424.00
132

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Let's Plant! Mississippi 

School and Community 

Gardens

The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce will partner 

with schools and community organizations to fund gardens designed to 

increase agriculture education of growing specialty crops. The purpose 

of this project is to educate school aged children and communities on 

how to grow specialty crops by offsetting some of the costs it takes to 

start a garden. Home gardening interest has increased as a result of the 

COVID-19 pandemic, but those that have never gardened before do not 

know where to start. This is an educational project designed to meet 

this need through schools and communities. This project will increase 

the consumer’s awareness of specialty crops grown in the state and the 

hard work it takes to make these crops to the grocery store shelf. It is 

expected that once children are educated on specialty crops by 

gardening, consumption among the school age children will increase, 

not only aiding them in a more nutritional diet, but also causing an 

increase in the demand for Mississippi fruits and vegetables.

$20,000.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Local and Regional 

Marketing Opportunities for 

Socially Disadvantaged 

Farmers with Specialty 

Crops

The Mississippi Association of Cooperatives (MAC) will research and 

develop viable commercial production systems of specialty crops that 

are grown for maritime shipping industries, direct and commercial 

markets, farmers market and regional supermarket chains. We will 

reach new and beginning, socially disadvantaged farmers, whether 

rural and/or urban, to grow and receive training on sustainable 

methods for specialty crop production and marketing. MAC will 

develop and implement an educational marketing handbook that will 

aid in constant communication between the farmers and food service 

directors, farmer’s market directors, direct and indirect market 

managers, and regional supermarket chains. Also, this program will be 

used to sustain socially disadvantaged farmers and cooperative 

members while increasing their farm income to be able to supply the 

market demand.

$17,327.05
133

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Public Relations and 

Marketing Campaign to 

Promote Buying Mississippi 

Sweet Potatoes

Farm Families of Mississippi will develop and implement a promotional 

campaign that educates consumers on the benefits of buying 

Mississippi grown sweet potatoes. We will establish a baseline sales 

figure for the 2020 crop year, produce and air television and radio spots 

and buy billboards and digital marketing space promoting the 

purchasing of Mississippi sweet potatoes. We will then compile sales 

figures for the 2021 crop year to compare with the baseline sales 

figure, as well as statistics for the number of people potentially reached 

by our advertisements and promotional materials. Our goal is to select 

media who reach consumers making the food buying decisions for their 

households, as well as consumers who are unaware Mississippi is one 

of the top growers of sweet potatoes in the world.

$150,000.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Sustainable Production of 

Off-season Strawberry 

Using High Tunnels and 

Biodegradable Mulches

Mississippi State University will conduct research to: 1) Identity 

strawberry cultivars suitable for local climates in a high tunnel 

production system; 2) Investigate the effect of a high tunnel on yield, 

quality, and time of fruit production in strawberry cultivars; 3) 

Investigate the effect of biodegradable mulches on strawberry yield 

and quality. Growers have increasing interest in protected culture of 

strawberry using economic season extension tools like high tunnels. 

High tunnels can extend the growing season into early spring or late 

fall, advance fruit harvest, and introduce considerable market edges for 

off-season crop production. High tunnels also protect plants from 

abiotic and biotic pressure, increase crop yield and quality, and 

potentially reduce pesticide applications. There lies an urgent need to 

identify strawberry cultivars suitable to local subtropical climate and 

incorporate sustainable practices. Results generated from this study are 

expected to increase competitiveness of small fruit production and 

promote a healthy local food system in Mississippi.

$18,572.50
134

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Using Sicklepod Extract 

Formulations as Natural 

and Effective Deer 

Repellent in Sweet Potato

The Mississippi State University will provide effective protection from 

deer herbivory in sweetpotato production systems using sicklepod 

extract formulations. The main goal of this project is to identify the best 

sicklepod extract formulation that is effective in repelling deer in 

sweetpotato through field tests. The sicklepod extract formulations will 

also be compared with commercially available synthetic and natural 

repellents to determine the relative effectiveness of the sicklepod 

extract repellent. Results from this project will be disseminated to 

approximately 1,200 stakeholders at the Annual Mississippi 

Sweetpotato Field Day, US Sweet Potato Council Convention, the 

Southern Region Horticultural Crops Conference and American Society 

of Agronomy/Crop Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA) annual 

meeting combined. The general tasks of the project will include 

preparing and characterizing four formulations of sicklepod extract for 

improved deer repelling efficacy, and use these four formulations for 

trials at the R. R. Foil Plant Science Research Center (Starkville) and 

Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods Branch Experiment Station (Pontotoc) to 

determine which formulation(s) is most effective in repelling deer.

$35,050.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$434,543.90

Utilizing Mechanical 

Harvesting to Improve 

Productivity in Tea 

Production

Mississippi State University will collaborate with tea growers in 

Mississippi to develop efficient mechanical harvesting strategies in tea 

production. Results will be used to help growers identify suitable 

mechanical harvesting practices to reduce labor cost, optimize tea 

quality, and improve production efficiency. The overall objective of this 

proposed project is to obtain preliminary data on identifying efficacious 

and cost-effective harvesting strategies as proof of concept, which will 

provide guidance to domestic tea growers. Output of this project will 

also allow researchers to focus on the applicable or develop new 

technology to improve mechanized tea harvesting tactics for US tea 

growers and help them be successful and profitable. The project’s 

results will be disseminated through direct farmer contacts, grower 

meetings, workshops, field days, and national conferences.

$25,981.95
135

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

A Marketing Campaign 

Celebrating Missouri’s 

Specialty Crop Growers

Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Ag Business Development 

Division requests funds to promote the Missouri Grown specialty crop 

industry in Missouri, particularly berries, peaches, apples, pumpkins 

and Christmas trees. Missouri Grown will promote these products to 

consumers just prior to and at the time of harvest, encouraging 

consumers to find Missouri grown items at their local retailer and at 

grower u-pick and agritourism locations. The advertising campaign will 

be statewide, with targets in the areas of large production. This oneyear project aims to assist the specialty crop industry by increasing 

consumer awareness of those crops grown in Missouri, as well as the 

producers who sell their specialty crops from the farm in the form of a 

u-pick or choose your own Christmas tree. Radio advertisements will be 

placed statewide during particular specialty crop seasons. For instance, 

advertisements to promote strawberry season will be placed in May. 

The ad will encourage consumers to patronize Missouri strawberry 

growers, with the suggestion to visit the Missouri Grown website to 

find a u-pick operation in the area.

$12,535.12

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84 Alternative Host Plants of 

GRBV in Missouri Vineyards

The University of Missouri will research Grapevine Red Blotch Virus 

(GRBV), a relatively newly discovered plant virus that negatively 

impacts grape production, which in turn can reduce wine quality. In 

2016, GRBV was confirmed to be present in Missouri and subsequent 

statewide survey revealed that 35% of grapevine samples analyzed 

were positive for GRBV. We propose to survey host plants of E. carinata 

and E. binotata found within or on the periphery of vineyards infected 

with GRBV. Alternative herbaceous host plants of E. carinata in the 

family Asteraceae have become common vineyard weeds because of 

the development of resistance to the active ingredient glyphosate. 

Whereas, alternative host plants of E. binotata are woody and more 

similar to grapevines. Further, we propose to characterize acquisition 

and transmission of GRBV by E. carinata. Identifying GRBV host plant 

reservoirs will result in management plans for either the insect vectors, 

the control of host plant reservoirs of GRBV or a combination approach.

$16,538.00
136

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

Evaluation of Satellite 

Mushroom Prefabricated 

Pod Production

Missouri State University will evaluate satellite mushroom 

prefabricated pod production as a comprehensive, collaborative project 

to develop and increase mushroom production and marketing in 

Southern Missouri and in the state. The project will promote, through a 

demonstration production set-up, workshops and field days, 

production practices in newly developed production pods developed by 

Willow Mountain Mushrooms as well as alternative methods of 

production. Pod production using pre-inoculated and pinned cremini 

and oyster mushroom blocks has the potential to expand specialty crop 

mushroom production and marketing for increased revenue. The 

project will also expand options for customer use of mushrooms, 

providing education regarding freshness determination, incorporation 

into meals and how to store and preserve. Educational impact will be 

expanded by training extension and outreach specialists in mushroom 

production practices.

$25,862.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

Evaluation of Southern 

Highbush Blueberry 

Varieties Adaptability to 

Southwest Missouri

Missouri State University will evaluate the potential of Southern 

Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium Darrowi x V. virgatum) varieties as 

viable crop in southwest Missouri growing conditions. A new planting 

will be established at the State Fruit Experiment Station in Mountain 

Grove, Missouri and will be used for this project. Five (5) varieties of 

southern highbush blueberry will be established in a new planting site 

and data recorded to determine if the varieties are well suited for the 

growing conditions of Southwest Missouri. The varieties chosen for this 

study are Gupton, Legacy, Misty, Ozarkblue and Pearl. If Southern 

Highbush Blueberry is a viable crop option for Southwest Missouri this 

will allow growers to diversify the crop offerings and allow current 

blueberry growers a novel offering at the markets. Results of this 

evaluation will be disseminated to growers and stakeholders through 

grower meetings, social media, university blogs and field days.

$16,380.00
137

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

Expanding Watermelon 

Production and Market in 

Missouri

Missouri Vegetable Growers Association (MVGA) will evaluate and 

assess varieties and the feasibility of growing watermelon in protected 

systems for early production. One objective of this project is to assess 

and extend the information on the feasibility of growing watermelons 

under protected systems (low and high tunnels) to reach the 4th of July 

market. Securing a market share for the 4th of July is expected to 

increase significantly the sustainability of small and medium-size 

specialty crop farmers in Missouri. A second objective is to evaluate 

and extend the information on performance and consumer acceptance 

of newly released watermelon varieties. Environmental conditions in 

Missouri differ from states (California, Florida) where watermelon 

breeding and tasting occur. Therefore, watermelon varieties 

performance in Missouri may vary and consumer acceptance may 

differ. The Missouri Vegetable Growers Association in collaboration 

with University of Missouri Extension will coordinate research at the 

Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center, and extension activities 

including on-farm trials across Missouri.

$44,740.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

Feasibility of Producing 

Sweet Potato Transplants 

and Field Production in 

Missouri

The University of Missouri will assess and extend information about the 

economic feasibility of growing sweet potato transplants/slips under 

protected systems (low and high tunnels) and field production out of 

these slips in Missouri. On-farm slip production and early field planting 

reduce costs and optimize the length of the production season and 

yield. Sweet potato is propagated vegetative, so most farmers in 

Missouri purchase their slips from greenhouse growers or from 

southern sweet potato producing states. This project proposes on-farm 

studies for growers to experience slip production under protected 

systems and field production out of these slips, and outreach activities 

to extend this information as well as the economic feasibility. On-farm 

slip production may reduce costs, improve slip quality, and optimize 

planting date, which would increase profitability and production in 

Missouri increasing supply and local markets share.

$47,928.00
138

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84 Growing the Lavender 

Industry in Missouri

This project will be conducted by researchers at University of Missouri 

Extension to determine a set of standardized growing practices for 

lavender in Missouri. Lavender (Lavandula spp.) has increased in 

popularity for its appeal in the home landscape and its usefulness in 

culinary, medicinal, decorative products, beauty products, cut flowers, 

aromatherapy, and essential oil production. As a result, interest in 

commercial production has also increased and cultivation resources for 

growers in Missouri are sparse. Growing practices will include plant 

establishment and soil preparation, winter protection, cultivar 

selection, plant phenology, insect and disease issues, optimal flower 

and oil production parameters, and fertilization. Results of this project 

will be disseminated via workshops, field days, and guide sheets for 

growers.

$39,274.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

High Tunnel Production of 

Physalis to Expand 

Missouri’s Vegetable 

Market

The University of Missouri will study a comparison of cultivars for 

Physalis (husk tomatoes) in high tunnels and in the field. Although 

popular, with Latino ethnic groups, Physalis is growing in popularity 

among other groups and there is a need for more production 

information. Yield and quality over time will be measured in both 

growing systems with an attempt to produce in the fall in high tunnels. 

Fertility treatments of potassium will be compared to determine 

Physalis yield and quality response. Results and lessons learned will be 

reported at commercial grower events, home gardener events with 

Master Gardeners and high traffic events such as the Missouri State 

Fair.

$22,173.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

Identifying Herbicide 

Tolerance in Tomatoes and 

Assessing Fruit Safety

The University of Missouri will enhance the profitability of fresh market 

production of tomatoes by identifying high-yielding varieties with 

reduced sensitivity to herbicide drift. The safety of marketable 

tomatoes will be assessed by determining if herbicide residues are 

present in the harvested fruit. Results will be widely disseminated to 

stakeholders at grower meetings, newsletter articles, and on-line 

presentations. The goal of the project is to evaluate the fruiting 

response of selected determinate tomato varieties for commercial 

production treated with either dicamba or 2,4-D herbicide. 

Additionally, the risk of consumer exposure to herbicide residue in 

harvested fruit from herbicide treated plants will be determined. This 

$39,388.00
139

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

project should identify tomato varieties that may have tolerance to 

dicamba or 2,4-D drift injury and produce a marketable crop. 

Ultimately, this project should boost tomato sales and inspire 

consumer confidence in the safety of this crop.

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

Improving Urban Soils 

through Sweet Potato 

Production

Cultivate KC is developing a new technique, which utilizes the growth 

habit of the common sweet potato, and free materials such as leaves, 

woodchips and other waste streams to quickly improve soil organic 

matter, increase nutrient cycling, increase water infiltration, promote 

beneficial organisms, and decrease costly inputs, while at the same 

time growing a profitable and nutritious cash crop. We will host a series 

of field days on our farms and partner farms to demonstrate the 

process to area farmers. During these field days, farmers will 

participate in the preparing and planting of a demonstration plot, as 

well as learning how and why this technique works from our project 

coordinator. We and our partner farmers will keep data throughout the 

growing season on water use labor/maintenance time, yield, soil 

improvement, and overall farmer satisfaction with the process. If these 

experiments support our findings from the past three seasons, we feel 

strongly that this technique will be an important tool in improving the 

profitability and productivity of urban and peri-urban farms where 

abundant waste streams are readily available and free, and soils are 

often poor.

$15,082.60

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

Learning to Love and Grow 

Specialty Crops at the 

Market

The Webb City Farmers Market will increase adult and child knowledge 

related to specialty crops through a comprehensive program of on-site 

classes, demonstrations, and activities, resulting in increased 

consumption of specialty crops. Partnering with MU Extension, master 

gardeners and market staff and volunteers, the market will provide 

both formal and informal learning opportunities based, in part, on the 

USDA’s SNAP-Ed Connection Nutrition Education Curricula and 

Materials covering cooking, farmers markets, food safety, gardening, 

and healthy eating. A garden at the market will be a focus of children’s 

learning activities but will also provide opportunities to educate adults 

by demonstrating growing methods such as raised beds, sequential 

planting, cover cropping and various mulches. A year-round market on 

Saturdays, the Market can provide gardening/nutrition education 

$38,296.64
140

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

appropriate to the season. Cooking demonstrations/tastings targeted 

at adults will take place year-round, as will children’s activities.

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

Pest Management to 

Enhance the Profitability of 

Missouri Elderberry

Lincoln University is requesting these funds to provide integrated pest 

management (IPM) tools for eriophyid mites, Phyllocoptes 

wisconsinensis and Epitrimerus trilobus in elderberry production. 

Lincoln University will collaborate with Missouri Department of 

Agriculture and University of Missouri to lead and execute the project 

in the context of an anticipated elimination of the risk poses by the 

current COVID-19 pandemic. We will work with small-scale growers and 

nursery operators in a participatory research approach to identify 

native predaceous mites and determine their effectiveness against P. 

wisconsinensis and E. trilobus. We will evaluate the compatibility of 

predaceous mites with commonly used miticides in selected elderberry 

farms and nurseries. Ultimately, we will recommend predaceous mites’ 

species and miticide that will be effective for elderberry orchard and 

nursery operations. We expect to increase the adoption and 

implementation of sustainable pest management tools by elderberry 

producers. This will lead to production expansion and increased 

profitability of elderberry orchards and nurseries in Missouri.

$23,924.00
141

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$425,702.84

Raising the Profile and Sales 

of Specialty Crops in the 

West Central Region

Katie Nixon of Green Gate Family Farm and Ami Zumalt of Red Ridge 

Farms will work together with the KC Food Hub and New Growth to 

support other small to mid-sized farms in the West Central (WC) Region 

as they distribute more specialty crops to a growing audience of buyers 

seeking local food. This project will: enhance the wholesale market for 

locally grown Specialty Crops in WC Missouri; encourage other specialty 

crop farmers to expand their growing operations and enter the 

wholesale market; and tell the story of the specialty crop industry in 

the west central region. These objectives will be accomplished through 

crop planning meetings with farmers and buyers, marketing to attract 

both farmers and buyers to work together in a distribution system, and 

publishing articles and video stories of farmers growing specialty crops. 

Expected outcomes include an increase in the number of farms and 

volume of specialty crops entering wholesale outlets, an increase in the 

number of wholesale buyers purchasing local specialty crops and a 

greater awareness in the region about growing specialty crops.

$49,339.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

1. Developing Economic 

Opportunities for 

Montana’s Cold-Hardy 

Berry Industry

Lake County Community Development Corporation is partnering with 

the Montana Berry Growers Association (MTBGA) to meet the 

marketing, and food product development of cold-hardy berry growers 

across Montana. Cold-hardy berry production, which includes haskaps, 

saskatoons, sour cherries, currants and aronia berries, is on the rise in 

Montana. Coordinated production-based research and outreach is 

currently being carried out by Montana State University and its 

associated Western Agricultural Research Center, test-orchard sites, 

MSU faculty and staff, and MSU Extension program. The focus of this 

project is to build upon these efforts by developing and promoting 

post-harvest economic opportunities. This includes creation of a 

cohesive marketing message and platform for the MTBGA, identifying 

and prioritizing emerging markets for berry-based food products, and 

proposing pragmatic pathways for accessing those markets. This 

project will result in the development of berry-specific food product 

prototypes available to producers interested in creating value added 

berry –based food products.

$90,189.00
142

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

2. Agronomic and Economic 

Evaluation of Mung Bean 

and Adzuki Bean in 

Montana Agricultural 

Production Systems.

The Eastern Agricultural Research Center, Montana State University has 

been leading the state-wide pulse crop (pea, lentil, and chickpea) 

variety evaluation for more than 13 years. Montana is limited to a few 

species, mainly pea, lentil, and chickpea, which are becoming more 

prone to biotic and abiotic pressure and market volatility. Considering 

the trends in climate change, new emerging diseases, and market price 

volatility, diversifying the pulse production is highly important from 

agronomic and economic standpoints. Our communications with 

growers have confirmed that they are interested in incorporating 

economically feasible new pulse species into their cropping systems. In 

our previous project, the MSU-EARC research team has conducted 

germplasm screening and selected two mung bean and two adzuki 

bean varieties that have potential to grow in Montana. We also 

conducted a preliminary seeding date and rate, and fertility studies for 

these two mung bean and adzuki bean varieties in eastern Montana.

$133,788.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94 3. Planting Seeds for 

Success

Planting Seeds for Success is a project of the National Center for 

Appropriate Technology (NCAT) to establish a sustainable model to 

support the Montana Harvest of the Month (HOM) program and to 

increase the sale of Montana-grown specialty crops to Montana 

institutions and businesses. HOM showcases a different Montana 

grown food each month, providing an easy-to-use framework to start 

or grow farm to institution programs, as well as resources, materials, 

and guidance to institutional food service operators and specialty crop 

producers.

$136,728.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

4. Specialty Crops 

Bioherbicides For Control of 

Canada Thistle and Field 

Bindweed

The Department of Plant Science and Plant Pathology at Montana State 

University, under the leadership of Professor David Sands, aims to 

develop bioherbicides for Canada thistle and field bindweed for use in 

specialty crop production. Montana’s agriculture needs a new tool for 

weed management to supplement their current use of tillage, crop 

rotation, and herbicides. Two deep-rooted invasive weeds, Canada 

Thistle and Field Bindweed, are especially problematic (somewhat 

manageable with chemicals and rotation) in our production of our high 

acreage specialty crops (peas, lentils, chickpeas). Pulses’ weakened 

competitive ability can increase thistle and bindweed infestation in 

pulse: grain rotations. The Organic Advisory and Educational Council 

$255,675.00
143

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

has promoted and funded two years of this research at MSU, and 

donated sick plant samples, to focus on finding and improving local 

(endemic) strains of fungi to serve as natural bioherbicides.

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

5. Integrated Management 

Strategies to Enhance 

Production of Organic 

Lentils

Organic pulses are a promising specialty crop for Montana with the 

potential to add significant value and profits to farmers. However, 

weed management is a major challenge in organic pulse crops. Previous 

SCBG-funded research has shown that integrated weed management 

practices in organic chickpeas can suppress weeds and increase yields 

6-fold over standard grower practices. The efficacy of these practices is 

based on establishing a dense crop stand before weeds emerge. 

Establishing a dense crop stand can be difficult, as pulse crops are 

susceptible to seed and seedling diseases. Variety choice and seeding 

date are the primary options for managing these diseases organically, 

but little information exists on optimal seeding rates or dates for lentils 

in our environments. In addition, seeding rate and seed inoculants can 

be used to increase lentil growth, yields, and weed suppression.

$193,681.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

6. Developing Orchard 

Management Practices to 

Improve Montana Cider 

Quality

Hard cider is a growing specialty crop industry for Montana and 

surrounding states. Most local cideries produce and market high-quality 

cider. These ciders rely on quality juice from cider-specific apple 

varieties. In addition, many of the cider and desert apple growers in 

Montana are beginning farmers that would benefit from continued 

education on orchard management. In this research and outreach 

project, MSU-Western Ag. Research Center (WARC) will evaluate the 

effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) on cider juice quality, yields, 

water conservation, and orchard labor. We will partner with Dr. Carol 

Miles at WSU-NWREC in Mount Vernon, WA, to conduct similar 

research trials and train a graduate student.

$123,104.00
144

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

7. Characterization of 

Chickpea Pathogens in The 

Pulse Growing Regions of 

Montana

Foliar and soil-borne pathogens are common in pulse crops and 

chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is no exception. Fusarium root rot is one of 

the major soil-borne diseases of chickpea. Very little to no information 

is available on Fusarium root rot and wilt pathogens of chickpea not 

only in Montana but across the USA. The predominant species that 

cause Fusarium root rot in chickpea in Montana are not known. 

Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum is a widespread disease 

of chickpea and the forma specialis of F. oxysporum in Montana has not 

been determined.

$99,448.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

8. Expanding Opportunities 

For Winter Pulses in 

Montana

Winter pulse production has been limited to milder climates in the US –

generally in more southern states or coastal climates. Though examples 

of successful production of fall-sown winter peas have been reported in 

Montana and North Dakota, climatic conditions must be optimum. 

Successful production of winter pea and lentil in Washington and Idaho 

is more frequent due to the milder Mediterranean type climate. The 

goal of this project is to expand the potential for reliable production of 

winter pea and lentil in Montana through greater understanding of 

limiting winter conditions and increased potential for pea and lentil 

varieties to survive cold and harsh conditions over the winter months. 

Relative survival of winter pea and lentil germplasm and varieties will 

be evaluated at up to 4 locations across Montana beginning in the fall 

of 2020 (one location) and continuing through the fall of 2022. 

Approximately 50 winter pea germplasm accessions and varieties will 

be sown in replicated experimental designs at four locations in 

Montana. Plant survival, phenological data, yield and seed quality traits 

will be recorded. Weather data collected from nearby or in field 

weather stations will be used to help explain the relative survival and 

performance data.

$217,595.00
145

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

9. Sustaining Montana's 

Beginning Specialty Crop 

Producers Through MiniGrants and Field-Tested 

Farmer-To-Farmer Impact 

Reports

Sustaining Montana’s New and Beginning Specialty Crop Producers 

through Mini-grants and Field-Tested Farmer-to-Farmer Impact 

Efficiency Reports will support Community Food and Agricultural 

Coalition’s (CFAC) established mini-grant fund to financially aid a 

minimum of 20 beginning specialty crop producers over a two-year 

period. Funds will be used to offer mini-grants to farmers to 

strategically purchase farm infrastructure or tools that will increase onfarm production capacities of new and beginning specialty crop 

producers. The project will provide education to farmers by way of oneon-one technical assistance with CFAC and the Western Ag Research 

Center (WARC) and peer learning through Field Tested reports and 

podcasts.

$220,321.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

10. Development of High 

Throughput Technologies 

For Improved Detection and 

Breeding For Resistance to 

Ascochyta Blight of 

Chickpea

Chickpea acreage has been increasing in Montana from 99,000 acres in 

2016 to 390,000 acres in 2018, due to decreasing prices of other pulses, 

better drought tolerance, and natural resistance to root rots. However, 

foliar blight caused by Ascochyta rabiei continues to be a major limiting 

factor to its use in dryland cropping systems. This pathogen, which is 

also seed borne, can cause devastating losses in the right 

environmental conditions and requires multiple foliar fungicide 

applications for control. The use of resistant varieties and planting 

disease free seed are the most effective methods to prevent this 

disease for producers. Breeding for resistance to Ascochyta blight is a 

major component of all pulse breeding programs, but marker assisted 

selection (MAS) can be difficult to use due to the large number of 

resistance genes, an ever-evolving pathogen, as well as time and cost.

$136,344.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

11. Charactering Antibiotics 

Resistance of Fire Blight 

Pathogens in Montana

Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, is the most devastating 

disease of apple throughout Montana and is becoming more 

problematic as seasons grow warmer which favorites the disease 

development. Antibiotic treatments are commonly used in apple 

orchards to manage fire blight disease. However, the fire blight 

pathogen, can quickly develop antibiotic resistance which leads to a 

failed disease management. Despite its importance in making disease 

management decisions, information of antibiotic resistance of fire 

blight pathogen in Montana is currently missing. In this project, MSU 

researchers in the Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology Department and 

$123,352.00
146

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

the Western Agriculture Research Center aim to characterize antibiotics 

resistance of fire blight pathogen across Montana.

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

12. Providing Seed Potato 

Growers With Novel tools 

To Manage Virus

Montana certified seed potatoes are produced under stringent 

standards resulting in high quality seed with low disease levels. Over 

the last 10 years, potato production areas in the state have been 

steadily shrinking while maintaining overall acreage. This has resulted 

in highly concentrated areas of seed potato production which pose risk 

to the industry when disease outbreaks occur. This project will develop 

a GIS application embedded in the Montana Seed Potato Certification 

SQL database that tracks disease movement in real time across 

production areas using Google Earth API. This application will provide 

certification officials the ability to make risk assessments at time of 

planting by mapping initial disease inoculum levels to geographic areas.

$65,293.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

13. Improving Sampling 

Strategies For Detection of 

Soilborne Plant Pathogens 

and Beneficial Microbes in 

Pulses

This project by Montana State University will focus on pulse crops, 

specifically lentil and pea, but potentially benefit all specialty crops 

grown in Montana that are affected by soilborne plant pathogens. This 

project will leverage current activities in Montana, Washington, and 

North Dakota to validate a soil testing system that exists in Australia for 

detection of soil- and residue-borne plant pathogens. These states have 

a project underway to determine the most important species of 

Fusarium causing root rot of lentils in the Northern Great Plains. This 

project will add additional pathogens including fungi, oomycetes and 

nematodes, and an exploratory objective to look at beneficial microbes 

in the soil and their relationships with soilborne plant pathogens.

$63,490.00
147

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

14. Foundational Research 

for Specialty Crop 

Pollination Security - The 

Wild Bees of Montana, 2

Building on the previous SCBGs by Montana State University 

researchers on the (Wild) Bees of Montana, this project will continue 

the first documentation of occurrence and distribution of Montana’s 

native bees. Native bees provide billions of dollars of pollination 

services annually, and are well known to be under threat from a variety 

of established and unknown factors that have resulted in declines 

throughout the nation and beyond. Montana lacks baseline knowledge 

of these critical elements of successful Specialty Crop production, 

leaving producers and the public at risk to lose these services without 

the ability to interpret the events. In addition to collecting throughout 

the state, this project will train students and stakeholders in bee 

taxonomy, produce taxonomic tools specific to Montana, and build a 

foundation for more directed research on pollinators of specific crops.

$456,544.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

15. Montana Tree and 

Shrub Database and 

Publications

Montana Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) is requesting 

funds to research and create a digital, searchable reference library of 

approximately 400 regionally adapted Tree and Shrub Horticultural 

Specialty Crops (HSC). Individual records will contain high quality 

photographs, plant growth rates and habit, mature sizes, distinctive 

qualities, range of adaptation, specific requirements, availability of pest 

resistant or notable cultivars, and cultivation/management practices. 

