1 

Transportation and Marketing

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Fiscal Year 2022 Description of Funded Projects – Farm Bill 

Number of Grants Awarded: 55 

Number of Sub-award Projects: 601 

Amount of Funds Awarded: $72,900,350.00

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

NOTE: The project descriptions below were provided by the grant recipients. (File updated August 11, 2022) 

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

1. OPERATION GROW: An 

Intensive Educational 

Campaign to Support 

Veteran Farmers and 

Specialty Crop Industry 

Across Alabama

This project will develop and launch ‘Operation Grow,’ a special project 

under the Alabama Beginning Farmer Program at Alabama Cooperative 

Extension System, in order to connect with and directly support military 

veteran beginning farmers via whole farm planning and networking 

workshops, active farming/onsite assistance, and post-establishment 

phases (continued training) to ensure profitable and sustainable 

agriculture enterprise across Alabama. The project partners will 

subcontract with North Alabama Agriplex in Cullman to reach a large 

number of interested veterans and provide hands-on training.

$39,992.00
2 

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

2. A Novel Sustainable 

Approach to Growing 

Blueberries for Frost 

Prevention and Mitigation 

of Cold Damage

Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension Systems will 

partner with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries to 

help prevent and mitigate frost damage to blueberries by evaluating a 

novel sustainable approach to growing blueberries in containers. The 

potential benefit of container production concerning cold protection is 

the ability to use much less water to achieve the same level of freeze 

protection. Container production of blueberry offers the advantage of 

not being limited by suboptimal soil conditions in the open field and the 

ability to control substrate pH, drainage, and organic matter. This 

project will involve growing southern highbush cultivars, predominantly 

grown in Florida, southern Georgia, and central Alabama.

$40,000.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68 3. Enhancing Blackberry 

Production in Alabama

Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension Systems will 

partner with Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries to 

evaluate the productivity and economic benefits of growing new 

blackberry cultivars. The outcome of this project will allow Alabama 

blackberry producers to expand production by choosing appropriate 

cultivars to enhance consumer acceptance and extend growing seasons 

into fall markets when prices are high.

$40,000.00
3 

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

4. Cook LOCAL! Cooking 

with Alabama Specialty 

Crops

This project is designed to increase understanding of the value of 

Alabama specialty crop consumption among students at The University 

of Alabama by educating students on cooking methods and recipes 

involving Alabama specialty crop. The team led by the Human Nutrition 

and Hospitality Management faculty members and student assistants 

will conduct this project to build upon previous findings in the Eat 

LOCAL! a theory-based qualitative study to provide solutions to 

commonly noted barriers to local food consumption through the 

provision of instruction and resources. Through these findings, we plan 

to develop a recipe book that includes information about each farmer 

via interview to provide familiarity, an introduction offering details on 

local-food related information such as location and hours, and finally 

recipes suggested by the farmers themselves that include the food 

items sold by the specific farmer. Study participants will receive a 

recipe book and additional education materials regarding Alabama 

specialty crops will also be provided to them.

$40,000.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

5. Preharvest and 

Postharvest Intervention to 

Improve Tomato Quality 

and Safety from Bacterial 

Infections

The University of West Alabama and the University of Alabama will 

establish an interdisciplinary collaboration to optimize preharvest and 

postharvest bacterial control measures to enhance the health (quality), 

safety, farming sustainability, and longevity of tomato plants cultivated 

in Alabama, and experimented data acquired and technology 

developed will be disseminated to the public, including stakeholders 

and tomato growers, through peer-reviewed scientific articles, regional 

conference presentations, and press media.

$39,999.00
4 

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68 6. Improving Visibility of 

Local Food Markets

Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System 

offers grassroots surveys to Alabama farmers each year and a need that 

has been reported for the past several years is farmers wanting to 

know how to market their farm products. Alabama Extension will 

increase awareness of Alabama direct market growers and consumer 

purchasing of their specialty crops. We will increase marketing 

knowledge of farmers and how to use marketing performance 

indicators in their operation and promotion of their farm. We will also 

increase farmers knowledge on food safety practices and processes. To 

achieve those goals, we will offer six in-person Direct Marketing 

workshops and offer them livestreamed to make the meetings more 

accessible throughout the state. To make these workshops 

comprehensive to growers’ needs and an efficient use of their time, we 

will cover marketing and food safety, combining information from two 

curriculums, Enhancing the Safety of Locally Grown Produce (Virginia 

Tech) and Marketing for Profit (SARE).

$40,000.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

7. Use of Non-traditional 

Production Practices to 

Produce Peach Trees 

Budded on ‘MP-29’ 

Rootstock

Crop land for peach production in Alabama is disappearing at an 

alarming rate largely due to a soil-borne disease called Armillaria root 

rot (ARR). Once in the soil, the disease remains there indefinitely. 

Researchers at Auburn University and the Alabama Cooperative 

Extension Service will reduce the spread of ARR in peach orchards by 

increasing the availability of ARR-resistant rootstock. Protocols and 

commonly available technologies used to enhance growth or as a 

means to propagate plants will be evaluated for their potential use in 

the production of peach trees budded on ‘MP-29’ rootstock, which has 

been difficult to grow using conventional nursery production methods 

for peach trees. Results will be disseminated at grower meetings, 

workshops, and field days and used to supplement a protocol currently 

being developed.