Content from the library will then be used to create two different 

publications. The first is a 40-page informational catalogue directly 

marketing Montana grown trees and shrubs to consumers. The second 

is a 150-page tree and shrub guide for field use by any HSC delivery 

system or access point. These include over 900 entities licensed to sell 

or distribute nursery stock in Montana.

$95,960.00
148

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

16. Culinary, Nutritional, 

and Value-Added Potential 

of Montana Pulses - A 

Geographical Survey Among 

Four States

The Montana State University (MSU) Food Product Development Lab 

and the MSU Pulse Crop Breeding Program propose to compare the 

culinary, nutritional, and processing qualities of pulses from Montana 

and other pulse-producing states. Three chickpea varieties, including 

Sierra, Orion, and Marvel, and two lentil varieties, including Richlea and 

Pardina, will be collected from eleven USDA Agricultural Experiment 

Stations across four states. These stations represent the different 

geographical growing regions, including 5 regions in Montana, and 2 

regions each in Idaho, Washington, and North Dakota. The same five 

pulse varieties from the eleven regions will be compared for their 

soaking and cooking performances, as well as macronutrient levels 

including protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and minerals. Selected 

samples from Montana and from other states will further be compared 

for their consumer acceptance and sensory profiles, as well as their 

extrusion performances. This project will provide scientific data to 

evidence Montana pulses’ competitiveness in the global trade markets. 

The findings from this project will also provide geographical 

implications to advance the growing, post-harvest handling, and 

product innovation of Montana pulse crops.

$234,010.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94 17. MT Hops 

Implementation Plan

Project Outcomes: Headwaters will be the lead organization that helps 

hops growers from across the state establish the MT HOPS Association 

(MHA). MHA will have similar composition to other entities like the 

Montana Brewers Association. In addition to creating an association, 

Headwaters is requesting SCBG funds to create an economic input & 

output study that canvasses the current and future outlook of the hops 

industry across the state. The hops industry in Montana has 

significantly grown over the past 5 years and there is more acreage 

producing hops each year. The Bozeman and Flathead valleys are 

arguably the hubs where more acres are grown than other regions. 

However, there is more acreage and start-up farms being established 

across the state. These farms range from 5 to 15 acres. The growers are 

primarily focusing on growing hops that can be successful in their 

respective climate, but they are still experimenting with different 

varieties. The ultimate goal is to increase the number of Montana 

$48,575.00
149

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

grown hops that are sold both in and out of Montana, a direct value 

add.

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

18. Improving Production 

and Profitability in Montana 

Vineyards

With 15 wineries and over 50 vineyards, the grape and wine industry in 

Montana is posed to profit from value-added and agritourism-based 

specialty crop production. This project is a continuation of the SCBGfunded collaboration between MSU-Western Ag Research Center 

(WARC) and the Montana Grape and Winery Association (MTGWA) and 

will facilitate growth of Montana vineyards and wineries through 

research and outreach aimed at the following objectives that have been 

identified by grape growers and winemakers in the state: 1) Research 

to identify grape varieties adapted to varying climates across Montana 

and management practices that will optimize grape yields and quality. 

Research will consist of replicated trials at WARC and on commercial 

vineyards. The management practices evaluated will be crop load, 

canopy management, and season extension consisting of draping vines 

in row cover.

$149,923.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,071,685.94

19. Increasing Consumer 

Sales With New "Montana 

Cider Celebration in a Box" 

Promotional Events

The Northwest Cider Association proposes this specialty crop grant and 

will be the organization with the contractual relationship with the state 

and will lead and execute the project. The Northwest Cider Association 

(NWCA) is a member-based nonprofit that connects cidermakers to 

cider lovers. There are currently 7 cidermakers in Montana. This project 

is designed to leverage current COVID market conditions and changing 

consumer purchasing behaviors to (1) enhance the competitiveness of 

Montana hard cider through increased sales in Montana, and (2) 

$53,220.00
150

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

enhance the competitiveness of Montana hard cider through increased 

consumption in Montana.

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48 1. Nebraska Specialty Crop 

Conference and Trade Show

The interest in specialty crops has been strong throughout Nebraska for 

many years. Over the past 13 years, the SCBGP has funded projects 

focused on plant pest and disease control, nutrition education and 

consumption, organic and sustainable production practices, promotion, 

environmental crop research, and trade enhancements/innovations. 

These projects have been popular and well received and some have 

had a lasting impact on the industry. In addition, Nebraska’s SCBGP 

allotment has increased 789% since 2006. Farmers markets have 

increased 250% since 2000 and there are approximately 600 Nebraska 

fruit and vegetable growers listed on the Nebraska Farmers Market 

Online Database (http://ne.gov/go/neproduce). Nebraska leads the 

nation in Great Northern Bean production and potatoes are one of 

Nebraska’s top 10 leading commodities (in order of value).

$83,100.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

2. Exploring the Feasibility 

of Vinifera Grape 

Production in High Tunnels 

in Nebraska

The University of Nebraska Viticulture Program (UNVP) will examine 

the practicality of growing Vinifera grapes in high tunnels for the 

Midwest. High tunnels allow growers to control and manipulate the 

environment for growing grapes to improve the quality of Vinifera 

grape cultivars on a consistent basis by offering protection from harsh 

winter conditions, late spring and early fall frosts. By doing this, 

growers will be able to grow and produce fruit from grapes that 

otherwise would not survive in our environment. High tunnels also 

allow the grower to regulate the amount of water that the vines 

receive thus helping to control the vines’ vigor and disease 

susceptibility.

$55,555.00
151

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48 3. Potato Cyst Nematode 

Survey

Potato Cyst Nematodes (PCN) are destructive soil-borne nematodes, 

infesting feeder roots of potato plants. Females form cysts containing 

200 to 600 eggs, which can stay dormant for up to 30 years while the 

eggs inside remain viable. Heavy infestations result in wilting, stunted 

growth, poor root development, and early plant death. The current U.S. 

distribution of pale PCN (Globodera pallida) are limited to Idaho, while 

golden PCN (G. rostochiensis) are only known to occur in New York. The 

discovery of PCN in Idaho in 2006 resulted in the immediate closing of 

some foreign markets to U.S. potatoes. Those markets have mostly 

reopened to most U.S. potatoes, but the U.S. must continue to survey 

for these pests to maintain pest free areas in order to keep markets 

open.

$35,000.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

4. A Weed Management 

Innovation for Matted-Row 

Strawberry Production in 

Nebraska

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln will enhance the competitiveness 

of specialty crops in Nebraska through research on novel weed 

management solutions for matted-row strawberry production. Results 

from field trials across two locations will increase grower knowledge 

about biobased mulches and mechanical and chemical weed 

management in strawberries. Strawberries are the 3rd most popular 

fruit in the U.S., behind only bananas and apples. In 2018, per capita 

consumption of strawberries was 8.3 pounds. Strawberry production in 

Nebraska is currently limited to 16 acres across 43 farms (USDA Census, 

2017); however, many specialty crop growers in Nebraska recognize 

the increasing demand for fresh local strawberries and are eager to 

produce this crop.

$55,556.00
152

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

5. Value-Added Product 

Development: Can 

Nebraska Dry Edible Beans 

Make Premium Plant-Based 

Yogurt

The UNL Food Processing Center will increase the utilization of dry 

edible beans by developing a high value-added yogurt product. The 

technique of making a premium plant-based yogurt with dry edible 

beans, and the nutrition values of developed products will be explored. 

The ultimate goal is to introduce dry edible beans into the fast-growing 

dairy alternatives market as important resources and enhance the 

competitiveness of these specialty crops through increasing their 

consumption and economic value. The dairy alternatives market is 

projected to grow from USD 17.3 billion in 2018 to USD 29.6 billion by 

2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.4% during this 

period (from MarketsandMarketsTM). This is attributed to the nutritional 

benefits offered by plant-based dairy alternatives. They offer various 

nutritional benefits such as reduced cholesterol levels, improved 

cardiovascular health, and diabetes control.

$27,778.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

6. Optimizing Soil and 

Nutrient Management to 

Improve Mint (Peppermint 

and Spearmint) Yield and 

Quality

The University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center 

(PREC) will optimize nitrogen fertility management of mint production 

in western Nebraska’s production environment. Replicated yield trials 

will be conducted under irrigation using one peppermint and one 

spearmint variety/clone at Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Two types of nitrogen 

fertilizer and four rates with 2-3 split application will be used. Data to 

be collected are emergence of new growth, row width, flowering, and 

plant height before harvest. The plots will be harvested, fresh biomass 

will be weighed, and sub-sample will be dried for yield (DM) estimation. 

Sub-sample of the dry biomass will be used for chemical analysis to 

determine mint oil content. Data will be analyzed, and results will be 

shared with the producers and industry through various extension 

events. Research results and educational programming will provide 

valuable decision-making information for growers interested in this 

specialty crop.

$31,378.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

7. Grapevine Weed & 

Disease Control: A 

Sustainable Approach

Mac’s Creek Vineyards will partner with Arbor Day Foundation (dba 

Arbor Day Farm) to eliminate/reduce the use of chemical pesticides to 

control disease in vineyards, and eliminate/reduce the use of chemical 

herbicides to control weeds in vineyards and apple orchards. This will 

be accomplished by spraying the vineyards and orchards with Essential 

$75,000.00
153

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Oils and disseminating the results to stakeholders through grower 

meetings and/or field days.

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

8. Using Ozone Technology 

to Reduce Pesticide Usage 

and Improve Food Safety in 

NE Small Fruit Orchards

The Arbor Day Foundation (dba Arbor Day Farm) will investigate the 

feasibility of eliminating/reducing chemical pesticide spraying for 

disease control in apple orchards via the usage of ozone technology. 

This will thereby become a part of the “educational story” told in order 

to enhance sustainability of the orchard fruit industry, while also 

enhancing consumer safety (to include the “Pick Your Own” programs), 

worker protection and the growers’ stewardship of the environment.

$75,000.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

9. Mission to Food Aid 

Agencies to Promote 

Nebraska-Grown Pulses

The USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council (USADPLC) is the national 

organization representing the growers, processors, and exporters of US 

grown pulses (dry peas, lentil, and chickpeas). The Council will conduct 

an international trade mission to meet one-on-one with Food Aid 

Organization CEOs, purchasing managers, nutritionists, and other key 

personnel. This trade team will travel to Washington, D.C. and Rome, 

Italy. There are multiple food aid agencies in the D.C. area, and the 

World Food Program is based in Rome. Three Nebraska attendees 

would include a select group of producers, industry, and government 

officials selected via series of interviews. Presentations will focus on 

pulses as an affordable source of protein, the latest research about 

pulse health benefits, how increasing pulse consumption can address 

health concerns, and practical ways households with limited budgets 

can plan and prepare meals using pulses.

$35,000.00
154

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

10. Refining a Method to 

Optimize Confection 

Sunflower Yield Through 

Pollinator-Friendly Pest 

Management Practices

The University of Nebraska’s Panhandle Research and Extension Center 

(PHREC) will collaborate with local growers (phase 1 and 2) and area 

beekeepers (phase 2) to do on-farm testing of a trap crop tactic to 

manage pest and beneficial insects in production confection sunflower 

fields. Border rows of early flowering sunflower will intercept and 

concentrate migrating sunflower pests (i.e., seed weevil and sunflower 

moth) as they move into the field. The crop border can be easily and 

inexpensively managed using best bee protection tactics to prevent the 

pest’s later movement into the field interior as it begins to bloom. 

Insecticides with high pest specificity and low pollinator toxicity will be 

used to conserve pollination services and maximize yield potential 

(phase 1).

$64,815.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

11. Chickpea Production in 

Nebraska: New Products for 

Managing Ascochyt Blight

The plant pathology program at the University of Nebraska, Panhandle 

REC will conduct a study at the Research and Extension Center in 

Scottsbluff that will test new, relatively inexpensive commercially 

available chemicals for their ability to reduce damage in chickpeas due 

to the fungal disease, Ascochyta blight, and improve yields. These 

products will be compared with a standard fungicide and copper 

product, in both disease control efficacy and costs of applications. The 

results will be shared with clientele (growers, consultants, and 

colleagues) via both research- and extension-oriented publications, 

commodity grower meetings, and field days.

$27,780.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

12. Finding Alternative 

Herbicides in Dry Edible 

Bean

The University of Nebraska will establish a series of field trials to 

evaluate novel herbicides and herbicide timings in dry edible beans for 

control of herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth. This project will 

develop an herbicide program that will maximize Palmer amaranth 

control without the use of non-residual herbicides. These best 

management practices will be adopted by farmers dealing with 

herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth. We will compare different 

preplant incorporated (PPI), pre-crop emergence (PRE), and POST 

application timings of residual herbicides, to see if we can develop a 

system of overlapping residual control of herbicide-resistant Palmer. In 

particular, the PRE and PPI herbicides currently used have great control 

of Palmer, but the herbicides degrade in the soil within four to six 

weeks, allowing for Palmer to emerge.

$19,800.00
155

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

13. Developing 

Methodologies for Valueadded Utilization of 

Proteins from Nebraskan 

Pulse Crops

The research team is consisting of a food protein chemist (Dr. Kaustav 

Majumder), a food engineer (Dr. Mary-Grace Danao), a bean breeder 

(Dr. Carlos Urrea), and an alternative crop breeder (Dr. Dipak Santra). 

Drs. Majumder and Danao will lead the effort and participate in 

developing the proposed methodologies and conducting the 

experiments. Drs. Urrea and Santra are the major collaborators of the 

grant and they will provide bean and pea samples each year for the 

analysis. Dr. Danao will be offering her expertise on spectral data 

analysis, and the development of the calibration model to access the 

protein quality. Dr. Majumder will oversee the project and evaluate the 

protein quality and establish the correlation with the spectral data. He 

will provide his decade long expertise to develop and optimize the 

processing conditions for the enhancement of protein functionality and 

to measure the digestibility of proteins and determine structural 

changes.

$32,408.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

14. Optimizing soil and 

nutrient management to 

improve dry edible bean 

yield and quality

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension 

Center (UNL-PHREC) will evaluate nitrogen (N) fertilizer management 

strategy (rate and time of application) and iron (Fe) fertilizer 

management for improving dry edible bean quantity and quality in 

western Nebraska. The project will be in collaboration with Drs. Bijesh 

Maharjan and Carlos Urrea (UNL-PHREC) and Dr. Kaustav Majumdar 

(UNL Food Sci. & Technology). The 2-year (2021-2022) trial will be 

conducted under irrigated system at UNL-PHREC in Scottsbluff, NE. Two 

application timing and 4 application rates of N fertilizers and 2 Fe 

sources at two rates each will be evaluated to determine best practice 

to enhance bean yield and quality. Harvested bean will be used to 

measure bean yield, protein quantity (%) and quality (amino acids and 

bio-accessible and bio-available protein types). Data will be analyzed to 

identify the best N- and Fe- management practice for producing high 

value bean in western Nebraska.

$46,304.00
156

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

15. Identifying Mung Bean

Variety with High Yield, 

Quality and Disease 

Resistance for Western 

Nebraska

The University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center 

(PREC) will identify mung bean varieties adaptable to western 

Nebraska’s production environment. Replicated yield trials will be 

conducted using approximately 5-10 varieties in western Nebraska. 

PREC will collect data on emergence, flowering, plant height, maturity 

and seed yield. Harvested mung bean seed from the variety trials will 

be analyzed for seed quality (test weight, uniformity, and sprouting). 

Data will be analyzed, and results will be shared with the producers and 

industry through various extension events. Research results and 

educational programming will provide valuable decision-making 

information for growers interested in this specialty crop.

$19,836.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$822,737.48

16. Mapping Common 

Bacterial Blight and 

Common Rust Resistance 

Genes in Tepary Bean for 

Enhancing Resistance Levels 

in Dry Beans

The University of Nebraska Dry Bean Breeding Program will elucidate 

the genetic basis of resistance to common bacterial blight pv. fuscans 

(CBB) and common rust in tepary beans to decrease the vulnerability of 

dry beans through introgression of new genetic resistance sources. CBB 

and bean common rust are the primary disease threats to the Nebraska 

dry bean industry. Both pathogens are overcoming genetic resistance 

through the increase in diversity and mutations of aggressive variants, 

making it necessary to find new genetic sources of resistance. Tepary 

beans, a related species that shows higher levels of resistance to these 

pathogens, is a potential source for improving genetic resistance in dry 

bean. However, there is no complete genomic understanding of its 

resistance. Knowing the markers of resistance within the tepary bean 

genome will facilitate transferring those resistant genes into common 

beans.

$32,250.00

Nevada 

Department of 

Agriculture

$269,185.61

1. The Farm to Food 

Accelerator: Energizing 

Growth for Nevada’s 

Female Specialty Crop 

Producers

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) 

Foundation will partner with the Nevada Department of Agriculture, 

Oregon State University Food Innovation Center, and Union Kitchen to 

develop a two-year project to equip female specialty crop producers in 

Nevada to grow their value-added businesses. NASDA Foundation and 

the project team will help Nevada producers expand production of food 

products and enter new regional markets. The team will adapt the 

Women’s Farm to Food Accelerator to meet the needs of Nevada 

producers and integrate them into the program. The Women’s 

Accelerator is a 12-week program that equips female specialty crop 

$72,485.00
157

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

producers in Oregon and Washington to expand production of their 

food products and enter new regional markets.

Nevada 

Department of 

Agriculture

$269,185.61 2. Reno Garlic Fest 2021-

2023

Reno Garlic Fest (RGF) will be a convivial and educational one day event 

featuring local farmers selling garlic, local food trucks and artisans 

selling garlic-based foods and items along with educational literature, 

activities and workshops highlighting garlic growing and cooking tips. 

Reno Food Systems sees the Reno Garlic Fest (RGF) as the perfect 

opportunity to connect our local community to the local food system in 

a tangible and entertaining way. From production to selling to 

consumption, folks will have an opportunity to learn about and 

celebrate one of the region’s most prolific specialty crops and 

experience local agriculture with direct interaction.

$44,925.00

Nevada 

Department of 

Agriculture

$269,185.61 3. Nevada State Beekeepers 

Conference 2021 and 2022

The Mason Valley Beekeepers (MVB) is organizing the 11th and 12th 

Annual Nevada State Beekeepers Conference on February 26-27, 2021, 

and February 25-26, 2022, in Yerington, Nevada. This conference 

intends to provide research, education and outreach for local honey 

producers and others interested in beekeeping. Funding this grant will 

provide speaker fees and lodging for renown educators and researchers 

in the beekeeping industry and help defray the cost of the conference 

venue.

$21,400.00
158

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Nevada 

Department of 

Agriculture

$269,185.61

4. Assessment and 

feasibility of local specialty 

crop processing 

infrastructure for on-farm 

and shared-use facilities

Reno Food Systems will conduct a feasibility study for processing 

specialty crops on farm and/or in shared-use, community processing 

centers to increase our understanding of the challenges (and associated 

solutions) facing specialty crop producers when diversifying into value 

added products and/or medicinal herbs. We will assess the current 

extent of specialty crop processing infrastructure locally, including on 

farms and in spaces accessible to farmers (such as food hubs and 

rentable kitchen spaces). Based on the current extent of infrastructure 

and the demand for it, we will investigate options to expand the 

capacity of local processing infrastructure available to farmers and local 

artisans such as chefs and herbalists. This information will be used to 

create a roadmap for expanding local specialty crop processing 

infrastructure both on farm and throughout the local food system.

$30,000.00

Nevada 

Department of 

Agriculture

$269,185.61

5. Park Farm’s Mobile 

Farmers Market, specialty 

crop production and 

educational programming.

Reno Food Systems (RFS) will expand production of specialty crops, 

educational programming and access to specialty crops by underserved 

communities through our Mobile Farmers Market, thereby increasing 

the availability, awareness and access to specialty crops while also 

training the next generation of specialty crop farmers in Washoe 

County.

$30,997.61

New Hampshire 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Markets and Food

$249,761.89

Project 1: Helping Farms 

Reach Customers through 

Online Retail

The Merrimack County Conservation District will work with farmers 

producing specialty crops, as well as farmers’ markets, within the 

county to connect them with an online platform for selling their 

products in order to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. This 

will entail researching a variety of existing online platforms to ensure 

that each farmer is connected with one that meets their specific needs, 

providing technical assistance to each farm to establish on-farm 

processes for fulfilling online orders, and directing consumers to the 

platforms by marketing the availability of shopping at local farms 

online. Through this project, at least 8 farmers and 3 farmers’ markets 

will be provided with the support to begin selling their products online.

$37,594.76
159

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Hampshire 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Markets and Food

$249,761.89

Project 2: Increasing the 

Competitiveness of NH 

Specialty Crops through 

Business Planning

The Cheshire County Conservation District (CCCD) will work with 

partners to provide business planning technical assistance to specialty 

crop producers in NH to improve the viability of their businesses. 

Technical service providers will actively engage producers in this 

process to determine needs and where strategic investments can be 

made to ensure their continued profitability and the competitiveness of 

their products in the market. Specialty crop producers in NH have a 

growing demand for their products and many want to increase 

production and sales. This project will ensure that their business 

growth is informed by good planning and will lead toward improved 

profitability. The CCCD will incentivize producers’ active participation 

in this project with a stipend they can use to invest into their specialty 

crop enterprise’s identified opportunities for improved infrastructure 

and equipment. The Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship 

(HGCE) and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) will 

partner with the CCCD to provide the needed business planning and 

technical assistance.

$43,620.00

New Hampshire 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Markets and Food

$249,761.89 Project 3: Plant Something 

NH

The New Hampshire Plant Grower’s Association (NHPGA) will enhance 

the competitiveness of specialty crops in New Hampshire by leveraging 

the Plant Something NH program to deliver educational campaigns 

promoting “buy local” initiative and address the marketing challenges 

faced by NH specialty crop growers by providing solutions to these 

challenges with a video education series. In addition, this project will 

provide the tools or skills necessary to aid specialty crop growers and 

retailers in developing a strategy to improve their online marketing 

presence will give them more control and resources to effectively 

compete against big box and online retailers.

$50,000.00

New Hampshire 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Markets and Food

$249,761.89

Project 4: Buy New 

Hampshire Specialty Crops 

Targeted Social Media 

Influencer Marketing 

Campaign 

in Partnership with NH 

Division of Travel & Tourism

The NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets & Food (NHDAMF) will work to 

increase sales of New Hampshire specialty crops through a marketing 

campaign that targets social media influencers and their followers. We 

will identify social media influencers and establish partnerships to 

engage audiences with content around NH specialty crop farms and 

products. By using Social Media Influencers to capture and share this 

content, the Department will gain access to a wider distribution 

$100,000.00
160

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

channel, as well as a catalog of content that can be used and re-used 

across our own social channels and for future marketing efforts.

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31

1. Breeding cranberry 

varieties for rot resistance, 

lowered fruit acidity; 

experimentation to reduce 

insecticide / fungicide use

The American Cranberry Growers’ Association (ACGA) will research 

cultivars with lower fruit acidity and greater rot resistance while 

maintaining crop yields to increase the commercial success of NJ 

cranberries, to increase fruit marketability by reducing the use of 

fungicides and insecticides, and to develop alternative forms of pest 

management. The grant equipment will be used by researchers at the 

Rutgers University Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry 

Research. One incubator will be used to cross cranberry cultivars under 

increased fruit rot pressure to test for resistance and to assess the 

efficacy of new fungicides and fungicide regimes. The titrator with 

auto-sampler will be used to measure acidity level in the analysis of 

cultivars’ fruit quality. The other incubator will maintain colonies of 

Sparganothis Fruitworm and Spotted Fireworm to develop behaviorbased alternatives to pesticides, create models for more precise 

chemical controls, and test for fruit resistance to these pests.

$39,478.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31 2. Building Regional Wine 

Cluster Collaboration

Working in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of 

Agriculture, the Garden State Wine Growers Association will use 

funding awarded from this Specialty Crop Grant to develop a marketing 

program that will foster the creation of regional marketing campaigns 

with our wineries located in wine clusters throughout the state and our 

AVA regions as well as create new wine clusters through this 

promotional outreach.

$40,000.00
161

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31

3. Project to maximize the 

effectiveness of the Jersey 

Fresh advertising program 

in 2021 and beyond.”

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture seeks Specialty Crop Block 

Grant funding to raise awareness of locally grown specialty crops and to 

drive sales through a multi-faceted marketing campaign. The 

Department seeks to increase the overall effectiveness of the 

marketing of all specialty crops in New Jersey through the continuation 

of the proven successful efforts of the Jersey Fresh program. This will 

be accomplished using outdoor advertising (digital billboards and bus 

sides), print ads, radio, point of sale materials and social media and 

other online promotions.

$348,674.97

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31

4. Enhancing Sales of 

Locally Grown Produce 

through a Single Box Multi 

Produce Item Web Based 

Purchasing Platform for 

distribution directly to 

individuals

The Landisville Produce Co-operative, a.k.a. (LPC) will increase the sales 

of its grower members locally sourced fruits and vegetables through a 

new system of direct customer ordering of a single box quantity 

consisting of multiple fruit and vegetable commodities via a web site 

ordering portal. The system will allow individual persons to place orders 

for a variety of New Jersey grown produce supplied by the Co-op's 

grower members. These produce items will then be subjugated into a 

single carton box and allocated for either pick-up or shipment via 

Doordash, Grubhub, or other distribution vehicles directly to 

consumers.

$39,520.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31 5. Advertising Jersey Fresh 

Blueberries – 2021

New Jersey remains in the nation’s top growers for blueberry 

production. In 2018, New Jersey blueberry growers produced over 38 

million pounds of blueberries at a total value of ~$53 million. Each year, 

acreage devoted to cultivated blueberries continues to increase, both 

domestically and internationally. This increase in competition has made 

it necessary for the New Jersey Blueberry Growers Association to find 

ways to maintain existing market share, as well as increase demand in 

new markets. We believe that given our resources, an aggressive 

billboard campaign would maximize our assets most efficiently and 

enable us to reach millions of consumers throughout our marketing 

area.

$30,000.00
162

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31

6. Consumer and Industry 

Advertising/Promotion of 

the “Jersey Grown” brand

The nursery/greenhouse/sod industry continues to be the largest 

agricultural commodity in New Jersey and is the fifth largest in the 

nation. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture, the nursery, 

greenhouse, floriculture and sod industry generated sales at almost 

$500 million, an increase of $93 million from the previous census. New 

Jersey has also moved up to rank fifth in the nation in nursery stock 

sales. Despite the array of plants grown in New Jersey, which are more 

convenient and better adapted to our state and surrounding regions, 

consumers and retail sales outlets continue to look beyond New Jersey 

to source good quality nursery plants. The New Jersey Nursery & 

Landscape Association would like to apply for a grant to execute a 

multi-level marketing plan that will be targeted at both re-wholesale, 

landscape and retail outlets, as well as at the end consumer to drive 

demand towards locally-grown nursery and greenhouse plants.

$24,490.61

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31 7. Marketing Jersey Fresh 

and Local Peaches

For the past 69 years, the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council (NJPPC) 

has conducted successful and changing promotional programs for the 

orderly marketing of the New Jersey peach crop. Our success in recent 

years has been in promoting the quality and availability of locally 

grown, nutritious and delicious Jersey Fresh peaches; compiling the NJ 

Peach Calendar and distributing it to consumers retail, grower retailers 

and shippers, institutional and wholesale buyers, allied industry; 

planning and staging various media events; consumer and produce 

merchandising contests, coordinating retail promotional events; 

providing education and information to consumers, buyers, and the 

media via print advertising, website, Facebook and other social media 

information, and personal contacts and via audio and video 

methodology; and conducting new peach variety and other product 

and handling research.

$30,000.00
163

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31

8. Jersey Fresh Rx” Fruit and 

Vegetable Prescription: A 

Best Practices Guide to 

Local and Sustainable

Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s Family and Community Health 

Sciences (FCHS) department seeks to create a best practice guide for a 

Prescription Fruit and Vegetable program, “Jersey Fresh Rx” that 

emphasizes New Jersey specialty crop consumption and sales. FCHS 

promotes health and wellness through education, research and 

collaboration with outreach in food, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles. 

Fruit and vegetable prescription plans were established to decrease the 

incident of chronic disease utilizing medical professionals to write 

prescriptions for vegetables and fruits to increase consumption 

whereby reducing the incidence of chronic disease. Implementation of 

programs nationally have lacked sustainability and accessibility which 

this study will focus on to create a practical model of implementation. 

In New Jersey the need for increased vegetable and fruit consumption 

is supported by evidence from the Chronic Disease Centers that 

determined 61% of state residents were overweight or obese in 2018.

$40,000.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31

9. Extend and Maximize 

Postharvest Quality of 

Strawberry: Creating 

Controlled Atmosphere 

Storage in a Bag

Rutgers-The State University of NJ will extend and maximize the 

postharvest quality of strawberries by demonstrating the reduction in 

postharvest disease incidence and over-ripening with the addition of a 

carbon dioxide generating sachet to fruit clamshell packages. The 

results will be disseminated through grower meetings, fact sheets, and 

a video teaching how to implement the technology.