$39,400.76
5 

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

8. Alabama Fruit and 

Vegetable Growers 

Association – Beginning and 

Socially Disadvantaged 

Farmer Leadership 

Development and 

Continuing to Grow 

Together

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 supports and implements educational programs across 

Alabama, including an annual conference that commonly draws over 

200 attendees. With this award, the association will: Plan a tour for 

Alabama beginning farmers to visit and learn from specialty crop 

producers in neighboring states (possibly NC, SC, GA, or FL). 

Experienced champion farmers will also be invited to provide 

opportunity for beginning farmers to be mentored and to learn from 

their success; and 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.

$25,000.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

9. Improving Pecan 

Production in Alabama with 

Educational Conferences 

and Farm Tours

The Alabama Pecan Growers Association seeks to provide the latest 

and most current research based educational information on pecan 

production practices, pest management, and marketing programs 

utilizing annual conference presentations and farm tours. APGA plans 

to enhance learning and networking with pecan researchers and our 

growers. These meetings would involve educating the pecan grower 

with new production and orchard management ideas. This would give 

the grower sources to go to for information along with giving them the 

information they need to be able to implement new ideas.

$27,993.00
6 

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

10. Cultivar Evaluation and 

Extension Education on 

Improved Newly Released 

Muscadine Grapes for 

Alabama Vineyards

Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System will 

partner with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Innovation 

(ADAI) to enhance the competitiveness of small fruit, specifically 

muscadine grape, which is a native fruit crop in Alabama and the 

Southeast, through investigating the performance of selected recently 

released cultivars and advanced selections from the University of 

Georgia and the University of Arkansas breeding programs. The 

outcomes from this project will lead to improved sustainability in small 

fruit production practices ensuing increased yield, improved fruit 

quality and increased economic benefits to the grower. We also 

envision a project impact on improved food safety and increased 

consumption of muscadine grapes which is a local favorite fruit. Results 

will be also used to develop educational curricula for interested 

stakeholders. Virtual educational events such as webinars, will be also 

offered as part of the Fruit School series of webinars and made 

available for future long-term use via the Beginning Farmer App 

developed by the Commercial Horticulture Team at the ACES.

$40,000.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

11. Increasing Specialty 

Crop Exposure Through 

Alabama School Gardens

Schoolyards Roots will promote healthful eating and alleviate food 

access issues in Tuscaloosa through hands-on garden programs that 

increase students’ and families’ access to specialty crops, as well as by 

increasing specialty crop production and distribution within our partner 

school communities. Schoolyard Roots will achieve these outcomes 

through their core program, Gardens 2 Schools, that brings hands-on 

learning, outdoor exploration, and nutrition education to 11 

elementary schools in the Tuscaloosa City and County School Systems. 

The program combines hands-on science, math, and language arts 

lessons with Alabama Course of Study standards to work with the 

classroom teachers’ existing curricula and meet challenges in Alabama 

public schools. Students will learn to raise and harvest vegetables, run 

farm stands, and cook healthy, homegrown dishes.

$25,000.00
7 

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

12. Highlighting Alabama 

Specialty Crops at Sunbelt 

Ag Expo

In 2023, Alabama will be featured as the Spotlight State at the Sunbelt 

Ag Expo, the South’s largest farm show. Sweet Grown Alabama, in 

cooperation with project partner, the Alabama Department of 

Agriculture and Industries, will provide samples and educate guests on 

the specialty crop industry to increase consumption and awareness of 

specialty crops grown in the state and southeast.

$59,134.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68

13. Sustainable Specialty 

Crops in Alabama and Their 

Health Benefits

Farmscape Solutions will educate members of the Montgomery 

community as it relates to sustainable specialty crops grown in 

Alabama by introducing the crops to the community through means of 

healthy cooking demonstrations and recipes. Descriptions of the 

various crops, growing season information and healthy recipes will be 

disseminated through newsletters and shared on social media 

platforms.

$25,000.00

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries 

$533,478.68

14. Marketing and 

Promotion Campaign for 

Alabama Watermelons

On an annual basis, the Gulf Coast Watermelon Association selects an 

Industry Representative to interact with the public on behalf of the 

watermelon industry. This is the Gulf Coast Watermelon Queen. She is 

selected based on criteria essential for public relations: interview skills, 

knowledge of agriculture and the watermelon industry, outgoing 

personality, and approachability. In order to increase sales of 

watermelons, the project will educate the public on the health benefits 

of eating watermelons. The Industry Representative will visit schools 

and libraries to interact with children and consumers in the retail 

setting to entice and encourage the purchase of watermelons.

$9,932.92

Alabama 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Industries

$533,478.68 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$39,076.13
8 

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $255,740.58

1. Alaska Grown Specialty

Crop Increasing Consumer

Awareness, Purchasing, And

Consumption

The State of Alaska, Division of Agriculture will increase consumer 

awareness, purchasing, and consumption of Alaska’s specialty crops by 

developing marketing programs that will extend current consumer 

outreach efforts and target new audiences. The Alaska Division of 

Agriculture will accomplish this through strategic advertising, 

developing a graphic design database that will be used for campaigns 

targeting audiences during specific seasonal availability of Alaska’s 

specialty crops, and adding personnel to conduct outreach, education, 

and to track outcome measures. 