$39,586.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31

10. Reducing Honeybee 

Losses During Blueberry 

Pollination Services

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in collaboration with the 

New Jersey Beekeepers Association, regional commercial beekeepers, 

the NJ blueberry industry and associated growers, and the NJ Blueberry 

Advisory Council, will determine the contributing causes to the bee 

decline experienced by beekeepers during commercial blueberry 

pollination services. We will identify alternative management practices 

that can be used by both beekeepers and growers to improve bee 

health. We will formulate new and improved recommendations that 

address both the needs of blueberry growers and beekeepers. This 

work will build on an existing SCBGP project now coming to an end. In 

the existing project we quantified bee losses that are occurring during 

blueberry pollination, identified in-hive residues, and started to 

quantify several pesticides that may be contributing to the problem.

$37,018.00
164

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$749,758.31

11. Identification and 

management of 

Phytophthora species 

limiting conifer production 

in nurseries and Christmas 

tree farms

Rutgers University Cooperative Extension agents Timothy Waller and 

Bill Errickson will be cooperating with nurseries to identify to a species 

level and mitigate the impacts of Phytophthora spp. that limit 

Christmas tree and other conifers' production throughout the state of 

New Jersey. The project will support a comprehensive and innovative 

disease management program with the aim of providing 

recommendations on site selection and soil considerations that 

influence pathogen development, identifying sources of Phytophthora 

spp. contamination and avoidance thereof, resistant variety 

(germplasm) selection, and conventional, biological, and cultural 

disease management applications.

$36,901.00

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$584,340.81

1. Enhancing the Visibility 

and Success of New 

Mexico-Grown Specialty Cut 

Flowers

The New Mexico Flower Cooperative will form a network to support 

and expand cut flower production, sales, and distribution throughout 

the state of New Mexico. It will add profitable income streams for 

participating New Mexico farmers and engage in marketing and 

outreach to raise the profile of New Mexico grown flowers.

$111,781.00

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$584,340.81 2. Increase Hop productivity 

in New Mexico

The New Mexico Hop Growers Association (NMGHA) will help to 

increase productivity of hops in New Mexico by providing training, 

consultation, marketing, materials, seasonal labor and transportation 

services to participating hop fields throughout New Mexico. Currently, 

there are 16.5 acres under trellis in New Mexico. In 2019, 1,470 pounds 

of hops were available to the New Mexico Craft Brewers. The average 

yield of all farms was 90 pounds. The expected yield is 1200-1800 

pounds per acre, depending on variety. NMGHA seeks to increase hop 

productivity by increasing yield and acreage by 1) Training 2) Providing 

consulting services to the hop growers to increase production 3) 

Purchasing bales of coir and W Clips for annual stringing to reduce costs 

by buying in bulk 4) Purchasing mini-weathers stations for each 

participating farm 5) Marketing local hops to Craft Brewers 6) Providing 

and transporting labor to fields for stringing and harvesting

$42,350.00
165

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$584,340.81

3. Vetcorps Veteran 

Farmers Beekeeping and 

Extended Season Crops 

Program

Not Forgotten Outreach trains VetCorps members and community 

members to perform the maintenance of honeybee colonies and hives, 

in order to collect their honey and other products that the hive 

produces (including beeswax, propolis, pollen), while protecting and 

improving pollinator health. Additionally, VetCorps will be trained to 

grow and harvest extended season crops through hydroponics, hoop 

houses, and low tunnel row crop systems. The Not Forgotten 

Outreach’s VetCorps program provides Veterans, Military Families, and 

Gold Star Families (survivors of fallen Heroes) with dirt therapy, 

business and agriculture education helping them become successful 

farmers. VetCorps members are beginning farmers and ranchers 

interested in scaling up their agriculture operations. All produce from 

the project will be marketed and distributed to local school districts, 

restaurants, and community

$92,922.92

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$584,340.81

4. Culinary – Food and 

Beverage Industry Access 

and Awareness

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) will focus its 

efforts by educating food and beverage culinary professionals about 

New Mexico specialty crops. The project entails conducting cooking 

demonstrations, tastings, and accessibility of New Mexico specialty 

crops, specifically green chile and pecans at the Culinary Institute of 

America’s World of Flavor – International – Conference and Festival. 

The conference is widely acknowledged as our country’s most 

influential and professional forum on world cuisines, food cultures, and 

flavor trends. The attendees are 600 leading chefs, foodservice 

executives, global cuisine experts, and influential foodservice 

professionals.

$21,505.00
166

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$584,340.81

5. Mitigation of alternate 

bearing of New Mexico 

Pecan Trees: Pollination and 

fertilization of pecans

Pecans are among the largest economic contributors to New Mexico’s 

agricultural economy with production exceeding $130 million annually. 

One of the most important horticultural constraints for profitable 

pecan production in New Mexico is alternate bearing, which is the 

annual cycling of pecan trees between heavy and light crop load. 

Alternate bearing is caused by fluctuations in the number of female 

flowers produced in tree canopies. Flower development (of both 

female flowers and male flowers) in pecan trees occurs when 

vegetative tissues transition to flowers due genetic signals that occur 

prior to flowers being visible. In our previous efforts we obtained better 

resolution for timing of alternate bearing mitigation approaches and 

looked at the impact that lack of water has on pecan tree growth and 

flower induction. As water is becoming more limiting it is essential to 

understand the effect that lack of water will have on pecan nut 

production. For successful nut production it is essential that pistillate 

flowers are formed and that these flowers are successfully fertilized by 

the pollen (sperm). The pollen parent genetics directly contributes to 

the quality/size/quantity of the nuts produced and thus the dynamics 

of pollen viability, growth of the pollen tube for fertilization is 

important. It is not known to what degree pollination impacts the 

season to season fluctuations in nut yield and quality. In this study, we 

plan to evaluate the effects of lack of water on flower fertilization in 

pecan that will directly relate to nut yields for growers. In this study we 

will use molecular and microscopy-based techniques to understand the 

impact of deficit irrigation on the impact timing of pollinizer shed, the 

viability of pollen, the stigmatic receptivity, growth of pollen tube, 

ovule receptivity followed by successful fertilization. The data from 

these studies will allow us to determine the impacts that limiting water 

usage will have on pecan nut production.

$103,647.00
167

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$584,340.81

6. Characterization, 

genotyping and uses of 

jujube cultivars/germplasm 

in New Mexico

Most jujube cultivars in the United States are causally named without 

detailed information except those directly imported cultivars. Even 

imported cultivars, may be renamed by nurseries in different ways. 

Synonyms are quite common for jujube cultivars in the U.S. Growers 

are confused with cultivar selections. To make the jujube 

cultivars/germplasm serve the jujube industry better, those jujube 

cultivar synonyms have to be identified and made known to the public. 

With help from USDA ARS at Beltsville, we will be genotyping jujube 

cultivars/germplasm from New Mexico, El Paso, Texas and jujube 

collections in a nursery in Kentucky. We will identify the synonymous 

cultivars and classify the relationship of those cultivars/germplasm 

including some wild jujube trees. For some of those that cannot be fully 

separated with genotyping like mutation cultivars, a graduate student 

will collect morphological data to further separated them. When this 

proposed research is complete and uploaded to the NMSU jujube 

website, jujube growers/researcher/extension personnel nationwide or 

worldwide can have access to it.

$63,888.68

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$584,340.81

7. The Specialty-Cut Flower 

Economy in New Mexico: 

Opportunities and 

Challenges

The University of New Mexico will research and analyze the specialtycut flower market in New Mexico and develop recommendations for 

policy initiatives designed to foster the market at the local and state 

level.

$22,651.00
168

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$584,340.81

8. Evaluation of a Bacterial 

Surrogate for Salmonella 

Inactivation during Red 

Chile Drying

The NMSU Food Safety Laboratory plans to continue evaluations of the 

processes used during the manufacture of dried red chile peppers and 

demonstrate their efficacy at reducing levels of Salmonella. We will 

continue the studies conducted in AMS Agreement Number: 

16SCBGPNM0011 to ensure that the heat treatments required ensuring 

that a safe, pathogen-free product is produced. 

The NMSU Food Safety Laboratory staff has visited chile drying 

operations and collected processing information including moisture 

levels of incoming and finished products and the time and 

temperatures required for drying. We conducted in-lab heating 

experiments with red chile peppers inoculated with Salmonella and 

showed that the drying procedures used in industry should be able to 

reduce the levels by 5 log cycles. We also conducted drying 

experiments with a non-pathogenic “surrogate” organism 

(Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354) and found that it was less heat 

sensitive than Salmonella but could be used as a surrogate to 

demonstrate heat inactivation of the pathogen during drying. The 

bacterial surrogate organism is harmless and was inoculated onto 

peppers and subsequently dried in commercial processing facilities. 

We plan to conduct additional in-plant inactivation studies with E. 

faecium and additional studies in the lab to collect more data. The 

results of these commercial inactivation studies will provide the 

processors with data that validates their drying procedure for 

inactivation of Salmonella. We will work with processors to optimize 

their process if required.

$37,896.95
169

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$584,340.81

9. Production of specialty 

gourmet and medicinal 

mushrooms using local 

agricultural and industrial 

waste products and local 

forestry stocks.

Trifecta Multiponics LLC, in partnership with Santa Fe Community 

College, will produce specialty gourmet and medicinal mushrooms for 

sale to regional markets by utilizing waste produced by paper 

manufacturing and processing from Roses Southwest Papers and 

McKinley Paper Mill, beverage manufacturing waste from Villa Myriam 

Coffee Roasters, and forestry/timber waste from Walatowa Timber and 

Metro Millworks. These businesses have already agreed to provide 

waste materials for the project. Trifecta Multiponics LLC will provide 

equipment specifically designed to facilitate this task (ribbon mixer, 

conveyors, bagging machine, and sterilizer). Timber and green wastes 

will be wetted, mixed with waste-derived cellulose and nitrogen 

supplements and treated with Ophiostoma piliferum as a predigestion 

and resin removal agent. The material will then be chemically or 

thermally pasteurized and inoculated with Oyster, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, 

and Shiitake mushroom spawn. Inoculated material will be fruited in 

temperature-and-humidity controlled grow rooms to produce specialty 

mushrooms for market. The scope of the project will also include 

educating local consumers on the usage and benefits of gourmet and 

medicinal mushrooms and conduct mushroom cultivation workshops. 

Finally, at the end of the project, successful growing methods and 

findings of the project will be written up and disseminated to the public 

and to farmers interested in growing mushrooms.

$40,500.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,230,827.40

Project 1 - PGR Programs 

and Pre-Harvest Disease 

Management of PostHarvest Fruit Finish 

Disorders and Decay

Cornell University will develop practical chemical management 

programs for use in apple production for improved control of the fruit 

finish disorder scarf skin. They will also investigate the putative link 

between the apple fruit physiological disorders of lenticel breakdown 

and bitter bit with post-harvest diseases such as black rot. These results 

will be disseminated to stakeholders statewide through grower 

meetings, field days, and grower-focused publications.

$92,034.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,230,827.40

Project 2 - Designer Apple 

Rootstocks for NY State 

Apple Growers

This Cornell University led project will further characterize the new 

Geneva apple rootstocks for mineral nutrient profile and cold hardiness 

and then develop an online decision support tool which will allow 

growers to input their soil type, location in the state and scion variety 

and receive rootstock recommendations that will result in an orchard 

that grows well enough in the first 2-3 years to fill the allotted space, 

$92,573.00
170

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

will have high yield and good fruit quality and will have proper mineral 

nutrient concentrations for good fruit storage potential.

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,230,827.40

Project 3 - Advancing 

Downy Mildew Resistance 

Management for NY Grape 

Growers

Cornell University will quantify and mitigate the spread of carboxylic 

acid amide (CAA) resistant grapevine downy mildew in New York using 

a technology driven approach and disseminate results to stakeholders 

through grower meetings and field days. There is a great need for 

innovative research and extension to help growers address the concern 

that CAA-resistance represents to NY grape production. In collaboration 

with Michigan State University and Cornell Cooperative Extension, our 

objectives are to advance CAA-resistance management and develop 

non-destructive fungicide resistance monitoring with hyperspectral 

sensors.

$92,582.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,230,827.40

Project 4 - Promoting 

Pollinators in New York 

Berry Crops in the Era of 

Spotted-Wing Drosophila

Cornell University entomologists will mitigate the negative effects of 

insecticide control of spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) on pollinators and 

other beneficial arthropods by evaluating the efficacy and 

environmental impact of applying insecticides below the canopy of 

susceptible berry crops. To address this concern, we will work on 

research farms and with raspberry growers in New York State to study 

the effects of ground applications a) on SWD infestation, b) pollinator 

efficacy, abundance, and diversity, and c) on crop yield, quality, and 

management costs. Using those data, we will work with Cornell 

Cooperative Extension to deliver this information to growers and reevaluate our best management practices for SWD control in small fruit. 

Expected outcomes are improved profits for growers through 

reductions in the volume of insecticidal product required for sufficient 

management, and increased yield associated with significant reductions 

in non-target effects of insecticides. We will track adoption of these 

new practices in the state through surveys and gauge the success of our 

program at improving farm sustainability for New York berry growers.

$99,341.00

New York State 

Department of $1,230,827.40 Project 5 - Biological Control for Managing the 

Cornell Agricultural Extension proposes to evaluate the efficacy of 

biological control nematodes for CPB and wireworm management in $92,541.00
171

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Agriculture and 

Markets

Most Serious Pests of 

Potato in Conventional and 

Organic Production Systems

potato. The project will involve 1) evaluating levels of CPB and 

wireworm control in potato grown in fields treated with biological 

control nematodes or not treated, and 2) disseminating project results 

to conventional and organic potato growers at meetings, through 

newsletters and via on-line. Expected outcomes for NY potato growers 

will be an interest in using biological control nematodes to manage CPB 

and wireworms on their farms, which should result in management of 

insecticide-resistant populations, reductions in insecticide use, and an 

increase in profits.

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,230,827.40

Project 6 - Planning for 

Future Pests: Updating 

Integrated Pest 

Management Resources for 

Nursery 

The 2017 Census of Agriculture lists 527 nursery operations and 770 

producers of Christmas trees and short-term woody crops in New York 

State. When surveyed, these growers noted that disease, insect and 

weed identification and resistant plant species and cultivars were the 

top 2 topics for information they would like made available. New York 

State Integrated Pest Management has resources on the web or in hard 

copy, but they need to be evaluated for current information and ease 

of availability to make them useful for growers. With the assistance of a 

grower advisory committee, we will review and update our existing 

materials or create new ones that ornamentals growers can use to 

improve their on-farm decision making on pest management. Once the 

resources are available, we will use active learning presentations at 

grower organization meetings to teach growers how to find and use 

them. Electronic methods of reaching growers will allow us to broaden 

the reach of this project.

$52,811.00
172

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,230,827.40

Project 7 - Advancing Thrips 

Management in Onion 

Using a New Sampling Plan 

and Digital Application

Onion thrips are a major pest and its damage reduces onion yields 

through feeding on leaves and transmitting plant pathogens. Cornell 

Agricultural Extension proposes to implement a research-based 

sampling plan for thrips and a digital application that includes the 

sampling plan, past spray records and the thrips management 

guidelines, which will reduce sampling time needed for making 

accurate control decisions, thereby increasing adoption. The project 

will involve 1) sampling thrips in commercial onion fields to develop 

and implement a new sampling plan and digital application of the 

sampling plan, spray records and the guidelines, 2) disseminating 

information to growers and scouts on how to use the sampling plan and 

digital application at workshops and regional meetings, and 3) 

evaluating time saved using the new sampling plan and digital 

application. We expect that growers will adopt the sampling plan and 

digital application, resulting in significant reductions in time needed to 

sample fields and make control decisions. Consequently, these 

advancements will lead to substantial savings and profits for onion 

growers.

$92,274.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,230,827.40

Project 8 - New York 

Agricultural: Labor in 

Transition

Cornell University will investigate the effects of dramatic changes in the 

farm labor environment and how specialty crop farms can successfully 

adapt. We will disseminate research-based methods to improve 

human resource management, increase labor efficiency, adopt laborsaving technology, and achieve overall farm sustainability. Labor is the 

largest expense and greatest challenge for specialty crop farms. Farms 

struggle to secure enough labor to carry out operations and meet 

market opportunities profitably. Recent changes in labor availability, 

regulations, and in societal expectations about farm worker well-being 

make improvements in farm human resource management critical to 

farm sustainability.

$193,201.00
173

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,230,827.40

Project 9 - Marketing and 

Promotion of New York 

State Specialty Crops

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM) will 

continue a consumer-facing marketing campaign to increase the 

competitiveness of specialty crops by increasing consumer awareness 

and demand for New York grown specialty crops. Marketing activities 

will be multi-channel, including production of promotional materials for 

use at point-of-sale locations, promotion at tradeshows and strategic 

advertisements in print, radio and digital media. New activities this year 

include development of a geo-targeted digital advertising campaign 

(pop-under and/or banner ads) and production of a short 

(approximately 15 second video) to promote NYS specialty crops in 

targeted regions of the State. Effectiveness of the campaign will be 

measured by number of impressions, video views, video completion 

rates, clicks, and consumer surveys.

$239,124.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00

Bianchetto Truffle 

Production by Small 

Farmers

North Carolina A&T State University will recruit underserved small and 

minority farmers, including new and beginning farmers, and assist them 

in establishing one-acre plots of Bianchetto truffle orchards in five 

different counties across North Carolina.

$100,000.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00 Breeding Tomatoes for 

Spotted Wilt Resistance

The North Carolina State University will incorporate polygenic host 

resistance into NCSU fresh market tomato hybrids, for large scale 

commercial production and specialty types of different sizes, shapes, 

and colors with multiple disease resistance and outstanding flavor, in 

order to mitigate the damage caused by tomato spotted wilt virus 

(TSWV). Tomato spotted wilt, spread by thrips, is a widespread, 

destructive disease in North Carolina, especially in the piedmont and 

coastal plain regions.

$100,000.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00 Continuing Expansion of NC 

Potato Markets

The North Carolina Potato Association (NCPA) will continue to build 

market opportunities for its members/growers in this project through 

potato marketing/promotions. Marketing funds are requested to 

promote NC potatoes at trade shows, annual meetings, through media, 

and website to corporate potato buyers/decision makers in the US and 

Canada, and to consumers and students. By supporting our marketing 

efforts, we will enhance competitiveness of our potatoes with storage 

crop potatoes from other growing regions and enhance consumer 

education of potato nutrition.

$54,836.00
174

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00

Controlling Root-Knot 

Nematode in Sweet 

potatoes

The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission Foundation seeks to 

assist its growers with management and control of the destructive 

Guava Root-Knot Nematode (GRKN; Meloidogyne enterolobii) through

offering a cost-share program to offset the expense of DNA-molecular 

assays, the only diagnostic tool available for identifying the presence of 

GRKN. The cost-share program will encourage the growers to 

incorporate sound agronomic practices that will reduce the cost of 

fumigants by only treating infested soils. Appropriate management of 

GRKN will protect yields and markets, assist NC sweet potato growers 

with maintaining industry dominance, promote improved soil heath, 

and contribute to grower profitability.

175,00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00 Drone Use to Improve NC 

Pumpkin Production

Pumpkin is an emerging specialty crop in North Carolina (NC), ranked 

fourth in national production in 2016 and was valued at $23.1 million. 

We propose research to improve pumpkin production efficiency so that 

growers are less likely to lose money growing this crop. Utilization of 

21st century drone technology could improve pumpkin production 

efficiencies. To take advantage of drone technology, we propose to use 

ground truth to align digital recordings with the drone in the following 

applications.

$75,000.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00 Genome Editing for 

Superior Christmas Trees

This project will be a collaboration between the Forest Biotechnology 

Group and the Christmas Tree Genetics Program in the Department of 

Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State 

University. Our goal is to develop novel CRISPR-based genome editing 

technology that will accelerate the genetic improvement of Fraser fir. 

The proposed technology would enable the rapid production of new 

genotypes of Christmas tree edited for traits with improved ecological 

and economic value including disease tolerance, aroma, and postharvest needle retention.

$145,728.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00

Improved Management of 

Primocane-Fruiting 

Blackberry

The North Carolina State University will address current limitations in 

yield potential and disease management of primocane-fruiting 

blackberry. We hypothesize these limitations can be overcome by 

optimization of cane and disease management strategies.

$100,000.00
175

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00 Management of Grape 

Trunk Diseases

North Carolina State University (NCSU) will mitigate the spread of 

grapevine trunk diseases (GTD) in North Carolina (NC) by investigating 

management strategies and developing identification and training 

services for farmers and extension agents in NC. If unmanaged or 

improperly managed, GTDs can lead to die-back and die-off in 

European-style wine-grapes (Vitis vinifera and French American 

hybrids) as well as in muscadines (Vitis rotundifolia). GTD associated 

pathogens spread through rain splash into open wounds (pruning, 

physical damage, cold damage) of perennial wood and disease 

symptoms can be observed as soon as the same year of infection until 

several years after infection.

$100,000.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00 Managing European Pepper 

Moth in Nurseries

This project is a collaboration between North Carolina State University 

Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, NC Extension Service, 

and cooperating nurseries to develop Integrated Pest Management 

tactics to reduce the growing economic impact of European pepper 

moth a new invasive pest. We will document the life cycle, plant 

preferences, and insecticide efficacy in different climate regions of NC 

to develop monitoring and scouting procedures and effective 

insecticide application methods. Results will be disseminated to 

growers, extension professionals, and other stakeholders through web 

resources, extension workshops, and national print publications.

$125,000.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00

Micropropagation of 

disease-free hazelnut truffle 

seedlings

North Carolina A&T State University will develop in vitro 

micropropagation protocol for eastern blight resistant hazelnut (EBRH) 

and test them for truffle mycorrhized seedling production. Hazelnut is 

one of the host plants to Bianchetto truffles (Tuber borchii). Native 

hazelnut trees are susceptible to eastern blight disease and cause huge 

economic loss to farmers.

$70,000.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00 North Carolina Sod Brand 

Awareness Campaign

The North Carolina Sod Producers Association will produce a series of 

commercials and do-it-yourself (DIY) sod installation and management 

videos. Both series will be promoted through digital marketing to 

expand the reach of the North Carolina sod brand and effectively 

increase the industry demand and sales of North Carolina turfgrass sod.

$50,300.00
176

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$1,260,229.00

Spotted Lanternfly: A 

Threat to North Carolina 

Agriculture

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services 

Plant Industry Division will implement surveys, develop and prepare 

statewide treatment plans, implement public outreach, and work with 

North Carolina’s wine grape and Christmas tree industries to safeguard 

them from the devastating impacts spotted lanternfly will have on their 

commodities.

$100,000.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Adaptive Management 

Response to Extreme 

Climatic Swings for North 

Dakota and Wine Industry

North Dakota State University will establish an agreement relationship 

with the State Department of Agriculture to lead and execute the 

project to evaluate grapevine acclimation, periderm accumulation, and 

mid-winter cold-hardiness following in-season foliar application of 

critical nutrients. Supplementary evaluation of grapevine fruit quality 

following in-season foliar application of foliar nutrients and evaluation 

of grapevine acclimation and periderm accumulation in a greenhouse 

environment will be conducted to support physiological results from 

field studies. Dormancy acclimation and cold hardiness are the most 

limiting factors for wine grape production in North Dakota. Dormancy 

acclimation is a biological process that requires carbohydrate reserves 

to drive the various biochemical processes and to synthesize chemical 

compounds that act as anti-freeze inside the cells. Thus, like the 

nutritional research on woody fruit trees, this research will determine 

the best practices for grapevine adaptive management responses to 

extreme climatic swings. Results from this research will be 

disseminated to stakeholders through field days, electronic summaries 

and annual meetings.

$89,870.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Advancing Ascochyta Blight 

Detection in Pulse Crops 

through Molecular 

Diagnostics

In collaboration with the North Dakota State Seed Department, the 

National Agricultural Genotyping Center will develop and validate a 

new diagnostic test for increased throughput and detection sensitivity 

for Ascochyta blight during annual seed lot testing of lentils, field peas, 

chickpeas, and fava beans. The data generated from this project will 

provide new, more sensitive assays for Ascochyta blight to help inform 

pulse crop growers and seed companies for the disease potential of 

their seed stocks.

$338,962.00
177

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Advancing Seed-borne 

Anthracnose Diagnostics in 

Dry Edible Beans through 

Lateral Flow Technology

The National Agricultural Genotyping Center (NAGC), in collaboration 

with the North Dakota State Seed Department (NDSSD), propose to 

develop the first PCR-enabled LFD test for anthracnose in dry edible 

beans. Importantly, this collaborative project will act as propellant to 

fuel more interest in the seed testing industry for molecular 

diagnostics. Major advances in the technology over the last few years 

have made it easier for laboratories to implement more diagnostics 

that do not rely on visual or symptom-based methods. One of NAGC’s 

goals is to progress diagnostic technology in agriculture towards 

molecular-based methods. By incorporating LFD tests for seed-borne 

disease, NDSSD will not only provide more sensitive measures of 

disease potential for the seed certification program, but also potentially 

help North Dakota seed producers build up a market for their seed, 

which is currently dominated by western grown seed that claims to be 

disease free.

$157,594.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Analysis of Genetic 

Variation for Salinity 

Enhancement in Dry Pea

High soil salinity is a major obstacle for pea production in North Dakota. 

One of the most economically effective methods to reduce stress 

damage is use of tolerant plants; however, limited information is 

available on the genetic variations of salinity tolerance in dry pea. 

North Dakota State University will conduct this research to determine 

the phenotypic responses to salinity stress in pea germplasm including 

the materials from NDSU breeding program and USDA collections and 

to explore DNA- and gene-level knowledge assisting development of 

salinity tolerance in dry pea. This project will help (1) quantify genetic 

diversity of salinity tolerance in pea germplasm to identify 

parental/advanced lines with high salinity tolerance and (2) identify 

markers/genes associated with salinity tolerance to improve breeding 

efficiency. Furthermore, planting pea in salt-affected soils can help 

increase crop diversity, contributing to the sustainability of agriculture

in North Dakota. The results will be disseminated to growers and 

specialty crop stakeholders through NDSU Extension publications and 

field days, professional meetings, direct visits with growers, peerreviewed publications, and class lectures.

$166,505.00
178

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Bridging the Technical Gaps 

to Increase Profitability of 

Dry Bean Production in 

North Dakota

North Dakota State University will address critical needs for dry bean to 

be utilized as functional food ingredients in the food industry, which 

can directly help increase the markets and profitability of dry bean 

grown in North Dakota (ND). The objective of this project is to produce 

the basic technical data for all commercially available dry bean (pinto, 

navy, small red, black, pink, light red, dark red kidney, white kidney, 

great northern, and cranberry bean) grown in ND. To accomplish the 

goal and bridge the gaps, the following tasks will be completed at NDSU 

laboratories: i) physical properties of whole seed flours prepared by 

different milling; ii) chemical composition, nutritional minerals, and 

flavor analysis of whole seed flours; iii) determination the functionality 

(e.g., gelatinization, foaming, emulsification, gelling of starch, and 

proteins; and iv) dissemination of technical data through conference, 

field day, work shop, webpage, and publications and measuring the 

impacts. The results of the proposed study could be used to develop 

new nutrients enriched dry bean type with premium functionality, 

develop nutrition/functionality evidence-based marketing strategies, 

and position ND-grown dry bean as a preferred source for functional 

food ingredients.

$137,077.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Defining Bulking Rate of 

Dakota Russet, Bannock 

Russet and Altura Potato 

Tubers

North Dakota State University will develop improved grower 

recommendations and increase economic return by determining 

bulking rate of newly released Dakota Russet and two long-season 

russet potatoes, Bannock Russet and Alturas. Harvest timing 

established for commonly grown Russet Burbank is currently used for 

all russet-type potatoes, but bulking rate can vary drastically across 

cultivars. The purpose of this study is to understand the effects of 

planting dates on the develop of bulking rates and to define Verticillium 

dahlia accumulation of Dakota Russet, Bannock Russet and Alturas. This 

could potentially save potato growers millions of dollars by harvesting 

earlier and not losing potatoes to frost, saturated soils or poor quality. 

The objectives are to (1) determine the effects planting date on 

emergence, early growth and canopy development (2) define bulking 

rates and Verticillium dahlia accumulation of Dakota Russet, Bannock 

Russet and Alturas to determine ideal harvest time and (3) Improve 

management and maximize the yield of these cultivars and increase the 

$171,689.00
179

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

sustainability of potato production by disseminating this information to 

potato growers at field days, winter meetings, social media and other 

outlets.