$87,200.00

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $255,740.58

2. Nenana Totchaket

Student Farm Conservation

Plan Competition

This Alaska Division of Agriculture project will be a joint effort between 

the Alaska Division of Agriculture and the Fairbanks Soil and Water 

Conservation District. Working together, this project will find 

organizations serving secondary school students within the Fairbanks 

North Star Borough and the city of Nenana (i.e., after school-clubs, 

science classrooms, FFA chapters, youth organizations such as Scouting 

etc.) and will recruit teams of students to compete in a competition to 

write Farm Plans for a demonstration parcel in the Nenana Totchaket 

Agricultural Project Area. These teams of students will have the 

opportunity to be trained by local natural resource professionals in the 

fundamental skills and knowledge needed to write a Farm Plan focused 

on producing specialty crops. The Fairbanks Soil and Water 

Conservation District will aid in recruiting student teams, organizing 

trainings, facilitating site visits, and judging the competition entries.

$52,884.95

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $255,740.58

3. Creating Cultivated

Salicornia Crops from

Native Alaska Species

A group of independent producers proposes to conduct research on the 

feasibility of planting, cultivating, and growing Salicornia in Southeast 

Alaska, with the aim of sharing results with producers throughout the 

State. This species lives at the tideline, putting it in danger of habitat 

loss through climate-change-induced sea-level rise and manmade 

coastal development. In addition, this species is under pressure due to 

commercial harvest to create value-added products as well as serve 

restaurants and other local businesses. Beyond these important factors, 

Salicornia is an important plant for traditional native use.

$21,735.00
9 

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $255,740.58

4. Seed Saving in Homer: 

Building Resilience and

Economy

Homer Soil and Water Conservation District will provide technical and 

financial support specifically to six producers in the Homer area as well 

as through general public outreach to develop local knowledge, 

experience, and confidence around saving preferred and acclimated 

seed varieties in order to supply the local Seed Library, as well as to 

develop the basis for an economic income through the sale of seed at 

the commercial level.

$28,413.00

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $255,740.58

5. Low-Cost Multispectral 

Mapping for Early Detection 

of Plant Stress

Corax, LLC will develop methods and quantify the utility of using drone 

imaging for early identification of crop stress. The goal of the project is 

to document low-cost methods that suit small scale Alaska agriculture 

and help producers respond more quickly to challenges within the short 

growing season. The project will focus on specialty crops which are 

typical Alaska crops (i.e., greens, brassicas, beets, peas, onion, rhubarb, 

carrots) using multispectral sensors and vegetation indices such as 

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NOVI). For the staple crop of 

potatoes, the project will additionally focus on developing an even 

lower cost method of Visual- NOVI which does not require specialized 

sensors. The project results will be disseminated to stakeholders 

through events such as the annual SARE conference and/or a workshop 

for grower outreach through the Matanuska Experiment Farm and 

Cooperative Extension Service.

$13,529.50
10

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $255,740.58

6. Identifying Heirloom

Rhubarb for Commercial

Production in Alaska

This project is a collaboration between Washington State University 

(WSU), Mount Vernon Northwestern Research and Extension Center, 

and USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) that will document the 

genetic and morphological characteristics of rhubarb varieties in Alaska. 

We will genotype (genetically fingerprint) and phenotype 

(morphologically describe) a new collection of heirloom rhubarb plants 

as well as validate the accessions of rhubarb that remain from the 

germplasm that was once managed at the University of Alaska 

Fairbanks Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center (MEFEC). 

Plant tissue samples from the 21 heirloom varieties and 31 accessions 

still at MEFEC will be collected, DNA will be extracted, and the heirloom 

rhubarb plants will be phenotyped. Science-based recommendations 

for varieties that have the best potential to succeed as a commercial 

crop in Alaska are a key goal for this study. 

$21,362.04

Alaska Division of 

Agriculture $255,740.58 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$30,589.71

American Samoa 

Department of 

Agriculture

$268,789.59

1. Expanding Availability

and Access to Specialty

Crops by Increasing the

Volume of Hydroponic

Systems Within the

Territory

The American Samoa Government Department of Agriculture will 

ensure the livelihood of farmers within the territory Islands of Tutila 

and Manu by expanding availability and access to specialty crops with 

aspirations to increase the volume of hydroponic systems; leveraging 

efforts to market and diversify specialty crops for sustenance. By 

increasing the volume of hydroponic systems in American Samoa, it will 

allow DOA to further educate and assist new farmers, socially 

disadvantaged farmers, commercial and subsistence farmers with 

technical assistance to produce, reproduce and sustain their traditional 

and specialty crops for food security.