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21 Educating 4th Graders on 

Living Agriculture

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) through the 

Agriculture in the Classroom program will create seed starter kits, 

farmer and produce seller interview videos and livestreams that can be 

used by fourth grade teachers to educate their students on the 

specialty crops grown in North Dakota. The first year of the grant 

period will feature the three sisters garden crops of corn, squash, and 

beans. NDDA staff will travel to a farm growing those crops together 

and interview the farmer to provide either video footage or a live 

stream of the interview to the classrooms that sign up. This format will 

provide students with an opportunity to meet the real people who 

grow and sell the foods they eat. The second year will be a similar 

format but feature tomatoes, cucumbers, and pumpkins. The teachers 

will have the option of using any combination of the resources supplied 

to customize the classroom experience. The immediate beneficiaries of 

this project are the teachers and students. Farmers who grow corn, 

beans, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, and cucumbers will benefit from 

students sharing the information about specialty crops with their 

parents.

$64,629.40

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21 Emerald Ash Borer / 

Japanese Beetle Survey

Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) and emerald ash borer (Agrilis 

planipennis) have the potential to cause harm to nursery and 

horticultural crops (specialty crops produced by nursery/greenhouse 

producers and sold to the public) in North Dakota. Japanese beetle is 

not widely established in North Dakota, and this project will help to 

address the need to verify occurrence and spread of Japanese beetle. 

Emerald ash borer has not yet been found in North Dakota. In 2019 

North Dakota Department of Agriculture licensed 283 nurseries. Each 

year ND nurseries ship approximately 100,000 trees to Canada, and 

even more are sent to other states. The establishment of either insect 

could prohibit or restrict all nursery stock shipments from North Dakota 

to Canada and to states protected by quarantines. This project will help 

to determine if the insects occur, the extent of spread of the pest, 

attempt to determine if the beetles overwintered or were introduced 

$60,283.39
180

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

and thus verifying the status of the insects in North Dakota. 

Beneficiaries of the project would be nursery industry including but not 

limited to greenhouses, landscapers, garden centers, nursery stock 

growers and other stakeholders in the horticulture industry as well as 

the general public.

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Enhancing Rust Resistance 

in Confection Sunflower 

Production Through NextGeneration Technologies

The National Sunflower Association will use newly available genome 

sequence information for sunflower to identify diagnostic singlenucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers tightly linked to the rust 

resistance genes (R genes) expanding the options for stacking 

resistance to obtain an enhanced, long-lasting resistance to the rust 

disease. Rust is a growing threat to sunflower production worldwide, 

leading to losses in yield and seed quality. This project will apply cutting 

edge genetic and genomic approaches to characterize the genetic basis 

for rust resistance in sunflower. Project deliverables include release of 

multi-disease resistant lines and new tools (i.e. diagnostic SNP markers) 

that will enable sunflower breeding programs across the US to more 

easily develop superior cultivars that are resistant to rust. Ultimately, 

these efforts will result in the development of improved rust resistant 

hybrids, providing a more economically sustainable solution for 

confection sunflower growers throughout the US and the world.

$123,947.01

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Enhancing Sustainable 

Raspberry Production in 

North Dakota through NonChemical Control of Spotted 

Wing Drosophila

North Dakota State University will explore non-chemical strategies, 

including promoting early fruit ripening, using plastic mulching, and 

modifying trellis system, to manage an invasive fruit fly, spotted wing 

Drosophila (SWD), for sustainable production of raspberry in North 

Dakota. The project will investigate the effect of the low tunnel 

structure and plastic mulch on promoting early fruit ripening to avoid 

SWD damage. The effects of plastic mulch color and trellis training 

system on SWD control in the open field will also be investigated. The 

beneficiaries of this project are current and future raspberry producers 

and individual raspberry growers in North Dakota. The results will be 

disseminated to growers and stakeholders interested in raspberry or 

other small fruit production through NDSU Extension Service field days 

and spring garden meetings, professional meetings, and direct visits 

with growers.

$71,174.00
181

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Field to Fork: Increasing 

Knowledge and 

Consumption of Pulse Crops

North Dakota State University Extension specialists/staff from at least 

30 counties and external partners, including the Northern Pulse 

Growers Association, farmers and other stakeholders, will work 

together to enhance knowledge and consumption of pulse crops from 

field to fork. This project will build upon two successful specialty crop 

projects and will focus efforts on chickpeas, peas and lentils. It 

addresses three priorities of the North Dakota Department of 

Agriculture related to enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crops 

through 1) increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and 

consumption of specialty crops consumption; 2) investing in specialty 

crop research, and 3) enhancing food safety from field to fork. The 

project will do a needs assessment of professionals and consumers, 

include surveys and interviews, with the goal of creating new 

educational materials related to pulse crops targeting both youth and 

adult audiences. Through the development of materials such as online 

modules, fact sheets, tested recipes, information releases, workshops 

and presentations, participants will increase their knowledge of 

specialty crops.

$68,294.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Improve Detection Capacity 

and Resistance Evaluation 

for Control of Nematode 

Diseases in Potato

The Department of Plant Pathology at North Dakota State University 

will evaluate 20 additional potato cultivars used in the region to 

validate their resistance reactions to the stubby root nematode 

Paratrichodorus allius and to identify potatoes with resistance to 

dagger nematode that is present in potato fields in North Dakota, and 

develop novel recombinase polymerase amplification assays to detect 

P. allius from single nematodes and field soil DNA extracts. Results of 

the proposed research will help understand resistance or susceptibility 

of additional potato cultivars to the stubby root nematode and dagger 

nematode populations in North Dakota and improve the stubby root 

nematode detection efficiency and capacity in infested fields. This 

information is important to help growers preform risk assessment using 

an efficient diagnostic tool and select the validated resistant cultivars 

for controlling the nematode diseases to increase potato yield and 

quality.

$99,922.00
182

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21 Improving Nitrogen Fixation 

in Chickpeas

North Dakota State University will improve nitrogen fixation in 

chickpeas by developing research-based recommendations for seed 

applied fungicides and fertilization. Isolates of rhizobia collected in 

North Dakota will also be screened for improved nitrogen fixation 

compared with inoculant strains. Results will be disseminated through 

peer reviewed publication, grower meetings and field days. Increasing 

biologically fixed nitrogen in production systems of North Dakota will 

decrease the reliance of growers on fertilizers and increase financial 

sustainability of farm operations.

$27,321.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Increasing Knowledge and 

Consumption of Pulse Crops 

in Schools Meals

The USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council and the Northern Pulse Growers 

Association along with growers, trade members, and other 

stakeholders, will work together to increase the knowledge and 

consumption of pulse crops in school meals throughout North Dakota 

and the U.S. This project will 1) enhance the competitiveness of North 

Dakota-grown and processed pulse crops through increased 

consumption, knowledge, and introductions of whole pulses and pulse 

ingredients; and 2) will enhance the competitiveness of pulse crops 

through increased access within the National School Lunch Program 

(NSLP). This multi-tiered marketing effort will concentrate on the 

benefits of consuming and serving nutrient-dense whole pulses and 

products using pulse ingredients. Students and school foodservice 

operators will be interviewed and surveyed regarding their knowledge, 

use, and/or consumption of pulses and pulse ingredients pre and post 

program implementation to evaluate program success. These activities, 

resources, and targeted outreach will generate new avenues for longlasting demand for pulse ingredients grown and processed in North 

Dakota.

$113,640.00
183

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Increasing the 

Competitiveness of Local 

Fruit Production with 

Tunnel Grown Strawberry in 

North Dakota

North Dakota State University and NDSU-Williston Research Extension 

Center will collaborate to examine the production of strawberry 

(Fragaria x ananassa) under tunnel protection in an effort to increase 

consumer knowledge of and access to day-neutral strawberry cultivars 

in local markets. Plugs will be transplanted in the spring of year one and 

over-wintered to evaluate potential for a two-year production cycle. 

Fruit yield and quality will be compared on the east and west sides of 

the state using two high tunnels and the low tunnel systems for six dayneutral strawberry cultivars in order to provide pertinent information 

for growers throughout North Dakota. Fruit yield and quality results 

along with production economic information will be disseminated to 

specialty stakeholders through field day presentations and public field 

tours, local, regional specialty grower meetings, and national 

conference gatherings on the potential for day-neutral strawberry 

production in North Dakota. This project will enhance the 

competiveness of strawberries as a specialty crop in ND through 

increased consumption and increased access to a locally grown fruit.

$96,639.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Increasing Total Protein 

Content through MultiParent Advanced 

Generation Inter-Cross in 

Dry Pea (Protein-MAGIC)

Pea (Pisum sativum) protein has emerged as a frontrunner and showed 

the most promise in the growing alternative protein market. The 

demand for pea protein is already high and expected to soar in the 

coming years. The goal of this project is to develop a novel genetic 

resource for increasing total protein content while simultaneously 

expanding diversity using a novel approach called Multi-parent 

Advanced Generation Inter-Cross, hereafter Protein-MAGIC. The 

Protein-MAGIC populations will serve a triple purpose: 1) systematically 

increasing total protein content while expanding genetic diversity; 2) 

direct and indirect selection of promising lines for cultivar 

development; and 3) permanent resource for genetic mapping of wide 

range of traits. The North Dakota State University pulse researchers will 

pioneer the development of the first-generation MAGIC populations to 

advance genomic research and genomics-assisted breeding and 

accelerate development of high-protein peas.

$197,057.00
184

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

International and Domestic 

Promotion of North Dakota 

Specialty Crops

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) will partner with 

local and regional specialty crop companies, producers, processors, and 

producer associations to increase promotion and sales of specialty 

crops. NDDA will identify regions that have the potential to grow the 

consumption of North Dakota specialty crops. While identifying within 

these regions international and domestic tradeshows, missions and 

reverse missions that will be beneficial to attend. The information 

collected via end of event surveys will create a baseline of data that will 

be provided to interested parties locally and regionally. This data will 

show the return on investment to attend the international and 

domestic tradeshows, missions, and review missions. Currently, these 

companies, producers, processors, and producer associations are 

lacking opportunities to connect to new outside contacts and potential 

buyers. This funding will make an additional significance when 

considering the trade barriers and climate hardships they have 

encountered over the last couple of years.

$133,000.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

International Market and 

Trade Policy Analysis for 

U.S. Field Peas and Lentils

North Dakota State University (NDSU) will conduct an economic and 

policy analysis of international markets for field peas and lentils and 

disseminate the results to growers and other stakeholders in North 

Dakota. Project results will directly benefit field pea and lentil growers, 

grower’s associations and the region’s pulse industry by focusing 

promotion activities on markets with the greatest growth potential. The 

results of this research will enhance the knowledge of potential export 

opportunities beyond the current major markets. In part, the 

uncertainty in the current major markets is due to the sensitivity of the 

pulse markets in the destination countries. Thus, this research will 

benefit field pea and lentil growers and other stakeholders by 

contributing to their understanding of the export market opportunities, 

so that a more stable export market for pulses can be established.

$67,064.00
185

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Managing Sclerotinia Head 

Rot in Confection 

Sunflowers with BeeVectored Clonostachys 

Rosea and Partially 

Resistant Hybrids

The North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension 

Center, in cooperation with the NDSU Langdon Research Extension 

Center, will conduct multi-location field trials and outreach to North 

Dakota and Minnesota sunflower producers to improve the 

management of Sclerotinia head rot of confection sunflowers, a 

sporadic but serious disease for which no management tools are 

currently available. Field trials will be established to develop rigorous 

recommendations for the combined deployment of partially resistant 

hybrids and a novel disease management strategy that has conferred 

consistent, strong reductions in head rot. This proposal seeks to 

integrate these management strategies, to determine the spatial 

distribution of beehives required to achieve satisfactory control of head 

rot by quantifying the distance away from beehives that satisfactory 

disease control is achieved, and to generate additional data on the 

relative susceptibility of confection hybrids. The project will contribute 

to the development of rigorous head rot management 

recommendations for confection sunflowers.

$105,630.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

North Dakota Tour to 

Increase Purchase of Dry 

Peas, Lentils and Chickpeas 

in Food Aid

The USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council – the National organization 

representing the growers, processors and exporters of US grown pulses 

(dry peas, lentils and chickpeas). The Council will host a “Field and 

Production Tour” of the dry pea, lentil and chickpea production, 

processing and exporting companies of North Dakota. This tour will 

host PVO (Private Volunteer Organization) CEOs, Managers and 

Purchasers that are responsible for the purchase of US farm products 

that are purchased and exported for food aid programs around the 

world. The two-day event will include farming operations, processing, 

inspection and quality control, contracting and food safety. Additional 

presentations will include the value, use and functionality of pulse 

crops given by national content experts. The tour will culminate in a 

hosted event featuring ND pulses. Ample time will be allotted for ND 

pulse processors to meet one on one with the PVO buyers in order to 

secure orders, understand the details of quality control and food safety. 

Follow-up information, sales support and analytics will be conducted by 

the USADPLC; and reported in the industry newsletter and social media.

$67,400.00
186

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Optimizing Foliar Fungicide 

Applications and Winter 

Rye for Improved White 

Mold Management in Dry 

Beans

The North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension 

Center, in collaboration with the NDSU Robert Titus Research Farm in 

Oakes, will conduct field trials and conduct outreach to North Dakota 

and Minnesota dry bean producers to improve the management of 

white mold in dry beans. This project seeks to establish field trials 

evaluating fungicide application timing and fungicide droplet size on 

dry bean agronomic performance under white mold pressure. It also 

seeks to quantify the impact of planting dry beans into overwintered 

rye, terminated at or before dry bean planting, a practice that is 

reported to reduce white mold but for which there has been little 

rigorous testing. Testing will be conducted on pinto, kidney, navy, and 

black beans, with overhead irrigation applied as needed to simulate 

wet weather conducive for disease development. Research results will 

be disseminated at outreach meetings to dry bean producers in North 

Dakota and Minnesota, summarized in the annual research report 

published by the Northarvest Bean Growers Association, posted online 

in a user-friendly format, and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

$105,308.40

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Optimizing Production of 

Pulse Sprouts with 

Increased Nutritional 

Quality

North Dakota State University will evaluate a wide range of pulse 

varieties suitable for the production of high nutritional quality sprouts, 

including pea spouts, lentil sprouts, and chickpea sprouts. It will also 

develop full nutritional profiles (i.e., vitamin C, soluble free and bound 

phenolic compounds, phytochemicals, flavonoids, nutritional minerals, 

and total antioxidant activity) of pulse sprouts produced under 

different environmental/processing conditions. Spouts growth and 

yield will also be investigated. The optimized pulse sprouts production 

practices will be recommended. It will also assist in creating an 

awareness of and disseminate information about productions and 

nutritional aspects of pulse sprouts. This accomplishment of the 

proposed study will generate useful information to promote the 

production of diverse pulse sprouts in North Dakota, increase ND pulse 

grower profitability and competitiveness, and promote a healthy local 

food system. The research results will be adapted into videos, web 

pages, and workshops, in order to effectively reach diverse audiences 

of pulse growers, processors, and consumers.

$176,490.00
187

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Providing Schools with 

Resources to Understand 

Food Safety of Specialty 

Crops from North Dakota 

Farmers

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) will create 

resources for school food service personnel that include providing 

materials to help identify and mitigate risks to food safety and piloting 

a tote exchange program with select schools. This information will be 

shared on the NDDA website, through newsletters and directly with 

food service directors at back-to-school workshops in Minot, Fargo and 

Bismarck. The NDDA understands there are many reasons schools 

choose to purchase specialty crops “off the truck” vs. directly from 

farmers. The NDDA realizes that sharing the information being taught 

to growers with the schools is the best way for schools to understand 

which questions they should be asking farmers in order to mitigate the 

risks. This will be accomplished through the creation of a specialty crop 

food safety guide that will be shared with school food service staff at 

three back-to-school workshops sponsored by DPI’s child nutrition 

program. Another part of this project will be to pilot a tote exchange 

program with three schools.

$49,552.04

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21 Putting North Dakota Small 

Fruit Breeding into Action

After years of examination, North Dakota State University is almost 

ready to release serviceberry and cold-hardy grape cultivars. However, 

before this can happen, stock material increases, and a recommended 

propagation procedure must occur. North Dakota State University will 

collect cultivar specific release data and examine the best methods to 

increase plant material for release to licensed propagators. 

Scientifically developed best propagation techniques for serviceberry 

and grape accessions will be shared with stakeholders through 

publication and field days. Ultimately, propagated serviceberry and 

grapevine material will be directly distributed to licensed propagators 

for distribution.

$68,778.00
188

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Research and 

Demonstration of 

Innovative and Sustainable 

Composting Methods for 

Specialty Crop Production

Dakota College at Bottineau will research and demonstrate innovative 

and sustainable composting methods using biochar and wood chip 

from forestry waste as well as compost tea to improve specialty crop 

yield and enhance soil health with minimal chemical input. The results 

obtained from the project will be disseminated to specialty crop 

producers through field days held in summer of 2021 and 2022 through 

demonstrating the different composting method set up on campus as 

well as through presentations at the ND High Tunnel, ND Local Food 

and NPSAS Food and Farming conferences. The project is 24 months, 

just long enough to collect baseline data on the effectiveness of 

different composting methods on soil and plant health and specialty 

crop yield. In the third year of the project after obtaining the result of 

our research we will encourage specialty crop producers to adopt our 

composting methods and apply those methods in their field.

$107,920.60

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21

Screening for Pea Root Rot 

Disease Resistance in NDSU 

Breeding Lines

Root rots caused by Fusarium species and Aphanomyces euteiches are 

important yield limiting diseases of peas in North Dakota. Host 

resistance is the most economical and sustainable disease management 

strategy available. Expression of root rot symptoms is highly dependent 

on the environment, and thus screening breeding material for 

resistance to root rots should occur over multiple environments. 

Despite tremendous pulse acreage in eastern Montana and western 

North Dakota, no breeding nurseries have been established in this 

region. North Dakota State University Williston Research Extension 

Center will 1) maintain Aphanomyces and Fusarium root rot breeding 

nurseries by infesting the soil with pathogen inoculum and growing 

susceptible host crops and 2) screen North Dakota State University pea 

breeding lines for resistance to Fusarium and Aphanomyces root rot. 

Establishing these nurseries will serve as a resource to the breeding 

community for many years to come and screening NDSU breeding lines 

will aid in the generation of root rot resistant varieties adapted to the 

North Dakota growing region.

$47,973.00
189

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,286,945.21 Securing International Pulse 

Buyers

The North Dakota Trade Office will partner with upper Midwest 

specialty crop companies, producers and producer associations to 

secure pulse buyers for upper Midwest specialty crops by establishing a 

North Dakota pavilion at the Gulfood show in Dubai in February 2021. 

Gulfood is the largest annual food event serving as a gateway to new 

and emerging markets. NDTO will assist 4 companies in gaining an 

international buying audience through meetings and attendance at the 

Gulfood show. This event will increase awareness of Upper Midwest 

companies as reliable suppliers of safe specialty crops to global 

markets, including the Middle East and North Africa region. Success will 

be measured by an increase in sales and/or volume of specialty crops.

$98,857.00

Ohio Department 

of Agriculture $593,816.70

Green Umbrella and 

Greater Cincinnati Regional 

Food Policy Council –

“Expanding Feed Our 

Future: Local Food for 

Growing Minds Farm to 

School Program”

Green Umbrella (GU), Greater Cincinnati’s leading sustainability 

alliance, in partnership with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health 

(CCBH), will implement components of CCBH’s Feed Our Future: Local 

Foods for Growing Minds (FOF) public health program in order to 

enhance the competitiveness of Ohio specialty crop producers to 

school districts in Southwest Ohio.

$68,960.00

Ohio Department 

of Agriculture $593,816.70

Maumee Valley Growers 

Association- “Plant 

Something! Reaching Your 

Generational Customers”

The Maumee Valley Growers Association (MVGA) seeks to implement a 

"Plant Something" campaign by testing unique generational purchasing 

habits of floriculture customers in ten retail greenhouse/garden centers 

in Ohio. MVGA will model that initiative and create greater awareness 

and education throughout the NW Ohio's region by encouraging private 

and public awareness of the health, environmental and economic 

benefits of floriculture.

$50,000.00

Ohio Department 

of Agriculture $593,816.70

Ohio Ecological Food and 

Farm Association –

Production and Marketing 

Resilience for OH Specialty 

Crop Growers

Through educational events (workshops, webinars, and farm tours) and 

support (direct technical assistance and publications) focused on 

managing production and marketing risks, the Ohio Ecological Food and 

Farm Association (OEFFA) will help Ohio specialty crop growers 

enhance their competitiveness by making their farms more resilient to 

extreme weather events and market disruptions.

$84,610.00

Ohio Department 

of Agriculture $593,816.70

The Ohio State University-

“Establishing Science-based 

Water Quality and 

Sanitation Guidelines for 

Food safety is critical to the fresh produce industry in Ohio. In addition 

to a public health concern, food safety issues have had an adverse 

economic impact on growers and packers. Solutions for meeting food 

safety water quality and sanitation standards in hydroponic 

$110,065.00
190

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Deep Flow Technology 

Specialty Crop Production 

Syst

greenhouses, especially deep flow raft systems are lacking. The Ohio 

State University will develop prevention, control and intervention 

strategies for hydroponic leafy greens with an emphasis on deep flow 

technology (DFT) systems.

Ohio Department 

of Agriculture $593,816.70

The Ohio State University—

“Microbiome based 

improvement of mushroom 

cultivation”

The Ohio State University’s Emerging Infectious Diseases Ecology and 

Mycology programs (PI: Dr. Jonathan M. Jacobs; Dr. Jason Slot) seek 

funding to establish a research program to support Ohio specialty crop 

mushroom production. Mushrooms as with plant-based cropping 

systems suffer from pest and disease pressure, but there are not many 

options for sustainable mushroom disease management.

$110,000.00

Ohio Department 

of Agriculture $593,816.70

The Ohio State University-

“Pesticide-free 

management of Pythium 

pathogens in hydroponic 

greenhouses”

The Ohio State University will partner with Bowling Green State 

University to develop effective, integrated methods, technology and 

recommendations for long-term, sustainable, non-pesticide 

management of Pythium root rot in hydroponic greens and disseminate 

the results to growers through online content and workshops.

$110,000.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$589,979.24

"You-Pick an AG-tivity" 

Specialty Crop Education 

Activity Sheets for 

Oklahoma Agritourism 

Venue Visitors

Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom, Oklahoma Agritourism, and Oklahoma 

Farmer's Markets will create four "You-Pick an AG-tivity" Specialty Crop 

Education Activity Sheets for Oklahoma Agritourism Venue Visitors. 

These sheets will be distributed to the Oklahoma Agritourism Berry 

Farms, Pumpkin Patches, Christmas Tree Farms, and Peach Orchards to

give to visitors to their farms,

$51,150.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$589,979.24

Assessing Vegetable 

Grafting For Tomato, 

Pepper And Watermelon 

Production In Oklahoma

Grafting is regarded as an emerging and must-test technology for the 

U.S. vegetable industry. The usage of grafted vegetables in Oklahoma is 

at its earliest stages due to the lack of research-extension-teaching 

programs on vegetable grafting. Grafting has the potential to benefit 

Oklahoma vegetable growers through better biotic and abiotic 

management, enhancing crop vigor, lengthening harvest window, 

increasing total seasonal yield, improving heirloom variety 

performance, and creating a potential source of income by preparing 

and supplying grafted plants.

$86,690.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$589,979.24 Backyard Demonstration 

Garden

Oklahoma State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape 

Architecture is establishing a Backyard Demonstration Garden that will 

be open to the public at The Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State 

University, located just west of the main campus in Stillwater, 

Oklahoma. This educational garden will feature two 40x40 foot 

$37,722.00
191

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

backyards demonstrating how Oklahomans can produce food in their 

own backyard, no matter the size.

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$589,979.24

Colored Shade Netting 

Evaluations for Improving 

production and Quality of 

Cut Flowers and Vegetables

As input costs continue to increase, growers are looking for simple 

solutions to increase production or plant quality without having to 

make big changes to their production. Research at Oklahoma State 

University will evaluate colored shade cloth for both hydroponic 

vegetable production and for cut flower production to compare yield 

and quality to support local market production.

$75,034.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$589,979.24 Farmers Market 

Agritourism Conference

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) 

will undertake a project to assist members of the specialty crop supply 

chain incorporate innovative and sustainable growing practices, learn 

new marketing techniques and connect with consumers more 

effectively. This project will culminate in a gathering of growers, market 

managers, venue owners and supporting partners in February of 2021 

and 2022.

$84,451.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$589,979.24 Let’s Get Growing with a 

School Garden

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry’s Farm to 

School program will partner with three public schools and two Early 

Childhood Education programs to create and provide financial, 

technical and educational support for a school garden. The purpose of 

school gardens is to promote healthier eating and better learning.

$45,484.50

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$589,979.24

Management of Potyviruses 

Infecting Cucurbits in 

Oklahoma

This project at The University of Tulsa focuses on cucurbit viruses to 

determine the complete genomes of three important and dominant 

potyviruses infecting cucurbits in Oklahoma and to find resistant 

varieties against these viruses to reduce the yield losses and increase 

cultivation and production of cucurbits. In Oklahoma, cucurbits 

(cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash and watermelon) are grown on 

more than 734 farms with an acreage of 5,000 acres and they 

contribute approximately 2 million dollars per year to the state 

economy.

$92,689.00
192

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$589,979.24

Preparing Oklahoma Pecan 

Processor for FSMA and 

Third-Party Audit through 

Research and Technical 

Assistance

Researchers at Oklahoma State University (OSU) will identify and 

optimize low temperatures and sanitizer based in-shell pecan sanitation 

methods to improve the microbial safety of pecans. The impact of the 

newly developed methods on the quality of treated pecans' color, 

texture, and water activity will also be analyzed. Food safety 

modernization act (FSMA) and non-regulatory third-party audits require 

that pecan shellers develop a food safety plan with a validated strategy 

to control food safety risks.

$69,177.00

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Converting Beverage 

Processing Byproducts into 

High Value, Sustainable 

Packaging Products

The Oregon State University will conduct research and development to 

convert plant-originated beverage processing waste (byproducts) in the 

juice, cider, wine, beer, and kombucha industries into value-added and 

sustainable packaging products. Oregon’s beverage industry generates 

large quantities of fruit/wine grape pomace. The majority of these 

byproducts are sent to landfills or used as composting and low-margin 

animal feed. However, these byproducts represent an enormous 

opportunity to create value through sustainable practices by converting 

them into packaging products with recent technology advances. PI has 

done noteworthy research for developing protocols of converting 

plant-originated, fiber-rich byproducts into green and sustainable 

packaging materials. This project will enhance the productivity and 

innovation of specialty crop producers by developing new 

prototypes/uses for beverage processing byproducts that leverage 

existing and emerging industries, enhancing sustainability and 

environmental stewardship practices through reutilization of 

byproducts, and benefiting the society by reducing impact of 

processing waste on the environment.

$172,918.00
193

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Development of Sprout 

Inhibitors or Growth 

Suppressants in Potatoes

Oregon State University will develop new products for sprout inhibition 

or suppression in potato. The first step is to screen and identify natural 

products as sprout inhibitors or growth suppressants in potatoes to be 

implemented in potato storage. The implementation of the expected 

results will have significant positive impact on the potato industry, may 

help with overcoming the limitations of chemical inhibitors, and foster 

expanding markets for OR potato across the nation and internationally. 

We will be screening more than 120 essential oils and oil blends (some 

from our research program with unique chemical and biological 

characteristics) as sprout inhibitors. We expect to identify oils or oil 

fractions or blends that would have potential as substitute/alternative 

to the currently utilized synthetic chemicals. The adoption of new 

essential oil-based products in potato storage is expected to improve 

access to additional market segments, thus enhancing the 

marketability, economic returns, and safety of OR potato. In addition, 

essential oil-based products in potato storage and transportation could 

reduce exposure of workers to chemical pesticides, provide cleaner and

safer products to consumers, and hence, contribute to improved 

human health.

$93,335.00

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Enhancing Specialty Seed 

Production in Oregon 

through Outreach and 

Education

This project is a collaboration between stakeholder groups and the 

Seed Regulatory Program. The goal of this project is to increase 

industry awareness and compliance with regulations related to seed 

production, sale, and export. The project partners, including the 

Oregon Seed Association, Oregon Seed Council, and Willamette Valley 

Specialty Seed Association, will develop relevant educational materials 

concerning seed laws, record-keeping and labeling requirements, and 

diseases of concern that may impact export markets. These materials 

will be targeted toward industry stakeholders as well as new and 

beginning farmers. The project will utilize multiple outreach delivery 

methods, including print, electronic (i.e., email, social media), 

workshops, and presentations, leveraging the unique and diverse 

influence and reach of each project partner. This will enable the project 

to effectively impact a diverse and significant group. The outcome of 

this project will be enhanced competitiveness of Oregon seed crops 

$124,214.00
194

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

through increased understanding of and compliance with rules 

governing the production, sale, and export of seed.

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Enhancing Turfgrass Carbon 

Sequestration to Improve 

Sustainability and Expand 

Market Access

Oregon State University will evaluate the impacts of turfgrass 

maintenance practices (nitrogen fertilization, irrigation, mowing height, 

and mowing frequency) on turfgrass carbon balance and soil carbon 

accumulation. This project will investigate how to enhance 

accumulation of soil organic carbon in turfgrass ecosystems. By 

understanding and potentially reducing the climate footprint of natural 

turfgrass, this research can provide ways of addressing the regulatory 

burden imposed by greenhouse gas reduction programs and 

simultaneously improve market acceptance. Results of this research 

will be disseminated to turfgrass seed producers, turfgrass managers 

(golf course superintendents, commercial turf managers, school and 

park employees), and other users (homeowners and master gardener 

programs) through extension activities including field days, 

presentations, and written materials.

$174,984.00

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Gardening for Justice: 

Building Sustainable 

Vegetable Gardens in 

Correctional Facilities in 

Oregon

A key goal of this Growing Gardens project is to help former inmates 

find living wage jobs in the horticulture industry, when they are 

released, by providing training and certifications which are recognized 

by potential employers. This program provides inmates with the unique 

opportunity to develop horticultural skills and certifications that 

otherwise would not be afforded to them through regular prison 

programming As well as taking classes, working in the prison gardens 

$95,566.00
195

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

and greenhouses, provides inmates with practical experience with 

production gardening as well as providing better access to fresh fruits 

and vegetables for the sites.

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Gorge Grown Mobile 

Market: Increasing Access 

to Specialty Crops in the 

Columbia Gorge

Gorge Grown Mobile Market: Increasing Access to Specialty Crops in 

the Columbia Gorge: Gorge Grown Food Network will increase the 

marketing and distribution of specialty crops in five counties and on the 

Warm Springs Reservation, using the Gorge Grown Mobile Market, our 

local produce aggregation and distribution system. The goal is to 

increase sales channels for specialty crop farmers and simultaneously 

increase access to fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables in rural and 

under-resourced communities in the region. Project objectives include: 

1. Improve access to affordable, healthy foods in low-income, rural 

areas through the addition of 4 Mobile Market stops in 4 new 

communities and 2 corner stores. 2. Increase economic viability for 

local specialty crop producers by expanding Mobile Market to support 

shoulder and winter specialty crop production resulting in increasing 

sales through the Mobile Market 200% and by $35,000 per year. We 

plan to achieve these objectives by increasing marketing of specialty 

crop products, hosting educational events alongside market stops, and 

increasing the number of communities served through the Gorge 

Grown Mobile Market.

$66,000.00

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Increasing Oregon Grown 

Fruits and Vegetables in the 

School Marketplace

The Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network (OFSSGN) and 

partners will increase purchases of Oregon-grown fruits and vegetables 

by Oregon schools (PreK-12) by 1) expanding and promoting a 

searchable online directory where Oregon schools can find fruit and 

vegetable producers who are ready to sell to schools; and 2) supporting 

interested producers in becoming school ready. We’ll expand vital 

online resources to better equip Oregon’s school food-service directors 

to find and buy Oregon-grown fruits and vegetables, increasing access 

to Oregon-grown fruits and vegetables for Oregon students.

$92,043.00
196

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Integrated Control of 

Cabbage Maggot in 

Vegetable and Seed Crops

Oregon State University, North Willamette Research and Extension 

Center (NWREC) will investigate innovative control strategies to limit 

stand loss and harvest damage from cabbage maggot in Oregon 

Brassica vegetables and vegetable seed crops. Strategies to be tested 

include entomopathogenic fungi for control of larvae and overwintering 

pupae, trap crops and baited feeding formulations targeted at adults, 

and improved timing of chemical applications to reduce larval 

infestation. Growers will be invited to field days held at NWREC to view 

research plots and discuss implementation of new practices. Results 

will be disseminated to growers at PNW vegetable grower education 

meetings, Extension publications, and through online database 

resources housed at https://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/oregonvegetables.

$165,870.00

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Market Development for 

Processed Oregon 

Caneberries and 

Strawberries in Japan

The Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission (ORBC) will leverage 

new Oregon blackberry nutrient data to further expand market 

development and access for Northwest Berries to Japan through a 

comprehensive marketing program connecting directly with product 

manufacturers, Japanese chefs, and retail companies before, during, 

and after FOODEX, Japan’s largest exhibition dedicated to food and 

drink. Building from past interactions with the Japanese marketplace 

through another SCBGP, the Oregon berry industry needs to 

demonstrate improvement in available nutrient information. As such, 

this project will begin with comprehensive nutrient testing of frozen 

Oregon blackberries. Pre-FOODEX preparation will also include 

Japanese Marketplace Training for all interested industry members to 

prepare for success in the Japanese business environment. The ORBC 

will then exhibit at the 4-day FOODEX trade show, host a culinary 

demonstration, participate in an Agricultural Trade Office (ATO)

customer reception, sample product to potential buyers, and follow up 

with leads at regular intervals for the remainder of 2021/ 2022. These 

activities will directly support export market development of Oregon 

berries to Japan.

$122,834.00
197

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Market Research and Crop 

Development to Reinvigorate Oregon's 

Vegetable Industry

The Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission, in cooperation with 

vegetable producers, processors, Oregon State University, and 

Campbeltown Consulting will assess new market opportunities for 

processed vegetables and rotational crops and develop crop production 

practices that will ensure a sustainable future for the processed 

vegetable industry in Willamette Valley. A key piece of this project is 

providing educational travel scholarships to new and mid-career 

farmers and other agricultural professionals. Farmers attest that 

meeting and experiencing the challenges of other producers face-toface in dissimilar production regions is of utmost importance when 

trying to revise and improve on current production methods.

$175,000.00

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Oregon Blueberry Retail 

and Foodservice 

Promotions in Southeast 

Asia

The Oregon Blueberry Commission (OBC) will conduct retail and 

foodservice promotions in Vietnam, Philippines, and Singapore. Since 

its recent market opening to Oregon fresh blueberries, Vietnam is 

poised to become the Oregon blueberry industry’s largest Asian 

customer. In the Philippines, a market access agreement is expected to 

be finalized by mid-2020 which will permit the entry of fresh 

blueberries from Oregon for the first time to that country. OBC plans to 

use the information learned with past successes (in Singapore and 

Vietnam), to structure in-market promotional efforts in order to grow 

consumer awareness and sales of Oregon blueberries in the Philippines, 

and to continue developing OBC’s efforts in Vietnam and Singapore. 

The promotional strategy will include retail promotions with point of 

sale materials, advertising, and retail demos that will promote the 

origin of Oregon blueberries among trade partners who carry the 

product. Promotions may also be extended to cover processed 

products in the market that incorporate Oregon blueberries as an 

ingredient.

$175,000.00

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Oregon Food as Medicine: 

Expanding the Market for 

Vegetable CSA's

Friends of Zenger Farm and multiple healthcare partners will 

collaborate to expand the local farm-direct market for vegetable 

Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce purchased through 

Medicaid prescriptions. During the grant period we will connect Oregon 

specialty crop vegetable farmers to new low-income consumers 

through community health centers. We anticipate increasing adult and 

$166,073.00
198

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

child consumption of Oregon specialty crops by educating Oregon 

farmers to ensure they are equipped to access this emerging market.

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Oregon Small Food & 

Beverage Business 

Alignment Project

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) will provide resources for 

small to mid-sized food and beverage companies, which use Oregon’s 

array of specialty crops, seeking opportunities to grow their business. 

The goal of this project is to assist a minimum of 250 companies over 

the course of three years, by providing resources including an easy to 

use digital and print roadmap or guide, provide opportunities for 

business continued education and provide a platform for buyer/seller 

connections. Small to mid-sized companies make up a large part of the 

state’s economy, and in order to grow, there are essential investments 

that businesses need to make in order to continue to be competitive. 

This project will allow companies in various stages of growth the 

chance to access the appropriate opportunities and allow for assistance 

where needed.

$103,112.00

Oregon 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,056,469.28

Seeking Alternatives to 

Chlorpyrifos: Addressing 

Needs for Sustainable 

Insect Management

Potential for restrictions on the use of chlorpyrifos or the complete 

revocation of its registration by the Oregon Department of Agriculture 

in Oregon has concerned Oregon growers. It is difficult to estimate the 

economic impact on the specialty crop industry in Oregon as a result of 

canceling or further limiting the use of chlorpyrifos, but Oregon 

specialty crop growers consider that the economic impact would be 

substantial. Therefore, Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension 

Center (HAREC) will seek to initiate a cross-commodity collaborative 

research project to identify viable options as alternatives to 

chlorpyrifos; once it is no longer available for use in Oregon. 

Identification of promising alternatives and knowledge gain of their 

viability by analyzing the cost-benefit data will be disseminated to the 

Oregon Department of Agriculture and growers promptly through 

publications, social media tools, field days and growers’ meetings, etc. 

Information on practical alternatives to chlorpyrifos will help growers 

to incorporate these products in their integrated pest management 

$162,794.00
199

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

plans to enhance the productivity of specialty and other crops of 

Oregon.

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

2021 PENNSYLVANIA 

MONTH LOCAL FEEL AND 

STATEWIDE APPEAL

The Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program (PVMRP) 

aims to increase sales within the Pennsylvania vegetable industry by 

equipping PA vegetables growers with marketing and sales resources 

and skills, while simultaneously acting as a brand ambassador for 

Pennsylvania vegetables through ongoing consumer-facing marketing 

activity, as well as through a marketing campaign, August is PA Produce 

Month.

$21,289.03

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Assessment of Listeria 

Monocytogenes Control 

Strategies in Tree Fruit 

Packinghouses

The Pennsylvania State University will help tree fruit packers mitigate 

contamination of tree fruits by assessing Listeria monocytogenes 

control strategies in tree fruit packinghouses and disseminating 

recommendations on best practices for packinghouse cleaning and 

sanitizing in a workshop for packers.

$69,691.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Best Practices for 

Maximizing Production 

While Minimizing 

Environmental Impacts

The American Mushroom Institute is dedicated to both the economic 

growth and environmental stewardship of the mushroom industry in 

Pennsylvania. The Keystone State is responsible for nearly 63% of the 

country’s mushroom production; 50% in Chester County and 13% in 

Berks County. This project is designed to assess and verify current 

industry practices and then educate the industry on best practices for 

achieving robust yields, a high-quality crop, controlling pests and 

diseases; all while minimizing impacts on the surrounding watersheds.

$52,000.00
200

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Developing New Tactics for 

Spotted Lanternfly 

Management in Vineyards

Researchers at Penn State will develop new tactics for the management 

of spotted lanternfly in vineyards through behaviorally based 

applications of exclusion netting and insecticidal netting, reducing 

reliance on broadcast insecticide applications, decreasing vine damage, 

and disseminating results to stakeholders through various extension 

outlets.

$100,100.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Enhancing Competitiveness 

of Peach Growers with SizeControlling Root Stocks

Penn State Extension horticulture specialists and educators will 

collaborate with specialty crop growers from diverse backgrounds 

(including next generation young, Latino/a/Hispanic and plain sect) to 

enhance the competitiveness of peach growers by demonstrating the 

potential productivity, labor efficiency, fruit quality and socio-economic 

benefits of new size-controlling rootstocks. Interactive study circles and 

field days will be conducted at ten model demonstration plantings 

established at commercial orchard sites in major fruit growing regions 

across the Commonwealth.

$56,002.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

EVALUATE AND SELECT 

POTATO VARIETIES TO 

REPLACE NORWIS IN PA

Pennsylvania Co-Operative Potato Growers, Inc. will work with 

Pennsylvania potato growers, packers, processors, Sterman Masser, 

Inc. and Penn State University on this project to identify fresh cut 

potato varieties to replace Norwis that may be economically viable to 

produce in Pennsylvania. We will collect potato varieties/breeding 

clones with similar characteristics as Norwis from most potato breeding 

programs in the US. These varieties will be evaluated in field trials and 

in lab for fresh cut quality as well as yield, size, tuber internal and 

external defects, and disease resistance.

$74,225.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Food Security Through 

Increased Specialty Crop 

Availability and Program 

Awareness

Food Security Through Increased Specialty Crop Availability and 

Program Awareness will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops 

through increased access and ensuring Indiana County FMNP, SFMNP 

and SNAP recipients learn of available fresh, local specialty crops at the 

Indiana County Farmers’ Market. Foodbucks matching program will 

incentivize market shopping and increase FMNP, SFMNP and SNAP 

buying power.

$100,100.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Impact of Management 

Practices on Soil 

Mycorrhizal Fungi

Rodale Institute will evaluate the impact of management practices on 

arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) abundance, diversity, efficacy, and 

the role of AMF in enhancing vegetable crop nutrient uptake in 

conventional and organic cropping systems.

$100,000.00
201

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02 Legal Planning for Specialty 

Crop Producers

In order to assist Pennsylvania specialty crop producers successfully 

augment wholesale sales revenue with sales revenue from: (a) directto-consumer, (b) pick-your-own, (c) value-added commodity 

processing, or (d) the conduct of agritainment/educational activities, 

Penn State Law’s Center for Agricultural and Shale Law will produce: (1) 

a series of 8 cumulative topical workshops over an approximate 21 

month period; and (2) publish a downloadable and hard copy 

Producer’s Guide at the conclusion of the grant period, compiling the 

content from all 8 topical workshops, thereby, educating specialty crop 

producers about the prevention and planning necessary to best avoid 

contractual, tort, and regulatory liabilities in conducting such incomeaugmenting activities.

$58,138.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Management of Soilborne 

Pathogen in High Tunnel 

Tomatoes

Crop production under protected culture is increasing on many 

diversified vegetable farms in Pennsylvania. Initially due in part to a 

NRCS cost-share program, now it is in partial response to our changing 

climate and the shift in the frequency and severity of rain events. 

Although initially developed to be semi-permanent, high tunnel 

production has intensified and monocropping of tomato is a common 

practice.

$50,259.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Multispectral Analysis for 

Pest Detection in Specialty 

Crops

This project addresses the need of improving early pest detection in 

specialty crops. Plant feeding insects cause major economical loses to 

specialty crops, thus their early detection is essential for early control. 

Insect pests produce direct damage by feeding on leaves, fruits, stems 

and roots, or they can affect plants indirectly by transmitting diseases.

$46,001.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02 PA Preferred Culinary 

Connection

Strategic Contracting, Inc. will plan and coordinate the 2021 PA 

Preferred Culinary Connection, which delivers immediate benefits to 

the specialty crops organizations and the local economy in the form of 

increased sales and marketability of PA commercially-grown specialty 

crops by allowing local farmers and food suppliers to showcase their 

specialty crops to local consumers.

$50,625.00
202

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Pennsylvania Produce 

Auctions A Buyers and 

Vendors Guide

Penn State Cooperative Extension will lead the development and 

delivery of workshops, publications, and a financial benchmarking study 

regarding Pennsylvania produce auctions. The outcomes of this project 

will include 1.) greater utilization of Pennsylvania produce auctions by 

local wholesale buyers; 2.) increased understanding of produce auction 

operations by prospective vendors; and 3.) strengthened food safety 

practices of existing produce auction vendors. These outcomes will 

have the aggregate effect of increasing sales of specialty crops for 

Pennsylvania farmers.

$18,600.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02 Pennsylvania Wine GrapeGrowing and Experience

The Pennsylvania Winery Association (PWA) will significantly expand 

distribution of its consumer and industry marketing content relevant to 

Pennsylvania (PA) wine grape-growing and the PA Wines experience. 

Building on the valuable assistance of recent Specialty Crop Block 

Grants, the PWA will produce a series of three premium print 

publications.

$60,000.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Specialty Crop Farm 

Business Security Through 

Long-term Lease 

Agreements

Pennsylvania Farm Link will develop case studies on five specialty crop 

farmers with long-term leases and three sample long-term lease 

agreements. A specialty crop long-term lease agreement resource will 

be developed and distributed through educational events and specialty 

crop trade shows. Specialty Crop Farm Business Security Through LongTerm Lease Agreements will enhance competitiveness of specialty 

crops through more sustainable land acquisition which provides long 

term security for the farm operation.

$22,335.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02 URBAN FARMERS MARKETS 

PROMOTING

The Food Trust (TFT) will strengthen sales of PA specialty crops at its 

network of Farmers Markets in Philadelphia through the creation of a 

marketing campaign and by connecting local growers and corner stores 

through a Farm to Retailer program.

$38,882.81

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,417.02

Yield Performance and 

Quality of Sweet Potato

Grown under High and Low 

Tunnel Systems

Researchers at Penn State University will test and develop management 

strategies for sweet potato production under protected culture 

systems, namely high and low tunnel systems with the goal of 

extending the growing season and improve yield and quality of sweet 

potatoes and creating new market opportunities for the local 

production of sweet potato as a specialty crop. The project will allow to 

select specialty sweet potato varieties suitable for low and high tunnel 

$68,102.00
203

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

production, which will constitute a profitable option for crop rotation in 

protected culture systems.

Puerto Rico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$518,343.13

1. Supporting Farmers In 

The Development Of The 

Farm's Food Safety Plan 

Under FSMA Regulations

FIDA is interested in supporting farmers in the development of the 

farm's food safety plan, based on the Standards for the Cultivation, 

Harvest, Packaging and Storage of Fresh Agricultural Products for 

Human Consumption (21 CFR Part 112) of the Food Safety 

Modernization Act under the FDA Jurisdiction. The farm's food safety 

plan will be developed by conducting a risk assessment, reviewing farm 

operations, and identifying practices and conditions that contribute to 

product safety risk. FIDA will offer training and mentoring to a total of 

300 producers of specialized crops, as well as agronomists from the 

Department of Agriculture and personnel from the University of Puerto 

Rico Agricultural Extension Service.

$241,000.00

Puerto Rico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$518,343.13

2. Assist Farmers to Comply 

With The Food Safety 

Modernization Act (FSMA)

In recent years, FIDA and the Department of Agriculture have helped 

farmers comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 

establishing capacity building for the Product Safety Rule (PSA), and 

Preventive Controls for Human Food Regulation (PCQI). During the 

courses there was a high interest in agricultural workers to be trained 

on the standards established by the FDA in the subparts of the Safety 

Rule for Fresh Agricultural Products that are applicable to the labor 

responsibilities of farm personnel. FIDA will train specialized crop 

farmers in the Product Safety Alliance (PSA) Producer Training Course, 

in the Preventive Control Qualified Individual (PCQI), Good 

Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and Worker Course agricultural 

according to FSMA regulations.

$132,900.00
204

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Puerto Rico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$518,343.13

3. Practical Compost 

Workshop and Practical 

Course on Water Sources, 

Irrigation Systems And 

Water Sampling For The 

Analyzes In The FSMA Law

For the past few years, FIDA and the Department of Agriculture have 

offered training courses on the new FSMA Regulations. During these 

trainings, farmers raised doubts regarding compost issues and the 

quality of agricultural water within the FSMA Law. To gain an 

understanding of these 2 important issues in the Law, FIDA created 2 

courses that include equipment, materials, and publications for 300 

participants. In addition, the project includes the preparation, recording 

and editing of some videos on each subject in particular to be able to 

distribute them through the participants, general public and future 

participants of other courses.

$103,373.50

Puerto Rico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$518,343.13

4. PSA Trainer or PSA Lead 

Trainer and Course on How 

To Conduct An Assessment 

Of Compliance With 

Regulation

The Department of Agriculture and FIDA aims to prepare DA, FIDA, and 

the Agricultural Extension Service staff to be PSA Trainers or PSA Lead 

Trainers. Personnel who obtain the title of instructor of the Alliance or 

lead instructor of the Alliance may offer the farmers of Puerto Rico the 

standardized curriculum of the PSA to train producers of fresh 

agricultural products in order to comply with the regulatory 

requirements of the Food Safety Standard for Fresh Agricultural 

Products of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. In addition to 

being PSA instructors, they will be given a course on How to Conduct an 

Assessment of Compliance with Regulation 21 CFR 112. This will allow 

staff to conduct educational visits on the farm to raise awareness and 

enable farmers to prepare for comply with the requirements of the 

standard and audits of Good Agricultural Practices.

$29,807.45

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$271,945.83

African Alliance of RI 

Beginner Farmers’ Specialty 

Crops Project Expansion

The African Alliance of Rhode Island (AARI) will contract with the RI 

Department of Agriculture to work with beginner and small minority 

farmers to increase production and consumption of local, sustainably 

grown specialty vegetables, greens and value-added products that 

growers sell at eight AARI farmers markets located in food desert 

neighborhoods in Providence RI. AARI will expand available acreage at 

its BAMI Farm in order to attract new growers and increase land 

available to current growers, improve infrastructure at farm (new 4-

season greenhouse, installation of high tunnels, improvements to water 

supply/ irrigation, etc.), add four new farmers market sites and 

continue to sell produce at Farm Fresh Armory Market and Pawtucket 

$25,500.00
205

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Winter Market, in order to help small growers achieve earned income 

and improve local access to fresh in food desert communities.

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$271,945.83

Developing a Locally 

Adapted System for Organic 

Hop and Rhizomatic Crop 

Production and Farmer 

Training

Southside Community Land Trust will lead an effort to develop two 

research and training farmyards for rhizomatic crops, one at University 

of Rhode Island (URI) and one at Urban Edge Farm (UEF). Over the 

course of the project, we will implement trials and training for organic 

production of two specialty crops beginning with hops in 2020. URI will 

set aside a 1⁄2 acre farmyard to implement variety trials to determine 

what hop varieties grow best here, and how to optimize production. At 

UEF, we will develop a training space where farmers can learn how to 

grow rhizomatous food crops. We propose to work directly with the 

brewery industry and developing farmers to build a system which 

streamlines the production of these crops and links farmers directly to 

buyers. At the end of the project, the UEF hop yard will be leased to 

one of the beginning farmers to continue production and sales 

independently. In year two, a second crop will be selected based on 

input from participating farmers but will also be a high value, 

rhizomatic crop with significant demand in Rhode Island’s diverse 

ethnic communities who reside in South Providence, Central Falls and 

Pawtucket. It is likely to be either Ginger or Turmeric. This crop will also 

undergo trials at URI and production demonstrations at UEF.

We will work directly with up to four beginning farmers throughout the 

development of the project and will offer four training sessions for up 

to 50 additional beginning or aspiring farmers.

$37,474.00
206

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$271,945.83

Enhancing Market Access 

for Rhode Island Specialty 

Crop Growers

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management - Division of 

Agriculture (RIDEM) aims to provide several services to Rhode Island 

specialty crop growers in order for those growers/commodities to have 

increased market access and enhanced competitiveness. Two 

components that will enhance market access are USDA organic 

certification and on-farm food safety. Contracting a private organic 

farm inspector/reviewer is necessary to meet USDA National Organic 

Program requirements for separation of duties in the organic 

certification process, which include initial application review, organic 

farm inspection, final application review and certification decision. 

RIDEM will also contract a seasonal food safety auditor to provide 

education, outreach and technical assistance to local farms. In addition, 

specialty crop farms will be able to test their agricultural water sources 

in order to mitigate the risk of pathogens on their crops that enter into 

commerce.

$27,239.00

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$271,945.83

Farms Forward: A Farmer 

Forward Farm to School 

Campaign

Farm Fresh Rhode Island will work to increase purchaser and consumer 

awareness, demand, and ability to purchase specialty crops from RI 

farmers by developing and implementing an educational marketing 

campaign that highlights RI specialty crop farmers and the produce that 

they sell to schools. This educational campaign will include activities 

such as farmer profiles, virtual farm field trips, social media promotion, 

and Farm to School resources to connect sellers and buyers. As part of 

this campaign, we will provide technical assistance and educational 

opportunities to participating school foodservice, congregate meal 

sites, and farmers to increase their knowledge of and ability to 

purchase more from these farms. These activities will complement and 

enhance the Harvest of the Month promotion program (HOM) by 

creating richer relationships between specialty crop farmers, students, 

and buyers.

$27,666.00
207

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$271,945.83

Rhode Island Produce 

Safety Improvement Grants 

to Enhance Grower 

Competitiveness & On-Farm 

Food Safety

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management - Division 

of Agriculture (RIDEM) will help local produce growers implement onfarm food safety practices, transition to compliance with the Food 

Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, follow Good 

Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and meet increased market demands for 

on-farm food safety by providing cost share grants to Rhode Island 

growers for on-farm food safety improvements. These cost-share 

grants will partially reduce the costs of implementing on-farm food 

safety practices in order to help growers transition to compliance with 

the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and/or 

meet market demands for on-farm food safety. Cost-share grants will 

be limited to allowable costs under the SCBGP.

$40,000.00

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$271,945.83 RIDEM Get Fresh Buy Local 

Campaign

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management - Division 

of Agriculture (RIDEM) will support RI Grown specialty crops by 

designing compliance criteria and identity standards for the “Get Fresh, 

Buy Local” logo, creating a marketing campaign to increase consumer 

awareness and grower participation in the RI Grown program, and 

promoting verified, locally grown specialty crops through an 

interactive, online map. The establishment of a RI Grown brand, based 

on verified grower information, will include a pointed effort to address 

growing concern that products are being mis-branded, and diluting the 

integrity of those products that are locally grown The RI Grown 

Program and use of the “Get Fresh, Buy Local” logo will provide a 

platform to increase consumer awareness surrounding RI Grown 

specialty crops and increase their confidence that the products they are 

purchasing truly are locally grown. Additionally, consumers can be 

assured that those farms in the RI Grown program are following all best 

practices monitored within the Division of Agriculture. This includes all 

new food safety requirements for which water testing and outreach 

remain critical points of contact with growers. Therefore, we plan to 

continue and expand the water testing program for RI specialty crop 

producers.

$5,500.00
208

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$271,945.83

The Future of Growing & 

Marketing Specialty Crops: 

Training and Connecting 

Young and Beginning 

Farmers

The Young Farmer Network (YFN) of Southeastern New England, a fiscal 

project of the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC), is requesting 

funds to offer specialty crop production and marketing trainings and 

farm tours for young and beginning farmers in Rhode Island. We will 

focus this project on critical tools for the next generation of Rhode 

Island specialty crop farmers: climate-resilient crop production, 

strategic marketing, and peer farmer support. Our project’s outcomes 

are to: (a) improve overall production of specialty crops by increasing 

the number of climate-resilient practices young and beginning farmers 

are employing in the face of the changing climate in Rhode Island; (b) 

improve the competitive marketing advantage of young and beginning 

farmers for their specialty crops through online marketing tools; and (c) 

build a specialty crop farming community in concert with these training 

projects.

$39,368.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

1. Evaluating and promoting 

cold-hardy citrus species for 

South Carolina

Clemson University will evaluate tree performance, frost tolerance and 

fruit quality of cold-hardy citrus species that could be grown in South 

Carolina. This project aims to provide recommendations to farmers and 

nurseries that are willing to diversify their crops, and to nurseries on 

citrus characteristics; it also aims to assess expected performance and 

develop management practices specific for our conditions in South 

Carolina. The project will also reach out to local communities to 

increase knowledge and consumption of citrus. Specifically, results will 

be disseminated through grower meetings, regional conferences, field 

days, 4-H healthy living programs, factsheets, as well as through online 

platforms such as the South Carolina Grower blog, social media posts 

by Clemson University Horticulture Extension Team, and a new website.

$20,850.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

2. Integrated Management 

of Peach Associated 

Nematodes Endemic In 

South Carolina

Following statewide survey for peach associated nematodes in South 

Carolina, greenhouse and on-farm studies will be conducted at Clemson 

University and three peach orchards in South Carolina, respectively to 

develop an integrated nematode management program, and the 

results will be disseminated to stakeholders through extension and 

scientific publications, grower meetings, field days, and scientific 

meetings.

$47,823.00
209

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

3. Developing first 

strategies to manage 

bronzing, a major factor 

impairing the quality of SC 

peaches

Clemson University will develop and provide South Carolina peach 

growers with first ever recommendations to manage peach skin 

bronzing. This project aims to generate immediate-term and 

scientifically based practical measures to prevent or reduce the 

incidence and severity of bronzing and to disseminate results to 

stakeholders through grower meetings and field days.

$50,000.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

4. Enable breeding of peach 

cultivars for spring climate 

resilience traits

Clemson University will improve economic sustainability of the SC 

peach industry by enabling development of climate resilient peach 

cultivars with increased heat requirement to reduce flower and fruit 

exposure to potentially crop destroying frosts.

$35,128.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

5. Improving propagation 

efficiency of golden 

Camellia, a valuable yellowflowering selection with 

high market

demand

Clemson University will enhance the competitiveness of South 

Carolina’s floriculture industry by developing efficient propagation 

methods for golden camellia, a valuable yellow-flowering species with 

high market demand. Currently golden camellia is selling for about $10 

more than common camellias per plant and is sold out quickly. Various 

hormones, rootstock genotypes, and growth conditions will be tested 

and optimized for rooted cutting, grafting, and micropropagation. 