$268,511.95
11

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69 1. Arizona Specialty Crop 

Guide 2023 Update

The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) will update and 

reproduce approximately 30,000 copies of an educational reference 

guide for consumers. The guide will include where our fruits, 

vegetables, and plants come from and the benefits reaped from buying; 

Arizona grown produce and plants; directory of farmers’ markets, UPick farms, vineyards, and lavender farms throughout Arizona; 

directory of Arizona wine grape growers; listing of Arizona specialty 

crop availability by season; and food safety information for fruits and 

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

Arizona Specialty Crop Guide will increase consumer awareness and 

consumption of Arizona specialty crops through its distribution at 

county libraries, cooperative extension offices, and various agricultural 

events. 

$107,918.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

2. Continuing Education 

Unit (CEU) Specialist 

Position

University of Arizona (UA): Yuma County Cooperative Extension (YCCE) 

is collaborating with the Arizona leafy green, citrus, and fruit tree 

industry producer-cooperators, executive boards of the Yuma Safe 

Produce Council (YSPC) and Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association (YFVA), 

to develop and disseminate specialty crop education to the Yuma, 

Arizona, agricultural community; as well as provide continuing 

education units (CEUs) to Arizona and California pest control advisors 

(PCAs), and members of the national certified crop advisor (CCA) 

program.

$96,861.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69 3. Establishing a GrowPoints 

Educational Program

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

develop a GrowPoints educational program consisting of a series of 

monthly virtual programs, over two years, to educate nursery industry 

members on topics of importance. The Arizona Nursery Association has 

in its core mission to educate the industry, the pillar of our education is 

the SHADE Educational Conference, a one-day event which attracts 500 

industry members. This grant will add to the educational offerings 

provided by the association.

$24,400.00
12

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

4. GHP/GAP Certification 

Reimbursement Program

The Arizona Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Consultation and 

Training (ACT) division will offer and provide a certification fee, 

reimbursement program for fresh fruit and vegetable producers/

growers, distributors, wholesalers, and handlers that use any of the 

following GAP & GHP Audit Services such as, Harmonized GAP Audit, 

Harmonized GAP Plus+ Audit, USDA GAP & GHP Audit, Group GAP, 

Tomato Food Safety Audit Protocol, Mushroom GAP, and Arizona 

LGMA. 

$8,983.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69 5. 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 to one” assistance to training participants as 

needed to develop GHP/GAP procedures.

$15,468.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

6. UA Yuma Agriculture

Learners for Life (Y'ALL)

Education Program

This project will be delivered through the Family, Consumer, and Health 

Science program at the University of Arizona Yuma County Cooperative 

Extension. The UA Y’ALL program will provide education to residents at 

the various RV parks located in Yuma, Arizona. In person presentations 

will be made at the various RV Parks educating residents on the types 

of specialty crops that are grown in Yuma, their health benefits, and the 

importance of food safety.

$60,830.00
13

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

7. New Roots Phoenix 

Specialty Crop Promotion 

and Marketing Project

The International Rescue Committee’s New Roots Phoenix Specialty 

Crop Promotion and Marketing Project will promote refugee and other 

socially disadvantaged specialty crop farmers through a diverse 

advertisement campaign and improved access to linguistically 

appropriate marketing resources. This project will not only increase the 

access to and awareness of specialty crops in Arizona but will also

increase knowledge and skills for socially disadvantaged farmers, 

overall enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crops.

$100,000.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

8. Automated In-Row 

Weeding with a Centimeter 

Scale Resolution Sprayer

The University of Arizona will develop and evaluate an innovative 

automated machine for precision in-row weed control for lettuce and 

other vegetable crops. The machine will utilize an artificial intelligencebased imaging system to identify weeds and spot spray targeted weeds 

at the 1-cm level scale of resolution. If successful, the machine will 

eliminate or significantly reduce hand weeding labor requirements, a 

common practice in vegetable crop production. The performance of the 

machine will be evaluated in field trials with lettuce.

$99,712.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69 9. Chemical Management of 

Fusarium Wilt of Lettuce

The University of Arizona will conduct laboratory, greenhouse, and field 

trials to test the potential of several promising fungicides against 

Fusarium wilt of lettuce. If successful, the research proposed here 

offers an economical means to lessen the impact of Fusarium wilt on 

Arizona lettuce industry. Fusarium wilt of lettuce has become 

increasingly prevalent and lettuce yield loss due to Fusarium wilt is 

increasing. The use of soil-applied fungicides to reduce Fusarium wilt is 

a potential management strategy for enhancing the viability and 

sustainability of lettuce farming in Arizona. Project findings will be 

shared with growers, industry representatives and other stakeholders 

via presentation talks at several meetings and field days.

$80,814.00
14

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

10. Development of 

Monitoring Tool for 

Managing Tospovirus 

Damage to Lettuce

The University of Arizona, in collaboration with Arizona growers and 

pest control advisors (PCA), will enhance the competitiveness of the 

Arizona Lettuce Industry by developing a scientific approach for 

forecasting the incidence of tospovirus in Arizona lettuce and reliably 

diagnosing Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) or Tomato Spotted 

Wilt Virus (TSWV) in western flower thrips adults before they can 

significantly infect desert lettuce crops.

$57,286.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

11. Incidence and ecology 

of cucurbit viruses in 

Arizona

The University of Arizona will be focus on understanding the incidence 

and ecology of cucurbit viruses in the state of Arizona. A statewide 

survey will be conducted by collecting cucurbit samples (mainly melons 

and watermelons) and testing them for presence of 10 or more 

different cucurbit viruses by molecular methods.

$92,045.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

12. Investigating Nitrogen 

Fertilizer Rates for 

Sustainable Arizona Pecan 

Production

The Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona, proposes 

expanding on a continuing multi-year study in a commercial Arizona 

pecan orchard to evaluate response of nut-bearing pecan trees to 

applied nitrogen that will quantify tree nitrogen demand. Results will 

be disseminated through presentations to pecan growers, at local, 

state, and regional pecan production regions, including national and 

international, and by providing revised University of Arizona fertilizer 

recommendations in a Cooperative Extension bulletin and popular 

trade magazines.

$51,639.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

13. Knowledge Based 

Practices for Palo Verde 

Broom Control

The University of Arizona will determine practices for controlling 

witches’ broom in different palo verde species in nurseries through 

refined molecular testing of the emaravirus (palo verde broom virus 

BVPV) causing the disease, and by investigating the prevalence of the 

emaravirus and eriophyid mites, the vector associated with 

transmitting the disease. The Arizona nursery and landscape industry 

strongly support this project to ensure that virus free palo verde can be 

produced in nurseries using knowledge-based practices to manage 

virus and vector.

$65,213.00
15

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

14. Novel Steam Applicator 

for Controlling Weeds in 

Baby Leaf Crops

The University of Arizona will develop and evaluate an innovative 

technology for efficiently injecting steam into the soil prior to planting 

to control weeds in conventional and organic baby leaf lettuce and 

baby spinach crops. The University of Arizona’s patent pending 

technology developed by the project team has been found to be highly 

effective at controlling in-row weeds in iceberg and romaine lettuce, 

and in carrot crops (>90%). We will further develop and refine the 

technology so that it is also suitable for use with baby leaf crops raised 

on 84-inch-wide beds.

$66,767.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

15. Soil Health Following 

Water Sanitization in 

Romaine Lettuce 

Production System

The University of Arizona will measure the short- and medium-term 

changes in soil health under romaine lettuce production systems 

following application of water sanitizers commonly used in leafy greens 

production. We propose to use universally recognized scientific 

approaches to identify changes as well as key areas for soil health 

improvements towards sustainable romaine lettuce production, and 

will share the research findings through field demonstration, grower 

meetings, field days, and extension articles.

$90,708.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

16. Survey and 

Identification of Palm 

Pathogens

The University of Arizona will mitigate palm diseases by 1) surveying 

palm trees to determine how prevalent Fusarium wilt are in Arizona 

Palm trees, 2) determining whether Phytoplasma is responsible for 

yellowing and declining of palm in Arizona, and 3) educating arborists 

and landscape professionals on diagnosis and management of palm 

diseases. The project findings will be crucial for enabling stakeholders 

to take proactive actions to prevent spread of palm diseases. Palms are 

economically and aesthetically important plants in Arizona. However, 

Fusarium wilt and Phytoplasma diseases are emerging deadly palm 

diseases that cause decline and death of palm trees.

$48,496.00
16

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

17. Survey of Potential 

Reservoirs of Impatiens 

Necrotic Spot Virus

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension is collaborating with 

Arizona lettuce industry to understanding the role of secondary hosts in 

Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) transmission to lettuce. These 

efforts will assist in developing weed management recommendations 

to reduce the impact of INSV for the Arizona lettuce industry. INSV is a 

thrips-borne virus that can potentially reduce lettuce productivity and 

thus, the competitiveness of the Arizona lettuce industry.

$47,229.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69

18. User-friendly Venues for 

Dissemination of Updated 

Water Management 

Information

Over the past seven years, the University of Arizona’s Yuma Center of 

Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA) has led a large research 

project which has collected updated crop water use (ET) and soil 

salinity impacts of 17 crops grown in the Lower Colorado River Basin. 

We propose to format all new water management information 

generated over the past 7 years into readily accessible user-friendly 

formats. The agriculture stakeholders have requested this as a venue to 

provide timely, science-backed information to producers, regulators, 

and policy makers.

$93,000.00

Arizona 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,313,145.69 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$101,126.84

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$357,945.19

1. Assessment of Novel 

Watermelon and Cantaloup 

Varieties for Use in 

Arkansas

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will conduct 

field trials to assess the suitability of a diverse selection of melon 

cultivars in Arkansas, specifically assessing cantaloupe and watermelon 

in plasticulture production. This federally funded trial will provide 

unbiased results that will provide critical information about the novel 

varieties released by private companies. These results will improve 

decision making for variety selections and increase grower confidence 

when choosing whether to dedicate acreage to specialty crop 

production.

$30,734.00
17

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$357,945.19

2. Developing Nutritious 

Spinach and Arugula for 

Hydroponics and Indoor 

Farming with Increased 

Tolerance to Diseases and 

Pests

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will evaluate 

and develop spinach and arugula cultivars with high nutritional 

components and disease and pest tolerance suitable for sustainable 

open vegetable cultivation in Arkansas and other states under 

indoor/hydroponics. Hydroponic spinach and arugula cultivation is still 

a new industry; thus, it needs system research efforts. Here we propose 

to evaluate nutritional components, tolerances to Pythium and aphids 

among the diverse germplasm and generate genetic resources to 

enhance breeding efficiency.