Endogenous hormone level and major rooting genes will be 

investigated. These efficient methods will benefit camellia breeders and 

commercial producers. Propagated plants and protocols are to be 

disseminated to stakeholders through grower annual meetings and 

field days, as well as publication of manuscripts.

$46,920.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

6. Encouraging Healthy 

Lifestyles and Increased 

Consumption of Specialty 

Crops through Seed to 

Table Education, Youth

Development, and Market 

Access

Hub City Farmers Market (HCFM) seeks to enhance the competitiveness 

of specialty crops through increased consumption. This will be done 

through intentional nutrition education activities as part of our Seed to 

Table program in primary schools in Spartanburg County and at HCFM’s 

Urban Teaching Farm. Seed to Table workshops are planned and 

facilitated by HCFM’s Healthy Hero Coordinator and Urban Farm 

Manager. Nutrition education will promote consumption of South 

Carolina Grown fruits and vegetables, which aligns with the nutrition 

standards of each local School Food Authority (SFA).

$33,727.49
210

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

7. Development of a New 

Diagnostic Tool to Identify 

the Bacterial Disease 

Complex on Leafy Brassica 

Greens

Clemson University will develop and evaluate a new diagnostic tool for 

specific detection of bacterial blight and bacterial leaf spot on leafy 

brassica greens. The tool developed in this project will accelerate 

disease diagnosis and assist future research to identify the 

environmental factors that can help predict the seasonal transition 

between the two pathogens in the field. Results from this project will 

be communicated to brassica greens growers in South Carolina through 

Extension meetings, publications, and field days.

$39,974.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

8. Cultivating Heat and 

Humidity Tolerant Beans in 

South Carolina

Clemson University in part with the South Carolina Specialty Crop 

Growers Association and South Carolina Department of Agriculture will 

implement a grow out of two varieties of heat and humidity tolerant 

beans, speckled and green beans, to increase the specialty crop 

industry in South Carolina. This project has 3 expected outcomes: 1) 

increase specialty crop industry in South Carolina 2) provide access of 

heat and humidity tolerant beans to South Carolina growers 3) provide 

the public with a high protein, nutrient dense South Carolina-grown 

crop that is economical for people to purchase.

$48,100.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

9. Assessing Nematode 

Populations Damaging 

Bermudagrass in South 

Carolina

crop industry in South 

Carolina 2) provide access 

of heat and humidity tole

Turfgrass nematode researchers at Clemson University will address 

growing concerns with pathogenic nematode populations that are 

damaging bermudagrass by formulating new threshold guidelines for 

soil populations, examining non-pesticide tools of reducing populations, 

and enhancing grower knowledge through novel educational programs 

that engage growers across the state.

$24,961.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

10. Enhancing the South 

Carolina Specialty Crop 

Industry through Education 

and Trade Show Promotion

The SC Specialty Crop Growers Association in conjunction with the SC 

Department of Agriculture will work together to promote the specialty 

crop industry through a cost share program that will assist growers in 

attending domestic industry trade show and conferences. Increased 

presence of South Carolina’s specialty crop industry at various trade 

shows and conferences will equip growers with the latest and most 

current research based educational information on topics such as pest 

management, sustainability, production practices, food safety, and 

regulatory issues. This proposed project will allow South Carolina 

growers the opportunity to develop new markets and buyers’ 

$34,776.00
211

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

relationships, which are both essential in expanding the specialty crop 

industry.

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

11. SCDA Pavilion Produce 

Marketing Association 

Fresh Summit 2020

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) will partner with 

the South Carolina (SC) Specialty Crop Growers Association, SC Peach 

Council, SC Watermelon Association, and SC specialty crop growers, 

producers and wholesalers to exhibit at the Produce Marketing 

Association (PMA) Fresh Summit Expo to be held in Dallas, TX October 

15-17 2020. At this point in time the show is still on schedule with slight 

modifications necessary for safety purposes including increased hand 

sanitizer stations placed throughout the trade show floor. The PMA 

Fresh Summit is the largest produce expo in the United States and 

provides an exclusive opportunity for SC to gain a national and

international buying audience through attendance. An SCDA Pavilion at 

this trade show would increase the awareness and sales potential of SC 

specialty crops by leveraging the brand awareness of Certified South 

Carolina and showcasing a variety of SC producers and products in a 

unified location and setting. SCDA will assist up to 7 SC specialty crop 

organizations to be featured in a SCDA Pavilion booth as co-exhibitors. 

The SCDA will continue to cover costs related to registration, booth 

coordination, development, production, installation and operation of 

the promotional display. This grant would cover a portion of the 

exhibitor booth fees of securing the 1,200 square footage of the booth 

space from PMA. This will allow for increased participation from new 

attendees or organizations previously hindered by the high costs 

associated with participating. An increased SC presence at the PMA 

Fresh Summit will result in a greater demand for Certified SC Grown 

products and increased sales for SC specialty crops.

$35,000.00
212

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

12. Value-adding packaging 

at GrowFood Carolina: 

Creative, innovative 

investments for specialty 

crops in South Carolina

GrowFood Carolina, the local food hub of the Coastal Conservation 

League, will increase specialty crop sales by providing value-adding 

packaging materials to partner farmers, enabling them to meet 

specifications required for retail sales. Two types of clamshell-style 

packaging will be offered: traditional plastic shells, and recyclable 

cardboard clamshells from ReadyCycle. This packaging will allow for 

local South Carolina produce, such as peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, 

and mushrooms, to be sold at six Whole Foods Market locations 

throughout South Carolina and the nearby vicinity. Whole Foods 

typically does not accept unpackaged produce. The package labeling 

will be customized to highlight individual growers, as well as speak to 

the larger brand of South Carolina specialty crops. An initial test at 

GrowFood of this innovative packaging, which is not yet widely used 

nationally, much less in the southeast region, showed promising results 

in 2019, with a significant return on investment for a South Carolina 

Shishito pepper grower. Furthermore, this project will serve to elevate 

the presence of South Carolina products to consumers in the 

marketplace through creative approaches to packaging and marketing.

$22,300.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

13. Research projects, 

Educational events, 

Demonstrations and Field 

Days to Educate Growers 

and Improve Grower 

Production Management 

Skills

Clemson University, Edisto Research and Education Center (EREC) is the 

applicant organization. Through research findings, demonstrations and 

educational events we expect to enhance the competitiveness of 

specialty crops through more sustainable, diverse, and resilient 

specialty crop systems. Growers, industry representatives and 

consumers will be provided current unbiased research and 

demonstration results which will allow them to teach others and 

themselves and make more sustainable production management 

decisions. Research, demonstrations and educational events will be 

conducted with the following crops and topics of interest: pumpkin 

varieties, sweet potato varieties, seedless and mini watermelon 

varieties, sweet potato herbicides, fertigation and sensor-based drip 

irrigation needs for sweet potatoes, watermelon and pumpkin, and soil 

environment enhancing products for watermelon production.

$18,138.00
213

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11 14. South Carolina Peach 

Advertising and Marketing

Working alongside the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, the 

South Carolina Peach Council requests funds to be utilized in promotion 

and consumer education as it relates to South Carolina grown peaches. 

By effectively relaying this message to consumers the association’s goal 

is to educate consumers on where South Carolina peaches can be

found across the state as well as when they are in season. This will 

increase the consumers knowledge about peaches and will help create 

demand. Through this grant new and improved marketing techniques 

will be utilized to improve the overall access to information on peaches 

and where to find peaches in South Carolina. These techniques will 

include social media marketing, digital advertising, increased exposure 

at trade shows and increased production of peach educational 

materials.

$30,000.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$595,317.11

15. South Carolina 

Watermelon Promotion and 

Branding Improvement

Working alongside the South Carolina Department of Agriculture 

(SCDA), the South Carolina Watermelon Association (SCWA) requests 

funds for promotion and consumer education as it relates to South 

Carolina grown watermelons through digital advertising and social 

media marketing. By utilizing scientifically proven data that supports 

such messages as the “Watermelon Fuels Athletes” slogan trademarked 

by the SCWA, educating consumers on the health benefits of 

consuming South Carolina grown watermelons will provide increased 

sales and financial support and stability to rural South Carolina 

communities. By effectively relaying this message to consumers, the 

association’s goal is to promote healthy, sustainable eating habits while 

helping to continue the growth of the South Carolina watermelon 

industry. The SCWA website is a central location to direct consumers 

for purchasing locations, safe handling techniques and recipes for 

consuming more watermelon.

$30,000.00
214

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$393,465.55

Black Currant Product 

Development for Health 

Eating and Storage

THE STEWART/O'NEILL BLACK CURRANT PROJECT consists of two south 

central South Dakota growers using research and hands on experience 

to develop the methodology, processes and cost analysis necessary to 

economically create three locally produced edible black currant 

products for food consumption. Research of existing methodologies 

and processes will lead to product development. Use of 

documentation, sampling and test marketing will determine which 

product(s) is most likely to create a sales volume large enough to make 

mass production feasible for success. At least one product will be 

packaged, labeled with nutritional facts, and sold for consumption.

$37,694.00

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$393,465.55

Enhanced Consumer 

Adoption Techniques for 

Stimulating Wholesale 

Markets for Specialty Crops 

in Rapid City’s Institutional 

Food Kitchens

The proposed study will develop a roadmap instituted over a three-year 

term focused on creating a pathway for small-to-medium scale 

specialty crop farmers to gain access and secure food supply contracts 

within the institutional food markets in Rapid City, SD.

$70,610.00

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$393,465.55

Enhancing Economic Return 

on Pulses Through Cultivar 

Selection and Ingredient 

Production

South Dakota State University in collaboration with the South Dakota 

Pulse Crop Council will complete project objectives related to 

enhancing economic return of pulses. Pulses such as pea, lentil and 

chickpea have been targeted by the food industry as a source of 

sustainably sourced ingredients.

$63,131.00

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$393,465.55

Establishing a South Dakota 

Hop Grower’s Association: 

Increasing Sales and 

Awareness of South Dakota 

Hops

South Dakota Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA), Hop and Barley 

Subchapter will increase sales of South Dakota produced hops by 250% 

while simultaneously promoting and increasing awareness of South 

Dakota produced hops. This will be achieved by developing a chapter 

specific name, logo, website, and social media presence for the SDSPA 

Hop Producer Subchapter and by conducting a targeted, direct-tobrewer marketing trip to >85% of South Dakota based breweries during 

the period July 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2021.

$4,778.00

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$393,465.55

Increasing Specialty Crop 

Producer Capacity through 

Knowledge and Aggregation

South Dakota Specialty Producers Association will provide resources, 

knowledge and connections through multiple platforms to champion 

and nurture specialty crop production, marketing and aggregation in an

always-evolving environment.

$44,072.00
215

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$393,465.55

Lakota Traditional Plants 

Specialty-Crop Market 

Cooperative

Patricia Hammond’s Rebel Earth Farms, will partner with Re-Member 

and South Dakota State University Extension towards organizing and 

assisting 10 additional Lakota new specialty crop farmers into an 

informal western South Dakota specialty crop cooperative with the goal 

of increasing the production of Lakota herbal teas; doing research into 

additional traditional plants that are cultivatable and marketable; to do 

additional marketing research and educational outreach via farmers 

markets (Black Hills Area Farmers Market in Rapid City) and with chefs 

(such as the Sioux Chef, Sean Sherman) and restaurants in the region.

$88,178.00

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$393,465.55

Winter pea development in 

South Dakota and 

Nebraska: winter 

survivability, crop 

management, soil health 

and nutritional quality

The breadth and scope of this project is fairly broad with seven primary 

objectives. We will gain very valuable information on: 1) which winter 

pea varieties have the potential to withstand the harsh winters of the 

upper Plains, 2) how winter peas (if they survive the winter) compare to 

spring varieties with respect to yield, test weight and protein, 3) how 

planting date affects winter survivability, 4) estimates for nitrogen 

fixation potential from winter peas compared to spring types and 5) if 

the use of microbial seed treatments can enhance winter survivability.

$27,950.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Assessment and mitigation 

of honeybee stressors 

across Tennessee

The Institute of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee will mitigate 

honeybee colony losses by assessing stress factors and using the results 

to develop science-based communications (factsheets, website, social 

media) and educational trainings (conferences, meetings, field days) for 

producers.

$50,000.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Awareness & Market 

Growth Development: 

Gatlinburg Wine Trail & 

Rocky Top Wine Trail

Mountain Valley Vineyards (MVV) has been producing award-winning 

wines with Tennessee grown grapes since 1994. It is our passion to help 

nurture and grow the grape farming industry in the state, with a focus 

on partnering directly with local farmers in our area.

$36,250.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09 Chronicling Tennessee's 

Specialty Crop Landscape

The University of Tennessee (Center for Profitable Agriculture) will lead 

the effort to chronicle some of Tennessee’s existing specialty crop 

production, develop written information on the crops and implement 

various outreach and teaching events.

$50,000.00
216

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Creating a competitive 

advantage for Tennessee 

blackberry growers

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture will provide 

Tennessee blackberry growers guidelines on which characteristics are 

most important to consumers through sensory and consumer science 

methods. These findings will allow on-farm decisions to be made with 

the customer in mind to support growers in selecting and marketing 

their small fruit crops and growing their farm operations. This project 

will heighten the competitiveness of Tennessee growers and will 

provide a roadmap for growers to ensure buyers see blackberries from 

Tennessee as a premium product.

$23,814.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Establishment of Various 

Tree Fruit and Nut Crop in 

an Organic System in the 

Mid-South

Growing specialty crops, such as tree fruits and nuts, organically in 

Tennessee is a potential new endeavor that could create extra income 

and jobs for Tennessee. Grower interest in diversifying their farm is 

ever increasing. The organic industry is on the rise and will probably 

continue to increase in the future. There is not a lot of research or 

information in general on organically grown produce in Tennessee.

$23,406.24

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Expanding children’s 

educational programs 

promoting specialty crop 

purchasing and 

consumption at East 

Tennessee farmers’ 

markets.

Nourish Knoxville will promote the consumption of specialty crops by 

expanding our children’s educational program, Nourish Kids, to more 

East Tennessee farmers’ markets. The program will fund Nourish Kids 

Clubs at five farmers’ markets outside Knox County, providing children 

ages 2-12 with the opportunity to try new specialty crops, to participate 

in educational activities about specialty crops, and to receive specialty 

crop-focused recipe cards and $5 each in Produce Bucks to spend on 

select specialty crops at farmers’ markets, which builds revenue for 

specialty crop farmers.

$24,979.76

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Expanding markets for new 

and existing Vineyards, 

Farm Wineries and 

Wineries

The Winery at Seven Springs Farm will purchase a closed drum 

pneumatic press to allow rapid and efficient processing of grapes to 

support expanding business operations and provide a critical capability, 

custom crush, for local farm wineries.

$25,000.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Kid’s Produce Club Takes 

Over Milan Farmers’ 

Market

We recently learned of a program called “POP (Power of Produce) 

Club” from Grow Oak Ridge, a small-town Farmers’ Market here in TN. 

We want to mimic that program in Milan by creating Kid’s Produce 

Club. Kid’s Produce Club will offer different activities for kids to try new 

fruits and vegetables and learn about Farmers’ Markets, but our main 

goal is for kids to learn how to buy fruit, vegetables and other goods 

from local farmers rather than big grocery stores

$4,000.00
217

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09 Landmark Hydroponics & 

Youth Training Project

Landmark Training Development Company shall obtain a hydroponics 

nutritional film technique (NFT) system to grow leafy green specialty 

crops such as lettuce and expand its youth urban farm training 

program.

$16,700.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Preparation of Baseline 

Constituent Studies for 

Natural Indigo as an Exempt 

Food Colorant

Stony Creek Colors, Inc., has spent recent years developing the textile 

market for its natural indigo dye and is preparing to move into the 

adjacent natural food colorants market. This market is strictly regulated 

both domestically and internationally, requiring a formal application to 

the FDA for the inclusion of farmer-grown natural indigo as a “color 

additive exempt for certification”. This process is multi-stage and will 

almost certainly require an array of toxicology studies and analysis 

method development to ultimately determine the applicable dosages 

and maximum thresholds for use and constituent impurities

$25,000.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Providing new broccoli 

varieties and cultivation 

technology to local growers 

in Tennessee

Tennessee State University (TSU) will select broccoli varieties that are 

suitable for year-round production in middle Tennessee. Dr. Suping 

Zhou in the College of Agriculture will lead the project to compare 15 

broccoli varieties obtained from the USDA-ARS National Clonal 

Germplasm Repository (U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREAgricultural Research Service). These varieties have been evaluated for 

one season in hoop-house on the Agricultural Experimental Station at 

TSU.

$25,000.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09 Specialty Crop Training 

Farm

Cul2vate grows and delivers Fresh, nutritional vegetables into local 

food insecure areas. They work in collaboration with other 

organizations to provide education as to nutritional information, Food 

Safety, And Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) to those who receive our 

food. All food is grown in the context of a 24-week agricultural 

training/educational program that targets the chronically unemployed 

with agriculture curriculum, basic life skills, and job readiness training. 

They seek to prepare the trainees for continuing in farming and/or 

placement with local business partners. Prior graduates of the program 

are now working to assist and educate current students as well as local 

farms in specialty crop practices that comply with Federal Food Safety 

Standards. 

$49,050.00
218

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09 Tennessee Farmers Mobile 

Workshop

The Tennessee Agritourism Association will research how to increase 

sales and maximize profits of specialty crop production. We will travel, 

by bus, to visit with establishments who specialize in specialty crop 

production across the United States. This mobile workshop will consist 

of 8-10 stops in four days and will be offered to our 170 members. Due 

to budgets, only 56 members will be able to attend this workshop. 

Members who wish to attend will be asked to complete a scholarship 

application that will be judged by a panel of non TAA persons.

$21,369.13

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Tennessee Grape and Wine 

Direct to Consumer 

Marketing Engagement

The Tennessee Farm Winegrowers Alliance (TFWA) seeks to engage in a 

series of consumer education campaigns for the grape and fruit 

varieties that grow well within Tennessee and the style of wines we 

create with them. With one of the largest new buying demographics in 

Millennials coming online, we find them shaking the traditional 

presentations of wine and opting for experiences in exploring new 

products and varieties. We will engage potential consumer through 

Direct experiential marketing including event activations such as wine 

festival, workshops, seminars, videos and webinar.

$50,000.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09 Tennessee State Parks 

Honey Project

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) 

proposes to utilize SCBG funds to continue its existing Tennessee State 

Parks Honey Pilot Project to promote and sell honey produced from 

apiaries located in strategically selected State Parks to advance and 

enhance benefits for pollinator education, the parks system, and the 

agricultural community at large.

$23,462.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$536,220.09

Urban Arboretum 

Development Program –

Shelby Avenue, Nashville, 

TN

Nashville Tree Conservation Corps will enhance the competitiveness of 

nursery stock trees and fortify rural Tennessee’s economy by installing 

and marketing a public arboretum where people can learn about trees, 

their benefits in the city, and how to purchase trees from NTCC’s dropship, tree-farm-to-yard program, which moves trees from rural 

Tennessee farms directly into urban Nashville yards.

$45,000.00
219

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

1. Yes! Texas Has That! -

Increasing Consumer And 

Retail Awareness Of Texas 

Specialty Crops

“Yes! Texas Has That!” is a marketing campaign created by the Texas 

Department of Agriculture – Marketing and International Trade Division 

(TDA Marketing) designed to increase awareness of specialty crops to 

consumers and retailers throughout the state. Utilizing multiple mass 

media efforts, the goal will be to introduce information on several 

specialty crop industries. TDA Marketing will also leverage the success 

of the GO TEXAN marketing program to increase sales of Texas olive oil 

and honey by promoting sales of olive oil and honey products at GO 

TEXAN sponsored events.

$250,000.00

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20 2. Healthier Living Through Hydroponics

The Uvalde County Underground Water Conservation District 

(UCUWCD), its partners, Texas A&M University and Texas A&M AgriLife 

Research (Uvalde), and collaborators, the Uvalde Nutrition Center, the 

Sabinal Nutrition Center, 4-H Bexar County, Uvalde Memorial Hospital 

and Veranda Senior Living, will partner together to improve the health 

and nutrition of consumers and the economic well-being of small-scale 

growers through education and adoption of efficient hydroponic 

techniques.

$167,000.00

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

3. Pecan Weevil Awareness, 

Monitoring, Sampling, And 

Elimination in Weevil Free 

Zones And Quarantined 

Border Counties

The Texas Pecan Board is the checkoff program for pecans in Texas 

responsible to the Texas Department of Agriculture for promotion, 

research, education and marketing of pecans in Texas. TDA through 

state statue has implemented a quarantine on pecan in 249 counties 

because of the pecan weevil insect. To ship pecans from a quarantine 

area to a non-quarantine area requires treatments costing up to 6¢ per 

pound. It is possible with proper monitoring, sampling and verification 

that some currently quarantined areas may be certified “weevil free.”

$27,000.00

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

4. Development of Research 

And Training Protocols 

Aimed At Enabling Growers 

To Become Self-Sufficient In 

Testing Psyllids And 

Potatoes For The Zebra C

Texas A&M AgriLife Research, in collaboration with Black Gold Farms, is 

submitting a proposal on development of research and training 

protocols for testing psyllids and potatoes for the zebra chip (ZC) 

pathogen using an emerging molecular diagnostic technique. ZC, 

caused by the bacterial pathogen, ‘Candidatus Liberibacter 

solanacearum’ (Lso), which is transmitted by the potato psyllid 

(Bactericera cockerelli), has been causing substantial losses to Texas 

potato growers since it was first detected in the state in 2000. 

Currently, growers spray their fields weekly with pesticides to control 

potato psyllids and minimize losses to ZC.

$117,000.00
220

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

5. Beyond Salad: Harvesting 

Spinach Seed for Grain 

Consumption As An 

Additional Source Of 

Income

Texas A&M AgriLife, in collaboration with the Wintergarden Spinach 

Producer Board, have been working on developing solutions to increase 

the spinach industry competitiveness. Texas is one of the leading 

spinach-producing states in the US for both the fresh and canning 

markets. This proposal will evaluate spinach grain production as an 

additional source of income at the end of the crop cycle when 

producers have finished leaf harvesting as a double purpose crop by 

assessing yield potential, nutritional quality, and economic feasibility as 

an alternative source of income to the farmer. In addition, it will 

expand the farmer portfolio of alternative produce, increased farmed 

acreage and alternative fringe products. This will cushion Texas farmers 

against total loss, save on farm insurance costs, and expand the food 

industry.

$114,000.00

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

6. Biochar to Improve 

Water Use Efficiency And 

Soil Resilience In West 

Texas

Texas Tech University (TTU) in association with “West Texas Growers 

and Producers Association” and “High Plains Underground Water 

Conservation District” will evaluate the combined effects of biochar soil 

amendments and deficit irrigation strategy on physiology, yield and 

water use efficiency of cucumber and sweet corn. The goal of the study 

is to develop and evaluate soil and water conservation and 

management strategies (and technologies) to enhance sustainable 

vegetable production in the groundwater-dependent agricultural 

production of Texas Southern High Plains. Multiple experiments will be 

conducted for two years at research farm of TTU to include three deficit 

irrigation regimes (100% ETc, 80% ETc and 60% ETc) and two biochar 

types (softwood and hardwood).

$72,000.00
221

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

7. Systematic Horticulture 

Operations Program Of 

Texas (SHOP-TX)

Through the Specialty Crop Block Grant, Texas Nursery and Landscape 

Association (TNLA), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (AgriLife 

Extension) and Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will partner 

together to create a state-based nursery implementation program 

using the national SANC program as a guide. The SHOP-TX program will 

help Texas ornamental producers maintain an insect and disease clean 

facility and will ensure the safe movement of ornamental crops within 

Texas and with participating states. Industry professionals, academics 

and licensing agents will come together to identify the need and impact 

that a state-based nursery implementation program will address, the 

steps needed to compile educational resources and best management 

practices for Texas ornamental producers, develop a detailed criterion 

that will be practical and easy to follow, and establish outreach 

programs that targets Texas producers and their consumers.

$140,000.00

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

8. New Tools To Ensure 

Genetic Purity Of Turfgrass 

Production In Texas

Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension, with project partners 

Turfgrass Producers of Texas and Lone Star Gold Course 

Superintendents Association, will enhance the production of highquality turfgrass with genetic purity and identity to assist sod producers 

to produce certified sod. The turfgrass industry ranks as the number 

one valued agricultural crop in the state of Texas. One of the major 

challenges with the production of high-quality and genetically pure sod 

is contamination with off types arising from volunteer seed and/or 

viable plant parts either wind-blown or carried by farm equipment. 

Accurate identification of target cultivars from such contamination is 

essential for producing and maintaining clean certified sod. Currently, 

methods to identify off-types is based on visual assessment, which is 

qualitative in nature and difficult, especially for morphologically similar 

but genetically dissimilar off-types.

$80,000.00
222

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

9. Addressing The Challenge 

Of High Grape/Wine Ph 

Through Improved Vineyard 

Management Practices

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is partnering with the High Plains 

Winegrowers Association to develop a set of vineyard management 

practices to address problems associated with high juice/wine pH, a 

major challenge for hot climates like Texas. Previous research 

conducted by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has identified viticultural 

factors that directly correlate with grape acidity and this project seeks 

to modify current vineyard management techniques to optimize both 

fruit production and quality including juice pH, titratable acidity, and 

potassium. Researchers will work with grower/cooperators in North 

Texas and Texas High Plains to test a regime of modified canopy and 

crop management practices to determine their effectiveness in 

controlling acidity. Practices that prove to be most effective and 

economic will be communicated to members of the Texas grape and 

wine industry through Extension publications, websites, social media, 

videos, workshops and presentations.

$25,000.00

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

10. Control of Listeria 

Monocytogenes In 

Processing/Packing Plants 

Using Antimicrobial Blue 

Light (ABL)

The Texas International Produce Association will partner with the 

Center for Produce Safety and the University of Georgia to assess using 

high-energy blue light for surface decontamination. The bacterial 

pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) can survive and persist in 

produce processing and packing facilities. The use of a dynamic light 

technology during facility down time could serve as a useful tool in 

preventing Listeria establishment and persistence. Blue light in the 

400–470 nm range of the visible light spectrum has been shown to have 

antimicrobial effects against a wide range of microbes, including 

Listeria, and is considered safe for humans.

$144,510.00

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

11. Improving Quality and 

Profitability Of Texas 

Pepper Production With 

Cropping Strategies And 

Novel Texas A&M Genetics

This proposal is being submitted by Texas A&M University in 

collaboration with members of the South Texas Vegetable Association. 

The proposed project addresses the key focus area of Plant Health as it 

pertains to fresh pepper production. Texas is a major chili pepper 

producing state. However, the economic and environmental 

sustainability of this specialty crop commodity is under threat from 

multiple challenges especially at the field production level. This project 

will evaluate elite selections of pepper hybrids and lines from Texas 

A&M University, along with novel fertility management strategies to 

$121,000.00
223

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

reduce losses from heat, bacterial leaf spot, viruses, pepper weevils and 

broad mites.

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

12. Increasing Texas 

Strawberry Profitability 

Through Two Additional 

Years of Research and 

Grower Training

Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas Tech, Prairie View A&M, Poteet Strawberry 

Festival Association, Poteet Rotary Club, and growers will collaborate to 

increase sustainability and improve profitability of Texas strawberry 

production. Through current research and training, our TDA project 

resulted in an upsurge in grower numbers and acreage. This new 

project will: (1) define improved fertilizer strategies by variety using 

soil/leaf analyses combined with plant gas exchange measurements 

(carbon assimilation, transpiration, etc.) using LiCor 6400 XT Portable 

Photosynthesis Instruments to determine strawberry variety water use 

efficiency, and best management practices in the diverse Texas 

climates.

$92,000.00

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,589,276.20

13. Developing Videos to 

Provide Micro-Farms With 

Produce Safety Education

The purpose of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is to shift 

food safety regulations from a system that focuses on responding to 

contamination to one that focuses on preventing them. FSMA was a 

law enacted on Jan. 4, 2011, that authorizes the U.S. Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA) to take a preventative approach to food safety. 

The law does so by incorporating new enforcement actions that are 

designed to achieve higher rates of compliance with preventative 

safety standards. FSMA also gives the FDA the tools it needs to hold 

imported foods to the same standards as domestic foods. As part of 

FSMA, the Produce Safety rule establishes, for the first time, sciencebased minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, 

and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption.

$45,000.00
224

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

U.S. Virgin

Islands

Department of

Agriculture

$242,838.10

Project 1 - Back Yard 

Farmers Development 

Project

The US Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture (VIDOA) is seeking 

funding for the amount of 129,409.21 to develop a comprehensive 

Backyard Farmers enhancement Program, which will seek to increase 

access, availability and awareness of specialty crop in the US VI. recent 

tragedies over the past few years has reduced the availability of locally 

grown produce relative to the economic impact on local producers. For 

this reason, a significant number of homeowners have been soliciting 

advice and assistance from VI Department of Agriculture for assistance. 