$76,595.00

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$357,945.19

3. Sustainable Management 

of Melonworm in Arkansas 

Pumpkin Production

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will develop 

sustainable pest management and production strategies to support the 

expanding Arkansas-grown pumpkin market, with a focus on the use of 

integrated pest management to address melonworm, a major pest of 

the crop, with dissemination through regular pest updates, fact sheets 

and a webinar.

$55,762.28

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$357,945.19

4. Expanding the Arkansas 

Quality Wine Program to 

Support the Arkansas Grape 

and Wine Industry

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will expand 

the Arkansas Quality Wine (AQW) Program established in 2020. The 

AQW program will implement quality standards by hosting a yearly 

wine competition for commercially produced Arkansas wines with an 

emphasis on wine made from Arkansas-grown grapes. This project 

team will generate consumer awareness of Arkansas wines by hosting 

wine tastings and workshops for grape growers, winemakers, and 

consumers. The AQW program will provide marketing and outreach 

activities to address challenges for the Arkansas grape and wine 

industry.

$48,338.00
18

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$357,945.19

5. Growing, Tasting, and 

Marketing Specialty Crops 

in School

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School and Early 

Childhood Education Program will facilitate the development of school 

gardens and taste tests at schools, in addition increasing farmers’ 

knowledge of farm to school, to increase the consumption of specialty 

crops in the classroom and cafeteria. The project purpose is to 

strengthen student knowledge of and consumption of specialty crops in 

Arkansas schools through the development or expansion of school 

gardens and cafeteria taste tests, in addition to increasing farmers’ 

knowledge of farm to school as a potential market through producer 

trainings.

$67,675.00

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$357,945.19

6. Expansion of the 

Strawberry and Blackberry 

Industries in Arkansas 

Through Improved Visibility, 

Marketing and Crop 

Management

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the 

Arkansas Blackberry Growers Association and MidAmerican Strawberry 

Growers Association will develop two coordinated marketing efforts 

and new crop management recommendations to support the 

expansion of these industries in the state of Arkansas. We propose to 

test and refine calcium and potassium fertility recommendations for 

Arkansas strawberry and cultural management practices including 

optimizing plant spacing and cane management for moveable trellised 

blackberry to support the expansion of these industries in the state.

$64,423.00

Arkansas 

Agriculture 

Department

$357,945.19 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$386.77
19

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30 1. Grown to be Great

The California Grown Buy California Marketing Agreement (BCMA) will 

implement a multi-platform digital campaign as well as retail and 

foodservice promotions to create strong support from the retail and 

food service 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. Retail trade outreach will 

be conducted, and promotional partnerships will be established with 

key California retailers to execute retail promotion programs both instore and through digital extension. The project’s foodservice 

promotion component will support the reemergence of the foodservice 

industry in a post-COVID-19 environment.

$2,556,500.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

2. Hurdle Approaches for 

Enhancing the Safety and 

Quality of Kale, Chard, and 

Collard Green Juices

This University of California project aims to promote sales and market 

opportunities for California-grown dark greens by systematic evaluation 

of the antimicrobial efficacy of different non-thermal hurdle 

approaches, investigating their impact on the safety, quality, shelf life, 

and sensory attributes of dark green juice. Outcomes will provide 

preparation, production, and storage guidance documents for dark 

green growers and juice processors and promote their economic wellbeing.

$423,149.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

3. Reducing Consumer 

Confusion Through Clear 

Retail Signage for Sweet 

Potatoes

The Sweet Potato Council of California project seeks to increase sales of 

sweet potatoes by working with retailers to provide consumer 

education at point of sale. Messaging for consumers will seek to end 

confusion about yams versus sweet potatoes and provide recipes, 

usage ideas, nutrition facts and information on locally grown sweet 

potato varieties. Research shows consumers are interested in learning 

more about sweet potatoes. This project will test various 

merchandising strategies at retail designed to encourage purchases.

The California sweet potato industry believes this situation presents an 

opportunity to engage with consumers providing them with 

information they are seeking on this superfood.

$242,000.00
20

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

4. When You Think Wine, 

Think Lake County – 

Reaching the Next 

Generations 

This Lake County Winery Association project will create economic 

opportunities for Lake County wine producers and wine grape growers 

with a marketing campaign focusing on the regional markets of San 

Francisco and Sacramento, targeting millennials and Gen Z consumers. 

The development of concise brand messaging and a robust advertising 

and digital media campaign will promote the unique qualities of wine 

and wine grapes from Lake County. This project will incorporate the 

environmental attributes of the Lake County region as well as the 

additional exposure of up to 10 percent more ultraviolet light to 

expand market recognition, attract a new consumer audience, drive 

demand, and increase sales.