This project will seek to encourage and empower the community 

through knowledge on how to produce, access and prepare specialty 

crops in the USVI.

$129,409.21

U.S. Virgin

Islands

Department of

Agriculture

$242,838.10

Project 2 - Establishment of 

a Farmers Capacity Building 

Program

The Agriculture sector is very small in the USVI; that is, there is 

relatively an insufficient amount of farmers available to grow a 

sufficient amount of local crops, which would have had significant 

impact on the availability and increase access of local crops; thus, to 

this end VIDA seeks to develop farmers (that are at a financial 

disadvantage) to ramp up mass production of local crops, so that the 

import rate may decrease, while the Agriculture sector increases 

productivity. The proposed capacity building program will allow 

new/beginning or existing farmers to establish, enhance or promote 

crop production development. Certainly, competitiveness of locally 

grown crops will ultimately increase; the education component assures 

sustainability as the program will equip the participating farmers with 

the knowledge required to operate the farm from planting the seed, 

crop maintenance (pest control), harvesting and marketing.

$40,000.00

U.S. Virgin

Islands

Department of

Agriculture

$242,838.10

Project 3 - Development of 

a Local Organic Pesticide 

from Jicama

The University of the Virgin Islands Agricultural Experiment Station 

(AES) and Cooperative Extension Service (CES) are collaborating to 

conduct research on Jicama, a tropical tuberous root legume, to 

evaluate extracts from different parts of the Jicama plant for the 

development of an organic pesticide for local use. The outcomes will be 

the determination of pesticidal compounds level in Jicama leaves, 

green pods and mature seeds; development of an extraction method 

for the Jicama pesticidal compounds; evaluation of the use of Jicama 

extracts as an organic control of insect pests; and if the Jicama extracts 

are successful, design a factsheet for growers describing the process for 

$46,296.00
225

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

making a useful organic pesticide product from Jicama. The overall end 

result would be a botanical organic pesticide from Jicama plant tissues 

that can be locally produced and utilized by specialty crop growers.

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,654.81

Project 1 - Improving 

Production Schedules and 

Yield of Early Season Cut 

Flowers in Utah: 

Ranunculus and Anemone

The Utah State University Department of Plants, Soils and Climate will 

trial high tunnel and low tunnel production practices, planting dates, 

cultivar selection, and pre-planting techniques that influence the 

overwintering success, early plant establishment, and harvest of 

Ranunculus and Anemone cut flower crops. These cut flowers are two 

of the earliest blooming, hence harvestable and profitable, options for 

Utah flower farmers, but the climate of the Intermountain West has 

made production a challenge. This research will focus on establishing 

thresholds for overwintering (i.e. minimum soil temperature) and 

spring growth (i.e. temperature and solar radiation intensity) in relation 

to planting dates, season extension techniques, and cultivar selection 

to predict the early growth and subsequent flowering, yield, and quality 

of these cut flowers. Developing local production guidelines will 

increase potential economic benefits for Utah specialty crop growers 

and promote farm diversification. Results will be disseminated through 

workshops, field days, social media, and fact sheets.

$80,216.62

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,654.81

Project 2 - Increase 

Awareness, Knowledge, 

Growth, and Consumption 

of Specialty Crops in Salt 

Lake County.

The Green Urban Lunch Box will increase awareness, knowledge, 

growth, and consumption of specialty crops in Salt Lake County through 

educational programs that engage and empower the community to 

grow, consume, and distribute fruits and vegetables. Our aim is to 

increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially 

specialty crops, among low-income seniors, cancer patients, families 

relying on food banks, and our community at large while fostering a 

community-centered approach to improving food security through the 

various programs we offer.

$20,703.00
226

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,654.81

Project 3 - Identification 

and Evaluation of HighYielding Pinus Edulis Native 

to the Four Corners as PineNut Crops

Brigham Young University, in collaboration with Utah State University 

as a subaward, plans to identify and evaluate high-yielding Pinus edulis 

(two-needle pinyon pine) plants native to the Four Corners region to 

develop an alternative specialty crop suitable for commercial growers 

in orchard settings and marginal lands on tribal and non-tribal lands. 

Superior clones of P. edulis will be evaluated in nursery, orchard, and 

marginal-land sites. This work builds upon the successful results 

generated from a project funded to USU by SCBG in 2016 on Pinus 

monophyla as a potential commercial crop. Outcomes will include 

identifying four populations of P. edulis in the Four Corners region 

where high-yielding clones, which produce nutritious seeds (pine nuts), 

can be identified and ultimately released as commercial cultivars. We 

will also refine the process for grafting P. edulis scion wood to mature 

tree rootstock via side grafting and cleft grafting. General tasks to fulfill 

the outcomes include identifying superior P. edulis accessions via GPS 

technology and cone-scar counting (developed in the 2016-funded 

SCBG project of USU with P. monophyla). Seeds of parent trees of 

superior clones will be analyzed for their nutrient and mineral 

composition to fast-track their development as commercial cultivars. 

And as mentioned, P. edulis plants will be evaluated in nursery, 

orchard, and marginal-land settings with and without irrigation to 

determine their horticultural potential.

$47,804.93
227

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,654.81

Project 4 - High Tunnels: 

Approach to Early and 

Annual Asparagus 

Production

Utah State University has been actively studying high tunnel production 

and proposes to evaluate alternative approaches to annual asparagus 

as well as field manipulation with tunnels to enhance early harvest and 

improved yields and profitability. Our request for funding from the 

Specialty Crops Block Grant program is to first; further evaluate if an 

annual asparagus system is feasible, productive and economic; second; 

to use high and low tunnels in mature asparagus to mitigate the effects 

of early frost and thereby increase productivity and economic returns; 

third; to carefully assess the economics of these different systems; and 

fourth; to share these findings with Utah’s farmers through a variety of 

outreach approaches. The combined results of these studies will assist 

small asparagus growers in Utah to efficiently manage their crops for 

optimal productivity and profitability while not necessarily tying up land 

in a long-term commitment to a perennial vegetable like asparagus. 

Very few studies have looked at tunnel production in asparagus thus 

this work is of significant value particularly in an environment like Utah 

where spring frosts regularly slow spear growth or damage emerged 

spears. Findings will be disseminated to Utah’s growers as they become 

available.

$30,613.12

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,654.81 Project 5 - 4-H Fillmore 

Elementary Gardening

Utah State University Extension Millard County, through a partnership 

with Fillmore Elementary School and implementation of the 4-H 

Fillmore Elementary Gardening Program, will enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crops through increased access and 

consumption. To increase access to and consumption of specialty crops, 

the 4-H Millard County Gardening Program will engage Fillmore 

Elementary School students (grades one through five) in specialty crop 

experiential gardening, hands-on cooking experiences, food 

preservation, food donations, and student-led farm stand.

$26,043.57
228

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,654.81

Project 6 - Empowering 

Hispanic/Latinx Community 

Members to Grow, Eat, 

Prepare, and Appreciate 

Specialty Crops

Wasatch Community Gardens (WCG) seeks to increase knowledge 

about, and consumption of, specialty crops amongst Hispanic/Latinx 

women and families on Salt Lake City’s west side by 1) providing the 

parents at the Title I elementary schools in our School Garden Network 

with access to gardening space and education, organic produce, and 

healthy recipes through bi-monthly Parent Garden Club gatherings, and 

2) educating Hispanic/Latinx community members about growing and 

eating produce that is culturally appropriate through a bilingual 

workshop series called Sabores de Mi Patria (Flavors of My Homeland) 

in partnership with Artes de México en Utah. The focus will be on 

vegetables and fruits that can be grown in home, school, and 

community gardens in Salt Lake County, with special emphasis on crops 

grown by indigenous peoples in the Americas, such as corn, beans, and 

squash.

$15,000.00

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,654.81

Project 7 - Direct-ToConsumer Sales Innovation 

Program

Urban Food Connections of Utah (UFCU) will work to reduce the loss of 

sales as a result of the ever-changing circumstances of the COVID19 

crisis for specialty crop producers in Utah including the more than 80 

that sell at our existing markets. We will help our specialty crop 

producers innovate their sales models by working with software 

developers to create a year-round, direct-to-consumer online sales 

platform for farmers, as well as training and mentoring on using 

websites and social media to connect and sell to Utah consumers.

$48,000.00
229

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,654.81

Project 8 - Urban Shade 

Cloth Use and Translated 

Language Food Safety 

Resources for Utah 

Specialty Crop Producers

International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City’s (IRC SLC) Specialty 

Crop Block Grant Project (SCBGP), “Urban Shade Cloth Use and 

Translated Language Food Safety Resources for Utah Specialty Crop 

Producers,” will strengthen local and regional specialty crop production 

and support Utah farmers, including socially disadvantaged new 

Americans participants beginning their farming careers. With this 

funding, IRC SLC will be able to expand the efforts of New Roots in Salt 

Lake City (New Roots SLC), a farming and food access program which 

provides instruction and farm incubation services for refugee and other 

new American farmers. This project will increase farmers in the New 

Roots SLC program’s annual specialty crop production and resulting 

revenue through explorative use of shade cloth specifically adapted to 

the urban environment of Salt Lake County. New Roots SLC will also 

adapt and translate culturally relevant, linguistically accessible food 

safety training, resources, and signage delivered to refugee and other 

new American farmers in northern Utah. New Roots SLC staff and 

farmers will achieve project deliverables by utilizing and adapting 

season-extension infrastructure for summer shade cloth use and by 

piloting increased production and sale of sun- sensitive crops during 

summer months.

$64,000.00

Vermont Agency 

of Agriculture $323,379.87

Project 1 - Regional 

Consumer Attitudes and 

Preferences about Vermont 

Maple Syrup

A major part of Atlantic Corporation’s (Atlantic) work is focused on 

improving profitability for America’s small and medium sized farms by 

helping them transition from supply-driven business models to 

demand-driven business models. We have a long history of leading 

public-private partnerships on major state, regional, and federal, 

agricultural business and economic research and development projects. 

This project will deliver critical market assessment and business 

planning tools and information to benefit the Vermont maple syrup 

industry. Atlantic will launch a multi-state consumer survey of product 

attitudes, preferences, and availability resulting in a final report and 

data dashboards outlining the market opportunities for Vermont maple 

syrup. The project objectives are consumer survey design, survey 

programming and implementation, statistical analysis of survey data, 

identifying key market opportunities, creation of final report and data

$27,140.00
230

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

dashboards, outreach to share findings and reports and measuring the 

metrics of impact.

Vermont Agency 

of Agriculture $323,379.87

Project 2 - Demonstrating 

Benefits of the Innovative 

Missouri Gravel Bed 

Rooting System for 

Vermont’s Specialty Crop 

Growers

Elmore Roots nursery will pilot, demonstrate and promote utilizing an 

innovative gravel bed system developed in Missouri as a way for 

Vermont specialty crop growers, nurseries, farms and landscapers to 

increase transplanting success, decreasing costs and effort leading to 

greater profitability. This project will build upon Elmore Roots’ long, 

substantial and recognized leadership in advancing knowledge, 

techniques and nursery species specifically suited for and that can 

thrive in Vermont’s unique and challenging climate.

$29,017.00

Vermont Agency 

of Agriculture $323,379.87

Project 3 - Implementing a 

Marketing Campaign to 

Increase the 

Competitiveness of 

Vermont Certified Organic 

Specialty Crop Producers

This project will increase sales for the 353 certified organic specialty 

crop producers by implementing a marketing campaign to educate 

consumers about how organic farming practices help to mitigate and 

develop resilience to climate change. The project leverages and assists

a growing statewide momentum toward payment for ecosystem 

services by 1) building awareness of and public support for the climatic 

benefits of organic agricultural practices, and 2) compensating farmers 

for associated costs by amplifying existing consumer commitment to 

local food. Vital Communities will collaborate with Vermont Organic 

Farmers' (VOF) proposed statewide campaign by piloting the marketing 

campaign at sales locations in the Upper Valley region of Vermont. We 

will achieve this goal by creating a robust consumer education 

campaign and conducting it in a variety of communication channels. 

$46,118.00
231

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Compelling talking points and marketing materials for farmers will 

illustrate the connection between organic practices and climate change 

mitigation and resilience.

Vermont Agency 

of Agriculture $323,379.87

Project 4 - Soil Steaming to 

Manage Chickweed in High 

Tunnels

University of Vermont Extension will conduct research and outreach to 

help vegetable growers manage chickweed (Stellaria media) using soil 

steaming. This weed poses a widespread problem for production of 

winter greens in high tunnels because it reduces crop yield and requires 

expensive hand weeding to control. Soil steaming has been used by a 

few growers to control chickweed in high tunnels, and shows promise, 

but best practices to optimize efficacy and cost are not known. 

Replicated on-farm trials over three winter growing seasons will 

identify the optimal duration of soil steaming by quantifying effects on 

chickweed population, soil microbial activity, available soil nutrients, as 

well as costs and returns. Results and recommendations will be shared 

with Vermont growers through on-farm workshops, fact sheets, 

newsletters, and at meeting presentations.

$49,641.00

Vermont Agency 

of Agriculture $323,379.87

Project 5 - Specialty 

Composts to Control Fungal 

Soilborne Pathogens in 

Vegetable Crops

In controlled experiments, the microbial community present in an 

earthworm-cured dairy manure compost suppressed multiple fungal 

pathogens including Rhizoctonia solani, a destructive soil-borne 

pathogen of vegetable crops. University of Vermont will field test this 

proven solution in a farm setting to assess effectiveness and 

adoptability by vegetable growers.

$33,193.00
232

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Vermont Agency 

of Agriculture $323,379.87

Project 6 - Developing 

Vermont’s Saffron Industry 

as a High-Value Crop for 

Small Family Farms

University of Vermont scientists at the North American Center for 

Saffron Research & Development (Saffron Center) and the Department 

of Community Development & Applied Economics will collaborate to 

strengthen and expand the emerging Vermont saffron industry. They 

will conduct a statewide outreach program, with multiple on-farm 

demonstration sites and extensive hands-on training to encourage 

adoption of saffron production among small and beginning farmers, 

with the goal of increasing crop revenues.

$40,000.00

Vermont Agency 

of Agriculture $323,379.87

Project 7 - Increasing 

Community Resiliency 

Through Improved Access 

to Specialty Crops

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) will 

implement a community-oriented approach to food access and market 

development to foster projects and events that will increase exposure 

and access to local products, and specifically specialty crops, to an 

expanded consumer base. This project will support the development of 

resilient local food systems by bringing together stakeholders, 

facilitating food systems planning and project management, providing 

professional and leadership development opportunities, and increasing 

community awareness through educational and promotional 

marketing.

$74,240.76

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Enhancing quality of 

Virginia hops: Strategies to 

forecast cone ripeness 

using physicochemical and 

volatile markers

Virginia Tech Flavor Lab and Analytical Services Lab at the Department 

of Food Science and Technology propose to work in partnership, 

through a contract with Virginia State University to enhance the 

competitiveness of Virginia hops by developing tools for accurately 

predicting cone ripeness using physicochemical parameters and volatile 

markers.

$59,997.00

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Evaluation of disease 

resistant seedless table 

grape cultivars and cluster 

protection materials.

The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will evaluate a 

total of nine disease resistant seedless table grape cultivars and efficacy 

of protective materials for grape clusters in designed field trials. The 

objectives are to evaluate newer seedless table grapes for disease 

resistance level and other viticultural traits, and to achieve the 

minimum fungicide usage for disease management to produce seedless 

table grapes for the fresh fruit market using a combination of the 

genetic resistance, cultural practices, and organic or conventional 

fungicide regimen.

$34,568.18
233

Organization

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Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Factors that Influence the 

Introduction, Fate, and 

Mitigation of Foodborne 

Pathogens on Edamame

Virginia Tech will investigate microbial hazards and contamination risks 

associated with the growing, packing, holding, and distributing of 

edamame. Data generated will directly support edamame growers in 

developing best practices and implementing buyer driven food safety 

programs

$59,760.00

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Improve Edamame Seedling 

Emergence through 

Optimum Planting 

Temperature and Biological 

Seed Treatments

Virginia Tech proposes to study a primary concern (low seedling 

emergence) in edamame production. Data generated will directly 

support edamame growers by improving edamame quality and yield in 

Virginia.

$19,267.03

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Improve Edamame Seedling 

Emergence through 

Optimum Planting 

Temperature and Biological 

Seed Treatments

Virginia Tech proposes to study a primary concern (low seedling 

emergence) in edamame production. Data generated will directly 

support edamame growers by improving edamame quality and yield in 

Virginia.

$19,267.03

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Improving flavor and quality 

characteristic for Virginia 

blackberry as affected by 

foliar and shade application

Virginia Tech Flavor Lab in the Department of Food Science and 

Technology and Small Fruit Research and Extension Program at 

Hampton Roads AREC, in partnership with Agriberry Farm and Messicks 

Farm will seek to improve Virginia blackberry quality, sales, and 

sustainability by utilizing shade cloth, foliar chemical application, and 

determining characteristic flavor profile for well-performed cultivars.

$59,906.46

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Increasing Resiliency for 

Virginia Produce Growers 

through a GAP Certification 

Pilot Program

Virginia Tech (Strawn and Vallotton), in cooperation with Virginia State 

University (Carter Jr.), will develop and implement a Good Agricultural 

Practices (GAP) pilot program to increase the resiliency of Virginia 

growers and packers.

$55,000.00

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Local Food Hub Quality 

Assurance, Technical 

Assistance, and Market 

Readiness for Specialty 

Crop Farms

This project seeks to leverage Local Food Hub’s unique position at the 

intersection of the marketplace and small-scale farming to meet the 

new challenges faced by specialty crop growers, both in the midst of 

the COVID-19 pandemic and into the long term. It creates new, 

adaptive sales channels; expands the footprint of Local Food Hub 

services; and creates tools to simplify recordkeeping and purchasing for 

small farmers.

$59,558.15
234

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Maintaining the Virginia 

Wine Industry through Low 

Cost Education after the 

Coronavirus

The Virginia Wineries Association will enhance the competitiveness of 

Virginia wine and wine grapes by educating growers and producers on 

sustainability and science based tools to improve the economy by 

helping these small businesses survive through the litany of changes at 

the Virginia Wineries Association and the Virginia Vineyards 

Association’s Conferences.

$60,000.00

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

Microbial Quality of Water 

Used in Potato 

Packinghouse Operations, 

and Control Strategies

Virginia Tech will directly partner with the Virginia potato industry to 

investigate the microbial quality of water used in potato packinghouse 

operations and to subsequently develop control strategies to ensure 

the Virginia potato industry continues economic success. Findings will 

support the establishment of best practices for the use of agricultural 

water in potato packinghouse operations, which are critical for 

operations to successfully pass their Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) 

audits.

$59,823.00

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer 

Services

$542,060.96

What’s in Your Water? 

Helping Producers 

Understand Spray Water 

Chemistry for Improved 

Pesticide Efficacy

A team consisting of Virginia Tech researchers and Virginia Cooperative 

Extension (VCE) agents will engage the agricultural community across 

Virginia to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by helping 

growers determine the compatibility of their unique water source (well 

or surface water) with pesticide products used in spray applications. 

This effort will expand upon a pilot program initiated in several Virginia 

counties in 2019.

$60,000.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78 Agricultural Leadership 

Development Program

Big Bend Community College (BBCC) is addressing the issue of 

effectively managing a diverse workforce, which is a critical challenge. 

With the development of the Agricultural Leadership Development 

Program (ALDP), a comprehensive training program for incumbent 

employees in the tree fruit farm industry, it will help with that 

challenge. There is no program in the State that provides such training. 

This initiative will enhance supervisory skills - increasing 

competitiveness for Washington’s specialty crop industry. It will reduce 

employee turnover, increase satisfaction/well-being, safety, and 

productivity. Impacts to the industry will include increased efficiency, 

business profitability, and industry reputation. Partners in this program 

include Washington State Tree Fruit Association (WSTFA), Labor & 

Industries, SkillSource, OIC of WA, Employment Security, WSDA, and 

$245,611.00
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Organization

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Washington State University. All partners are endorsing this program 

and poised to provide support.

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Air, Soil and Pollinators: 

Outreach and Opportunities 

for Okanogan County 

Orchardists

Okanogan Conservation District (CD) will enhance the competitiveness 

of specialty crops in Okanogan County by expanding their capacity to 

provide technical and financial assistance concerning sustainable 

practices for specialty crop production. As a result, Okanogan County 

tree fruit growers will increase economic return on their specialty 

crops, conserve natural resources, and create sustainable, diverse, and 

resilient specialty crop systems. Material developed through this grant 

will be applicable to tree fruit growers region wide. The on-farm 

conservation practices proposed in this project lead to improved tree 

health, decrease costly external inputs like water, and increased 

marketing opportunities towards consumers.

$226,304.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Assessing the Economic 

Contributions of 

Washington’s Tree Fruit 

Industry and the Important 

Role of Exports

The Washington Apple Commission seeks funding to develop an 

Economic Impact Study for the Northwest Tree Fruit Industry – apples, 

pears and cherries. This study will evaluate the impact of the three 

commodities on local, state and federal economies individually and as a 

group in the areas of tax revenue, labor and direct and indirect 

economic benefit. Findings will be used to assist in commenting on 

state and federal rule proposals (including impacts on small 

businesses), provide supporting data around public and private 

investments related to the tree fruit industry, attract investments from 

other sectors serving the industry, and secure funding from federal 

export development programs such as the Market Access Program. This 

information will be used by contracted economists to develop the 

economic impact model for the industries using the IMPLAN model. A 

$81,000.00
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Organization

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final analysis and report will detail the study findings including value of 

output, employment, tax and related revenues, generated income, and 

other key impacts for other commodities.

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Building Capacity and 

Support for PNW Radicchio 

Production Through Market 

Expansion and International 

Exchange

Washington State University Food Systems Program (WSU FSP) and the 

Culinary Breeding Network (CBN) aim to establish radicchio as a staple 

leafy green in Pacific Northwest production systems. The demand for 

year-round fresh produce has increased throughout Washington. This is 

evident in the number of farmers markets extending into the winter 

months and winter-specific CSAs. This new interest offers farmers a 

source of income during a time of year that is traditionally low income 

and employee retention when they would normally have to lay off 

workers. The project goals are to: 1) create a PNW Radicchio 

Association; 2) increase awareness and consumption of radicchio 

through education and culinary events; and 3) develop opportunities 

for international exchange with members of the PNW Radicchio 

Association and Italy to learn about production techniques, business 

relationships with radicchio experts, growers, seed companies and 

plant breeders for expansion of production in the PNW.

$249,750.00
237

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Building Skills, Networks 

and Markets to Expand 

Organic Specialty Crops

Organic Seed Alliance’s goal for this project is to help beginning and 

established organic and specialty crop seed producers, including 

socially disadvantaged producers, address production, processing, 

economic, and marketing challenges and assess future needs for 

training and research. To reach this goal Organic Seed Alliance will 

engage stakeholders to assess needs, provide targeted networking and 

educational resources, and host two WA Organic Seed Summits. Project 

deliverables include a WA Organic Seed Resource Directory tied to 

promotion of the existing organic seed producers’ database, and a 

Specialty Seed Processing Guide and videos. The online outreach and 

Seed Summits will assess needs and deliver workshops to train 

producers on organic seed processing, economics, pathology, 

marketing, and contracting. We will build a statewide network of 

organic seed producers, educators and seed industry to advance seed 

knowledge, foster peer to peer learning, and build the market 

relationships necessary to expand organic and specialty seed 

production. An estimated 200 specialty crop producers will benefit 

through direct participation and access to educational and networking 

resources. We will assess project impacts through surveys, interviews, 

and queries on increases in seed sales over the project period.

$130,434.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Developing a PhenologyBased Recommendation 

Program for Pear Psylla

Washington State University’s Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center 

will develop a phenology-based management tool for pear psylla within 

the Decision Aid System (DAS). Pear psylla remains the most 

challenging pest of pears in the PNW. A DAS phenology model for pear 

psylla was recently completed but is of limited use without 

complementary management recommendations. This project will 

expand the pear psylla phenology model into a functional decision 

support tool for pear growers. We will determine the optimal degreeday timings for insecticide and kaolin sprays based on psylla life-stage 

susceptibility, residual efficacy, and risk potential to natural enemies. 

We will also incorporate specific recommendations for cultural psylla 

controls including summer pruning, tree washing, and reflective ground 

covers. Finally, we will test phenology-based management programs 

against grower standard programs in large commercial plots. We 

expect the phenology-based program will save pear growers at least 

$249,926.00
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Organization

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25% in costs by reducing insecticide sprays and lowering damage. Costs 

and injury will likely decrease further in following seasons as biological 

control increases.

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Developing a Washington 

Blueberry Market in 

Southeast Asia

The Washington Blueberry Commission will manage a program to 

increase the export of fresh and processed blueberries to Malaysia, 

Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. Currently, WA exports 

less than one million pounds to these countries collectively. WA gained 

fresh access to Vietnam in 2019 and will gain access to the Philippines 

in 2020. As of the submission of this proposal, WA will have full access 

(fresh and processed) to all five countries with zero to low tariffs. Based 

on a previous WA outreach effort, it is clear there is strong interest in 

the health, nutrition and flavor of blueberries in these countries. A 

limited 2019 marketing effort in promoting WA fresh blueberries in 

Vietnam was very successful. We propose to hire an in-country 

marketing representative to promote retail, food service and ingredient 

use of fresh and processed blueberries in these five countries. When 

possible, this would be coordinated with the Oregon, California and 

national blueberry organizations. This effort would involve fruit 

importers, retail demonstrations and point of sale materials, technical 

outreach to manufacturers. This would be a three-year project. It is our 

goal to increase Washington state exports by more than 400%, which 

equates to more than four million pounds of blueberries exported to 

southeast Asia by the end of 2023.

$240,000.00
239

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78 Domestic Promotion of 

Washington Asparagus

The Washington Asparagus Commission (WAC) endeavors to deepen its 

marketing efforts of Washington Fresh Asparagus during its peak 

harvest season of April to June within its Northwest and Northern 

Californian feeder markets, gaining awareness with the end goal of 

increasing consumer demand for Washington Fresh Asparagus. Import 

competition continues to challenge local market share at retail and 

labor costs continue to increase. We have product to sell and a demand 

to cultivate. As the Washington asparagus industry expands its 

marketing efforts to drive demand, the industry can substantiate a 

price increase, which in turn helps the industry stay competitive. 

Expanded marketing becomes possible through the SCBG. Our goal for 

this grant is to build on WAC’s positive momentum. We would use the 

SCBG funds to deepen our marketing programs in the same geographic 

footprint along the I-5 corridor to Portland, Ore. as well as inland to 

Spokane/Coeur d’Alene and expanded marketing in Northern Calif. As 

before, our effort in each region would be commensurately scaled by 

population.

$150,000.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Elevating Bilingual Land 

Access, Financial & 

Employment Training & 

Technical Assistance for 

Experienced Beginning 

Specialty Crop Producers

Viva Farms (VF) and partners, PCC Farmland Trust, American Farmland 

Trust (AFT) and WSU Skagit Extension will deliver scale and approach 

appropriate, bilingual land access, financial and employment training 

and technical assistance for experienced beginning specialty crop 

producers and stakeholders in the north Puget Sound Region. Project 

outcomes are to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops 

through 1) Increased awareness of and access to farmland and 2) 

Building greater capacity of sustainable employee and financial 

practices resulting in increased production, efficiency, yield and 

economic return as well as reduced inputs and conservation of 

resources.

$250,000.00
240

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Enhancing the 

Competitiveness of 

Washington Peas in a PlantBased Protein Market

Led by an interdisciplinary, highly collaborative Washington State 

University (WSU) team with expertise in plant breeding, molecular 

genetics and bioinformatics, this project will boost the competitiveness 

of Washington peas in the plant-based protein market by developing 

new winter peas with high protein concentration, characterizing 

regulated genes, and developing low-tech, breeder-friendly molecular 

markers. Breeding new winter peas for Washington with high protein 

concentration is imperative to meet the skyrocketing growth of the pea 

protein market. In this project, we will integrate marker-assisted 

selection with traditional breeding to introduce alleles associated with 

high protein concentration into two upcoming food quality winter pea 

cultivars, identify functional genes for high protein concentration and 

develop breeder-friendly molecular markers that can be used for 

routine marker-assisted selection in pea. This study will benefit the 

Washington pea industry by providing growers with sustainable 

rotational alternative-high protein and food quality winter peas.