$437,563.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

5. Sharing California Prune 

Benefits to Build Sales 

Among United States 

Flexitarian Consumers

California prune growers have faced long-term price declines for their 

specialty crop: the most recent four-year price average is 

approximately 14 percent lower than the prior four years. Prices and 

returns increase when demand and sales can be built for high-value 

consumer prune products; selling more California prunes into this 

channel is needed for grower viability. Opportunity exists to achieve 

this by targeting United States flexitarians (those with a diet centered 

on plant-based foods; 14 percent of consumers in the United States). 

The Sunsweet Growers benefits and uses of California prunes will be 

promoted in a plant-based diet to this audience via a digital marketing 

campaign to drive California prune product sales and shift more prunes 

to this high-value use. The project’s goal is to boost sales by $3 million, 

increasing grower returns.

$500,000.00
21

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

6. Driving California Raisin 

Awareness and Value as a 

Naturally Sweet and 

Nutritious, No Sugar Added 

Ingredient and Snack

California raisin producer returns declined almost 50 percent the last 

two years versus the 2018-2019 crop year and are currently below a 

breakeven level. Declines are, in large part, due to California supply 

exceeding demand; consumer demand for California raisins must be 

generated to sustain California's raisin producers and the greater 

industry. To rebuild needed consumer demand and producer economic 

viability, the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC), representing 100 

percent of the California raisin industry, will launch a social media 

influencer campaign sharing the nutritional benefits of California raisins 

and promoting the dried fruit as a no-sugar-added snack and 

ingredient. Communicating the value of California raisins will drive 

consumer sales and result in the project outcome of a 5 percent 

producer revenue increase (measured by crop acquisition tonnage x 

price) by the project end, as measured by published industry reports.

$480,000.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

7. Resilient School Food 

Systems: Increasing 

Regional Procurement of 

Specialty Crops

The Center for Ecoliteracy's Resilient School Food Systems project will 

build the capacity of schools to serve local specialty crops by, 

Convening a series of six Community of Practice (CoP) workshopsguided by regional interviews and a task force that bring together 100 

school food leaders, community partners, and farmers; Facilitating 

regional celebrations of specialty crops at 15 school districts; Compiling 

recipes and authoring a guide on using local specialty crops to increase 

school meal participation, and 4) sharing success stories. 

Measurements of success include increased purchases of specialty 

crops in a sample of school districts, workshop participant knowledge 

gained about procuring and preparing specialty crops, and student 

knowledge gained about specialty crops.

$334,065.00
22

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

8. Solano County Specialty 

Crop Education and 

Training Program

This Sustainable Solano project creates cooking courses tailored to 

specific target audiences to increase access, consumption, and 

knowledge of specialty crops, supports an annual public event 

showcasing specialty crops from local farms and restaurants, and grows 

capacity for a healthy prepared meals program. There is great demand 

for education on specialty crops relating to health and the local food 

system. Bringing together multiple stakeholders to broaden and 

deepen the existing educational pilot project will connect new 

audiences (community leaders, medical students, entrepreneurs, and 

youth) to healthy specialty crops, promote consumption and cultivate 

an authentic, lasting appreciation. This project aims to strengthen 

relationships between farmers and their communities and ensure an

expanded market that values specialty crops.

$469,260.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

9. “America’s Heartland” 

PBS Television Series and 

Website Showcases

Healthy foods can reduce a host of public health issues, yet many 

Americans' diets are seriously lacking in them. Key factors affecting 

consumer food choices are appeal, health impacts, cost, and 

accessibility. KVIE Public Television Focusing on these variables, a Public 

Broadcasting Service (PBS) ten-episode television series "America's 

Heartland" will air on more than 340 stations and the national RFD-TV 

cable/satellite channel. KVIE will increase consumption of California 

specialty crops by educating consumers about the health benefits of 

these foods and will include useful information on how to prepare and 

source them. Episode segments include farmer and crop stories, “Fast 

Facts About Food,” health and nutrition, cultural aspects, farm-to-fork 

cooking, sustainable production methods, and more. Program episodes, 

related recipes, viewer clips, ways to purchase, and other useful 

information will be added to websites, social media, and YouTube, with 

surveys administered at different times to measure the impact of the 

project.

$478,580.00
23

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

10. Be Inspired by the 

Bounty: Boosting Specialty 

Crop Consumption Among 

Central Valley Consumers

California Fresh Farmers Market Association (CFFMA), will host eight 

year-round certified farmers' markets reaching 500,000 individuals 

monthly, will launch a pilot educational campaign at its busiest markets 

including no-cost cooking courses featuring meals made with seasonal 

produce. Crop information and videos will be created and promoted for 

wider consumer reach. The project’s goal is to increase sales of 

specialty crops grown by CFFMA's producers and boost 1,000 regional 

consumers' fruit and vegetable consumption by 50 percent, as 

measured through surveys.

$500,000.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

11. Transforming the Food 

Landscape in the San 

Francisco Bay Area Through 

Trauma-Based Nutrition 

and Culturally Relevant 

Interventions

Nutrition and food access interventions are often not culturally relevant 

to communities of color, nor do they acknowledge structural inequities 

and systemic racism faced by underserved communities. Fresh 

Approach project addresses the need to create inclusive food 

landscapes across the Bay Area through two main strategies. First, the 

project will advance a trauma-based model of nutrition intervention 

that is culturally and socially tailored and incentivizes access to 

specialty crops at farmers' markets for 28,715 low-income individuals. 