$248,928.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78 Epidemiology of the XDisease Phytoplasma

Washington State University researchers aim to determine the 

epidemiology of the X-disease phytoplasma, the causal agent of little 

cherry disease. This pathogen has reached epidemic levels in the state 

of Washington, and is causing significant economic loss to cherry, 

peach, nectarine, and plum growers for the only disease management 

approach is removal of infected trees; the leafhopper vector species 

are prolific, highly mobile, and can acquire the pathogen from orchard 

trees or a wide range of weedy hosts. Effective control has therefore 

proven elusive. We will first examine whether there are host-specific 

patterns for the X-disease phytoplasma using sequence-based 

technologies to identify genotypes. This will show whether there is 

segregation by host or geography in both the orchard and extraorchard environments, allowing us to ascertain which hosts transfer 

pathogens in an area. Next, we will study the feeding preferences of 

the leafhopper vector species through surveys of insect incidence on 

different host species, and support this with gut-content analysis to 

confirm which species the vectors have been feeding on. Finally, we will 

combine the geographic, genotypic, and leafhopper host preference 

data to build a model that will aid in developing targeted control 

$249,359.00
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Organization

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measures to disrupt the phytoplasma-leafhopper-host dynamic and 

reduce the likelihood or recurring X-disease epidemics in Washington 

stone fruit.

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Evaluating the Effect of Soil 

Fumigation and Cover Crops 

on Soil Health in Potato 

Fields

Oregon State University-Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension 

(OSU-HAREC) researchers will lead and execute this project. The 

Columbia Basin is one of the most important potato production regions 

for Washington. Soil fumigation is a common practice before planting 

potato fields in order to control nematodes and soil-borne diseases, but 

its impact on soil health and soil quality are largely unknown. 

Meanwhile, some growers have used cover crops before potato 

planting, but the benefits and guidelines have not been quantified yet. 

This project will address these issues by conducting a survey from the 

representative fields, together with field trials in OSU-HAREC. Our 

objectives are to: 1) evaluate the effect of soil fumigation on soil health, 

2) evaluate the effect of cover crop on the soil health of potato fields, 

and 3) determine the interactive effect of soil fumigation and cover 

crop on nutrient availability. The research findings will fill the 

knowledge gaps in understanding the impact of soil fumigation and 

cover crop soil health and provide timely information to growers in 

order to sustain potato production in the Columbia Basin region.

$232,138.00
242

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Market Access in the Time 

of COVID-19: Supporting 

Adaptive Strategies for 

Local and Direct Marketing 

Specialty Crop Producers

Washington State Department of Agriculture Regional Markets 

Program will assist regionally marketing farms to adapt their marketing 

strategies and business models to access market channels altered by 

the pandemic with business coaching, e-commerce services and 

support, professional services, market-readiness and food safety 

technical assistance, and farm to consumer education and promotion. 

A key component of the program is the offering of a cost share for 

participating specialty crop farms for establishment of an online 

presence and ecommerce capacity or for a successful GAP/GHP audit. 

These are two consistent and significant barriers that direct marketing 

specialty crop farms in Washington face as they seek to adapt and 

access new market channels.

$220,473.90

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

New Tools for Improving 

Biological Control of Pear 

Psylla by Trechnites 

Parasitoids

USDA-Agriculture Research Service (Wapato, WA) will develop growerfriendly methods for improving biocontrol by Trechnites. Our objectives 

are to (1) develop a grower tool for use in estimating parasitism levels, 

(2) determine the diversity of Trechnites parasitoids in the U.S., and (3) 

identify volatiles in psylla honeydew that attract Trechnites to its host. 

These objectives will be met by adapting our new Trechnites 

monitoring tools to predict actual parasitism rates and thus psylla 

mortality rates, by creation of a large-scale Trechnites sampling 

program in orchards and in Trechnites habitats neighboring orchards, 

and by identifying and synthesizing Trechnites attractants for use as 

lures. Completing these objectives will help Pear psylla is the most 

serious arthropod pest of Washington pear and is responsible for half 

of pest management costs. The current, pesticide-reliant psylla 

management program is failing growers due to pesticide resistance. 

Our ongoing research efforts have developed new Trechnites

monitoring tools, but also identified key knowledge gaps that must be 

addressed for biocontrol to succeed.

$245,974.00
243

Organization

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to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78 PMA Booth for WA State 

Specialty Crop Producers

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) will 

coordinate a Washington Pavilion for members of Washington’s 

specialty crop industry to exhibit at two consecutive Produce Marketing 

Association (PMA) Expos: New Orleans, Louisiana in 2021 and Orlando, 

Florida in 2022. PMA is held on the West Coast once every four years. 

While the West Coast show has a strong Washington presence, the 

other shows do not. In order to help Washington specialty crop 

businesses, continue to grow their footprint in other markets, both 

foreign and domestic, WSDA will coordinate booth space for multiple 

companies and organizations and will provide meeting space for 

holding meetings with potential buyers. The objective of this project is 

to grow Washington State’s presence at PMA during years the Expo is 

not held on the West Coast, with an outcome of increased sales for 

participating companies.

$150,000.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78 Production of Consistent 

Quality Fresh Sliced Pears

Washington State University will develop a market-ready fresh sliced 

pear product that will provide a novel, healthy, and convenient option 

for consumers, while increasing revenues of WA and Northwest US 

pear growers and packers. Previously, with SCBG, USA Pears and 

WTFRC support, it was determined that ‘D’Anjou’ pear fruit are best for 

slicing and that consumers are willing to pay a premium for a highquality fresh sliced product developed using 1-MCP pears that are 

sliced and ripened with a ripening technology patented by WSU (WSURC). The next step to bring sliced pears to the market is to determine 

the optimal modified atmosphere (MA) packaging, which ensures highquality with reduced browning, retains pear aroma, and extends shelf 

life.

$249,883.00
244

Organization

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to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Validation of Sanitizer 

Disinfection of Wash Water 

in Dump Tank Operation of 

Apple Packing Lines

The Center for Produce Safety will partner with Washington State 

University to provide data on the effectiveness of antimicrobial 

treatments for dump tank water systems used in apple packing. The 

overall goal of this project is to assess and validate critical operating 

parameters for different sanitizer treatments against L. monocytogenes 

in dump tank water under commercial apple packing conditions. The 

efficacy of chlorine and PAA used at common industry concentrations 

will first be evaluated alone or in combination with generally 

recognized as safe (GRAS) food ingredients against L. monocytogenes in 

a simulated dump tank water system with variable organic load levels. 

Disinfection with selected sanitizer treatments in dump tank wash 

water will then be verified and validated in four commercial apple 

packing lines. The data collected will inform apple producers on the 

practical efficacy of antimicrobial interventions within dump tank and 

flume systems under commercial packing conditions.

$250,000.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Vancouver Farmers Market 

Community Supported 

Agriculture Program

The Vancouver Farmers Market (VFM) is a 501c6 nonprofit organization 

running the largest farmers market in Southwest Washington. The 

market runs Saturday and Sunday, March through the end of October 

and is home to a membership of 185 vendors. In 2019 we saw an 

estimated 420,000 customers, an increase of 65,000 from the previous 

year. As downtown Vancouver continues to grow at a rapid pace with 

no plans for development of a grocery store, the market is becoming an 

increasingly important destination for direct sales of specialty crops. 

The Vancouver Farmers Market Community Supported Agriculture 

(CSA) Program is an opportunity for community members to invest in a 

share of specialty crops grown by local Washington farms by 

committing to purchase a season’s worth of fresh produce sourced 

from VFM vendors. By running a market-wide CSA, the VFM can offer 

farmers an easy, efficient way to sell fruits and vegetables in bulk and 

help get their crops into the hands of new customers. By offering a CSA, 

we keep Washington crops competitive in a crowded marketplace of 

subscription boxes and grocery delivery options. The VFM will conduct 

outreach to local residents and businesses to sell CSA shares through an 

online platform, coordinate the purchase of produce from vendors, 

$61,405.00
245

Organization

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pack boxes and create content that increases the customer’s 

consumption and success with Washington grown specialty crops.

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78 Washington Ag History for 

Specialty Crops

The Washington Farm Bureau believes that all Washingtonians should 

have a working knowledge of the history of our state’s agriculture and 

its impact on our way of life. To this end, Washington Farm Bureau, 

HistoryLink, the Washington State Historical Society and North by 

Northwest have joined forces to create the Washington Agriculture 

History Project. The Farm Bureau will serve as the applicant 

organization for this grant and will assist with direction on this portion 

of the overall project. Our goal with this project is to tell the rich history 

of Washington agriculture to a new generation through articles, videos, 

artifacts and school curriculum. Our collaborative group will design, 

compile, create and produce multiple stories for the public about the 

history of irrigation in Washington and thus, the history of many 

specialty crops in our state. This project includes working with schools 

as well as other venues to share this important story. The materials we 

build will be available for free to schools, educators, students and 

consumers. By working with other partners, such as the state Office of 

Superintendent of Public Instruction, we will efficiently and effectively 

distribute this information throughout the school system. The impact of 

$50,000.00
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Organization

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this portion of the project will be amplified by other components 

developed with outside funding, such as curriculum units and 

additional articles and videos.

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78

Washington Native Plant 

Probiotics for Increased 

Sustainability & Climate 

Change Adaptation of 

Specialty Crops

University of Washington’s Professor Doty, in collaboration with 

Washington State University Professor Lee Kalcsits and Extension 

Specialist Bernardita Sallato, aim to optimize natural bioinoculants for 

the Washington State specialty crops apple and cherry, for reduced 

inputs of fertilizer and water. We will test a suite of our bioinoculant 

strains for improved crop growth and health under greenhouse 

conditions with reduced fertilizer and water regimes, monitoring the 

plants for nutrient acquisition, physiological parameters, and 

microbiome responses. In the final year of the grant, we will begin field 

testing with the ultimate goal of providing effective, resilient organic 

and environmentally sustainable production of specialty crops in 

Washington State.

$240,680.00
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Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,651,634.78 Washington Red Raspberry 

Baking Collaborative

The Washington Red Raspberry Commission (WRRC) is seeking grant 

funds to build demand for Washington Red Raspberries. A prime 

opportunity to do so is in the baking category. The project will create a 

network of influential bakers who understand, value and use frozen 

raspberry formats in baking with the ultimate goal of increasing the 

number of available bakery products using frozen raspberries. To 

achieve this, the WRRC will develop a special innovation and training 

program for bakers to better understand and use Washington red 

raspberries in baking. The curriculum developed for the innovation 

workshop will then be used in a series of tactics to reach a broader 

audience, further extending the reach of the many benefits of baking 

with Washington Red Raspberries.

$250,000.00

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$302,257.72

Project 1 - Evaluation of 

Asparagus as a U-Pick 

Commercial

Crop for West Virginia

Asparagus has a very strong demand in most farmers’ markets across 

West Virginia. West Virginia University Extension will partner with 

commercial producers to promote production and marketing of U-Pick 

asparagus in West Virginia. WVU Extension will evaluate new hybrid 

varieties of asparagus for commercial U-Pick marketing in West 

Virginia. In addition, production practices which extend the traditional 

harvest season will be investigated to determine how the harvest 

season can be synchronized with U-Pick strawberries at two 

commercial farms in West Virginia.

$16,605.88
248

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$302,257.72

Project 2 - Improved Bitter 

Pit Management on 

Honeycrisp Apple in WV 

Orchards to Facilitate 

Better

Marketing

Honeycrisp is a major apple variety grown in northern apple-producing 

states in the US including WV. Due to the high consumer demand 

generated by its unique crispy texture, apple growers get a much 

higher wholesale price on ‘Honeycrisp’ than most other varieties ($600 

to $1,000 vs. $125 to $300 per standard bin). However, ‘Honeycrisp’ 

fruit is very susceptible to bitter pit, a physiological disorder related to 

calcium (Ca) deficiency that seriously affect marketability of fruit. Based 

on reports from packing houses, industry representatives, and fruit 

extension agents from major apple growing states, it is estimated that 

growers lose about 15–25% of the ‘Honeycrisp’ crop to bitter pit on an 

average and up to 60–80% in extreme cases causing significant 

economic losses to the Northeast apple growers and the entire US 

apple industry (Cheng and Sazo, 2018). Honeycrisp apples are the 

hardest to grow and the most prone to numerous abiotic and biotic 

stresses. Genetic factors related to high susceptibility of ‘Honeycrisp’ to 

bitter pit is not well understood. It is endemic to the ‘Honeycrisp’ and 

varieties with genetic background of ‘Honeycrisp’. Although growers 

pay attention to the risk factors that impact the disorder and follow 

existing recommendations, complete control of the problem is hard to 

achieve. Even low severity of bitter pit incidence makes apples 

unmarketable. In some cases, bitter pit may not be evident at harvest 

but develops in stored fruit and can result in extensive post-harvest 

losses in storage.

$25,000.00
249

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$302,257.72

Project 3 - Crowdsourcing 

to Enhance Adoption of 

Produce Safety Applications

West Virginia State University Extension Service (WVSUES) will enhance 

specialty crop production among limited resource farmers through 

training, implementation and crowdsourcing of data relevant to 

strengthening participation in precooling methods to mitigate field heat 

and initiate a cold chain on the farm. WVSUES's Cold Chain program has 

and continues to provide limited resource farmers access to technology 

and training that positively impacts the production of specialty crops, 

elevates the value of those crops and increases the market share of 

those who participate. Leveraging successes through the crowdfunding 

mechanism, this project generates relevant data created by the 

producers themselves while applying simple yet effective methods to 

specific perishable commodities. Those data will in turn be analyzed 

and used for continued outreach and training purposes. This process 

will enhance peer-to-peer transfer of knowledge, provide guided 

oversight of precooling applications, track product loss ratios and 

monetary value of each method with a goal to increase sales and 

market share among the up and coming pool of vegetable farmers in 

the state. The result is an increase in precooling participation, 

development of a beginning farmers’ handbook and field guide and 

increased production of specialty.

$28,301.00

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$302,257.72

Project 4 - West Virginia 

Log-Grown Shiitake 

Mushrooms: Enhancing 

Training and Producer 

Networks Across

the State

WVU DFNR in partnership with WVU ES-ANR will expand the 

production of log-grown shiitake mushroom across the state and will 

increase the transparency, number, and strength of shiitake mushroom 

grower networks. Beginning shiitake mushroom production workshops 

will be held in 20 counties throughout the state. In total at least 400 

people will be trained in shiitake mushroom production. Participants of 

these workshops will be asked to provide personal and commercial 

production information throughout the life of this project. After the 

initial workshops, advanced topics in best practices will be featured at 

county-based seminars and at the WVU Small Farms Conference. The 

economic impact of the potential expansion of shitake mushroom 

production will be estimated. After the end of the project period, 

county agents will continue to facilitate shiitake mushroom seminars 

for personal and commercial producers that should lead to better 

$61,701.00
250

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

opportunities for groups of producers to break into larger or more 

lucrative regional markets.

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$302,257.72

Project 5 - Enhancing 

Specialty Crop 

Competitiveness

in WV Craft Beverage 

Production

This project will address access to West Virginia fruits, herbs, and other 

brewing and distilling stock (with a specific emphasis on blueberry, 

blackberry, and strawberries which have potential impact) in order to 

provide diversified crop sales to small farmers in West Virginia through 

the craft beverage industry. This project aims to increase the number of 

selling relationships among beverage makers and farmers throughout 

the state through a series of educational programs targeted to each 

group and also providing regular interactive opportunities between 

these two groups. The Robert C. Byrd Institute and our partners at 

Eastern WV Community and Technical College, Unlimited Future, Inc., 

and the Wild Ramp will coordinate a series of educational programs 

and on-going one-to-one meeting with specialty crop farmers and craft 

beverage producers to connect them for new and diverse business 

opportunities.

$45,298.00

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$302,257.72

Project 6 - Improving 

Vintage Tomato Varieties

with Pest Resistances to 

Enhance WV

Grower Success and 

Profitability

West Virginia State University Research and Development Corporation 

will improve three vintage tomato lines by incorporating modern pest 

resistances while maintaining the plant and fruit type of the vintage 

line. This will be done by conventional backcross breeding the 

resistance(s) into the vintage lines followed by selecting progeny with 

the desired resistances using molecular markers. The selected project 

will be evaluated for plant and fruit qualities against the vintage type. 

To evaluate the degree of vintage DNA in the selected progeny 

background selection will be accomplished by SNP genotyping. Two 

$74,527.19
251

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

generations of selection will be undertaken with selected lines 

evaluated by local growers for possible release.

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Assessing Mass Trapping for 

the Management of Social 

Wasps in Wisconsin 

Vineyards

The University of Wisconsin will assess the use and optimization of 

mass trapping as an environmentally friendly and sustainable option for 

the management of social wasps in Wisconsin vineyards, and provide 

new recommendations to Wisconsin grape growers.

$75,831.50

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Cultivate the Crunch: 

Educating Wisconsin Apple 

Growers to Increase Farm 

to Institution Sales

The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at UW-Madison will 

increase sales of Wisconsin-grown apples to Wisconsin institutions (K12 schools, hospitals, early care centers, and colleges) by leveraging the

Great Lakes Great Apple Crunch to provide direct training, technical 

assistance, and outreach materials to the state’s apple growers and 

supply chain partners.

$40,382.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Detection, assessment, and 

risk mitigation for viruses 

affecting the Wisconsin iris 

industry

The University of Wisconsin-Madison will partner with the Commercial 

Flowers Growers of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Department of 

Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection to conduct research on 

the biology, risk, and management of potyviruses affecting Wisconsin 

iris production and disseminate this information to growers through 

outreach events and materials.

$50,000.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Detection, biology, and 

management of soft rot 

bacteria in Wisconsin seed 

potato production

The University of Wisconsin-Madison, in partnership with the 

Wisconsin Potato & Vegetables Growers Association and Wisconsin 

Seed Potato Certification Program, seeks to mitigate threats posed by 

emerging black leg and soft rot pathogens to the Wisconsin seed potato 

production industry by investigating the biology, epidemiology, and 

management of bacterial pathogens that cause these diseases.

$91,629.00
252

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Exploring use of thermal 

imaging in potato postharvest storage

The University of Wisconsin-Madison will perform a storage study at 

the UW Hancock Storage Research Facility, as well as to conduct onfarm surveys to explore the use of thermal imaging technology to 

manage potato post-harvest storage, and provide preventative 

strategies to maintain long-term storage quality and reduce 

unnecessary economic loss caused by rotting hot spots.

$63,819.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Improving resistance to 

Cercospora leaf blight in 

table beet through genetics 

and crop management

The University of Wisconsin-Madison will investigate new genetic and 

chemical control options for Cercospora Leaf Spot disease of table beet 

in both conventional and organic production systems in Wisconsin and 

share results with stakeholders through field days, publications, and 

presentations at farmer and industry meetings.

$69,181.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Increasing Elderberry 

Growers in Wisconsin 

through Experiential 

Training and Cooperative 

Development

Sheryl Scott will bring together beginning farmers, including women, in 

Southwest Wisconsin and 1) provide experiential training from experts 

in growing and marketing elderberry and 2) coordinate discussions on 

developing an elderberry growing hub/cooperative to support an 

economically sustainable increase in elderberry production, processing 

and sales.

$24,871.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Increasing the Demand for 

Apples that are “Flavored 

by Wisconsin”

The Wisconsin Apple Growers Association will increase the demand for 

and sales of Wisconsin apples through a targeted “Flavored by 

Wisconsin” campaign that promotes our apple heritage and diversity 

while building on our product’s reputation for quality and versatility.

$47,989.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Peer-to-Peer Labor 

Management Training for 

Diversified Organic 

Vegetable Producers

FairShare will work with farmers and organizational partners to address 

the complex labor management needs of diversified organic vegetable 

growers with a peer-to-peer training program designed to help farmers 

attract workers, manage labor effectively, strengthen financial viability, 

and improve their quality of life.

$44,050.00
253

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Predicting aphid flight 

dynamics to limit the 

spread of Potato virus Y: a 

non-persistently 

transmitted viral pathogen 

of seed

potato.

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vegetable Entomology Research 

Program (https://vegento.russell.wisc.edu/), in association with the 

Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program (WSPCP, 

https://seedpotato.russell.wisc.edu) and the Integrated Pest and Crop 

Management Program (https://ipcm.wisc.edu/), will develop accurate 

aphid flight phenology models to increase the precision and timing of 

IPM-based, decision-making to limit the transmission and spread of a 

non-persistent viral pathogen in seed potatoes, Potato virus Y (PVY).

$99,684.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Strengthening Commercial 

Vegetable Production in 

Northern Wisconsin

UW-Extension, in cooperation with producers in the Lake Superior 

region of WI, will conduct vegetable variety trials in both the field and 

in high tunnel greenhouses to improve vegetable production, 

profitability, and quality in northern Wisconsin.

$97,174.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92 Study of wild bergamot as a 

specialty crop

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will investigate the wild 

bergamot plant as a specialty crop in Wisconsin by conducting a market 

and feasibility study and creating a business and operating plan along 

with the Oneida Nation.

$23,711.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Testing Effectiveness Of 

Lithium Chloride In Nucleus 

Colonies Under Field 

Conditions For Its Ability To 

Control Varroa Destructor, 

A Devastating Paras

Dr. Brad Mogen is requesting a one-year funding extension request to 

compare the effectiveness of lithium chloride salt treatment to 

standard varroacide treatments applied in field conditions throughout 

the beekeeping season and the final overwintering success of treated 

hives and to disseminate results to stakeholders at state and regional 

beekeeping meetings.

$28,225.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Testing New and Novel 

Products to Stop 

Phytophthora Rot

The Ginseng Board of Wisconsin (GBW), representing multigenerational growers, new growers, and growers from the Hmong 

community (42% of the total), seek relief from destructive 

Phytophthora rot which has become exacerbated from recent rainy 

growing seasons, resulting in crop loss, by testing fungicides and 

biorationals, determining if the pathogen has developed resistance to a 

newer fungicide (fluopicolide), demonstrating successful control 

programs via commercial field plots and educational programs with the 

goal of improving ginseng root quality, yield, and revenue.

$96,448.00
254

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

The effect of landscape and 

climate variability on 

patterns in honeybee hive 

health: Leveraging multiyear, state-wide honeybee 

hive inspection data

The Gratton Lab at the UW-Madison will develop a better 

understanding of how patterns of honeybee hive health and success 

vary across the state of Wisconsin due to variations in surrounding 

landcover and local weather conditions in order to develop evidencebased recommendations for beekeepers to keep their bees healthy, 

and will disseminate results to

stakeholders through grower meetings and printable materials.

$99,118.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

The effects of deicing salts 

on prairie forbs and grasses 

and the use of woody 

plants for living snow 

fences

Laura G. Jull, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Woody Ornamentals 

Extension Specialist will investigate and share with the Green Industry 

stakeholders, WI-DOT, WI-DATCP and WI-DNR the effects of deicing 

salts on prairie plants planted along highways, and woody plants and 

prairie grasses to be used as living snow fences near highways; thus, 

reducing blowing and drifting snow and increasing the demand and use 

of nursery crops throughout the state.

$99,164.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

The Forgotten Superfruit: 

Expanding Black Currants in 

Wisconsin

The Savanna Institute will stimulate market demand, supply chain 

development, and on-farm production of black currants in Wisconsin by 

educating growers and the public via field days, taste evaluations, 

recipe and product development, and online and print resources.

$50,000.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92

Wisconsin Cranberries 

promotion upgrade and 

expansion

The Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association will increase public 

awareness and favorability of the cranberry industry in the state by 

creating display materials and engaging, educational content to share 

on multiple platforms.

$60,000.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,291,094.92 Wisconsin Harvest of the 

Month

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension Institute of 

Health and Well-Being will increase the amount and variety of 

Wisconsin-grown fruits and vegetables provided in schools by 

developing a statewide Farm to School Harvest of the Month program 

featuring 24 Wisconsin specialty crops and including standardized 

promotional and educational materials, statewide training resources, 

and validated evaluation tools.

$25,000.00
255

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$341,159.26

Assessing Native Legumes 

for Environmental 

Landscaping and 

Horticulture through Plant 

Toxicity Surveys and Field 

Studies

The University of Wyoming, in collaboration with the USDA Agricultural 

Research Service Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory in Utah, will 

investigate the potential for commercial cultivation of two native 

legumes, Lupinus argenteus and Oxytropis lambertii. The objective of 

this project is to identify suitable seed sources of native, nitrogen-fixing 

species with a broad range of applications in horticulture, soil and site 

remediation, and pollinator health. The protocols developed for 

assessment and propagation of these species will lead to a program to 

identify horticultural varieties of multiple native legumes and provide 

resources for producers to commercially increase and market these 

specialty crops.

$42,109.00

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$341,159.26

Evaluation of Papa Criolla 

Potato in Rotation with Pea 

in Wyoming

The University of Wyoming will evaluate available and promising 

genotypes/cultivars of papa criolla potatoes in the Wyoming 

environments for the phenotypic adaptability and stability for growth 

and yield. The study will be conducted at the University of Wyoming 

James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension 

Center under irrigation in rotation with peas. Papa criolla will also be 

planted in the high tunnel. Selection will be made of well-adapted, high 

performing papa criolla genotypes/cultivars that will be suitable for 

Wyoming and perhaps neighboring states.

$46,985.00

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$341,159.26

Greenhouse Workshops on 

Construction and Use for 

Specialty Crop Producers 

for Season Extension

Central Wyoming College’s Alpine Science Institute (ASI), Wind River 

Farm to Plate (WRF2P) and the Riverton Community Garden will host 

four hands-on workshops led by UW Extension educators to learn how 

to construct, maintain and use the domes to grow and learn about the 

benefits of season extension for growing specialty crops as well as 

increasing the variety of fruits and vegetables that can be grown. The 

ASI hosted dome construction workshops will serve beginning farmers 

participating the ASI’s Crop Production Practicum who are learning 

farming skills to become successful producers in Wyoming’s challenging 

climate extremes. It is the aim of this project to support increasing 

community interest in growing produce, self-sufficiency, and health and 

wellness benefits through low-cost, greenhouse structures and 

encourage the adoption of their use throughout the Fremont County.

$29,917.00
256

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$341,159.26

Screening and Developing 

Dry Bean Lines for Reduced 

Input-High Profitability 

Systems

A crop physiologist and plant breeder (both affiliated with the 

Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Wyoming) will 

collaborate on a project to generate and identify existing or new dry 

bean variants that produce profitable yield under low soil fertility 

conditions. This project will focus on three objectives. The first 

objective will be to identify genotypes that require less soil phosphate 

(P) than is currently recommended. The second objective will be to 

identify genotypes that experience little or no harvest loss upon direct 

harvest. The third objective will be to select and advance genotypes 

that mature early but do not lodge (upright stature is preferred, overly 

prostrate is not preferred). Due to the risk of late September frosts, 

Wyoming dry bean producers have clearly expressed to us that new 

line development should focus on early maturity. Overall, we intend to 

generate novel varieties or provide data that will allow Wyoming dry 

bean producers to grow existing varieties that will improve net 

profitability on the farm.

$45,309.00

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$341,159.26 Specialty Crop Producer 

Season Extension Grants

Wyoming Department of Agriculture will award six small grants to 

extend the growing season of specialty crop producers. This will help 

improve specialty crop production problems associated with 

Wyoming’s short growing seasons. The results will be shared with 

others through producer publications, meetings and/or farm days. Six 

season extension grants not to exceed $5,000 will be awarded to 

eligible Wyoming producers. They are designed to take some of the 

financial risk away from local specialty crop production. The projects 

may include high tunnels, low tunnels, geodesic dome greenhouses, 

row covers or other methods that help increase knowledge of season 

extending local specialty crop production.

$49,008.00
257

Organization

Amount Funded 

to Organization Project Title Description Project Budget

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$341,159.26 Wyoming Grape Growers 

Conferences

The University of Wyoming Extension will offer in-person grape growing 

conferences to increase the knowledge and skills of beginning and 

existing producers on grape cultivation practices, techniques, and 

abilities to successfully produce grapes in Wyoming. These conferences 

would be a multiday event and offered for three consecutive years at 

three locations in the State. When feasible, these conferences will be 

offered at the Sheridan and Powell Research Station vineyards for 

demonstrations (vineyard establishment, field tours, variety 

differences, etc.) and hands-on activities (pruning, canopy 

management, harvesting, and grape processing). These conferences 

will also allow producers the opportunity to network with others within 

the state. The Wyoming Grape Production Guides will be distributed 

during these workshops and will provide a great resource and reference 

for participants during and after the workshops.

$46,760.00

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$341,159.26 Wyoming Specialty Crop 

Local Foods Conference

The Wyoming Department of Agriculture will develop a Wyoming 

Specialty Crop Local Foods Conference that will be open to individuals 

interested in specialty crop research, production, promotion and 

consumption. The conference will include results of past and present 

Wyoming Specialty Crop projects to help producers, processors, 

educators and gardeners to increase their overall knowledge of the 

specialty crop industry. The WDA will hire a contractor to help plan, 

implement and analyze the success of the project.

$31,616.00