This model will be integrated within existing nutrition and wellness 

programs in 25 health clinics and community organizations. Next, the 

project will facilitate access for six beginning and/or marginalized 

farmers at farmers markets and promote their specialty crops through 

a culturally relevant outreach campaign.

$433,912.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

12. Cultivating Community 

Health Through Specialty 

Crop Education, Access, and 

Activation

National City is a low income, community of color with limited produce 

access, barriers to health education, and low land access. These 

inequities correlate with disproportionate chronic disease and food 

insecurity. The project goal is to improve the food system and health 

outcomes by increasing knowledge, access, consumption, purchasing, 

and production of specialty crops among 8,700 youth and adults.

$396,113.00
24

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

13. Increasing California 

Specialty Crop 

Competitiveness by 

Understanding and 

Addressing Farmworker 

Technical Training Priorities 

Farmworkers make a thousand management micro-decisions every day 

impacting resource use, crop quality, and the economic 

competitiveness of California's specialty crop sector. The proposed 

University of California project seeks to develop appropriate 

agricultural extension materials for farmworker communities, which 

have historically been overlooked in extension efforts. The goal of this 

project is to increase farmworker knowledge of best agricultural 

practices, and success will be measured through field day formative 

assessments, key informant interviews, and targeted observations.

$470,336.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

14. Fostering Vine Health 

Amid Drought: Educating 

Winegrowers on CuttingEdge Pruning Techniques 

for Sustainable Farming

Winegrape growers face unprecedented challenges, and the viability of 

this specialty crop is at risk. Extreme drought conditions are 

threatening vine health and vineyard lifespan. Lack of rain and available 

water for irrigation reduces sap flow, limiting root and vine growth, 

making vines vulnerable to wood diseases such as Eutypa, and 

threatening vineyard productivity. Growers need strategies to support 

sustainable vineyard operations. One of the most effective tools to 

foster vine health is pruning. Proper pruning promotes root growth, 

vine vigor, and disease resistance. This Lake County Wine Commission 

project will deliver training to 180 growers on innovative pruning 

techniques that address long-term vine health via seminars, in-thevineyard trainings, and videos. Giving growers a valuable tool to 

support long-term viability of this important specialty crop.

$307,178.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

15. Organic Specialty Crop 

Training Courses for 

Growing More Diverse, 

Sustainable Small Farm 

Operations

The experienced team at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) 

is planning a new series of short courses and trainings in English and 

Spanish, tailored to help entry-level farmers successfully grow and 

market a broad range of specialty crops using environmentally 

sustainable methods. This project's goal is to deliver a wealth of organic 

specialty crop expertise through in-person and virtual trainings to 

small-scale, early career, and socially disadvantaged farmers.

$292,140.00
25

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

16. Strengthening the 

Agricultural Apprenticeship 

Pipeline: Providing New 

Farmers and Farm 

Managers for the Specialty 

Crop Sector

The goal of the California Farm Academy Apprenticeship program is to 

establish an effective pipeline that provides the specialty crop sector 

with highly skilled, capable, and knowledgeable farmers, farm 

managers, and supervisors. The Center for Land-Based Learning (CLBL) 

developed the first state-registered farm manager apprenticeship 

program in Northern California in 2018. The apprenticeship program 

structure included 3000 hours of on-the-farm training and 250 hours of 

supplemental instruction. In the last three years, CLBL developed the

curriculum framework, engaged with farmers across the region, worked 

with specialty crop industry partners to identify workforce needs, and 

started engaging in the farmworker space. CLBL is now poised to 

further strengthen this program and expand it across the state while 

also developing an apprentice tract for farm workers that will provide 

them with the skills to become farm managers and supervisors.

$416,029.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

17. Nitrogen Budgeting in 

Organic Vegetable 

Production: Improving and 

Validating Tools for 

Growers

Organic vegetable production relies on organic sources to supply 

nitrogen (N) to the crops. Depending on the properties of these sources 

and environmental conditions, the amount of N that becomes cropavailable during the growing season can vary considerably. This 

University of California project will develop a site-specific N budget 

worksheet for organic vegetable systems. A worksheet was created 

based on a previous Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) 

project and data from the literature. However, this worksheet needs to 

be validated in the field and a more robust estimate for N 

mineralization from soil organic matter needs to be included. To do 

that, trials will be conducted in commercial certified organic fields 

located in the southern Sacramento Valley and the southern Central 

Coast. The results of the project have the potential to make organic 

vegetable production in California more competitive and reduce the 

risk on N losses to the environment.

$370,462.00
26

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

18. Can Polyploidy Increase 

Drought Tolerance in 

Landscape Plants?

This University of California project aims to gain new knowledge of 

drought tolerance in landscape plants by measuring physiological stress 

of polyploids under water deficit to identify whether ploidy can be used 

as a tool to improve drought tolerance. Eight polyploids of four species 

will be measured to test the hypothesis that higher ploidy determines 

higher drought tolerance.

$488,232.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

19. Creating Nutritious and 

Highly Digestible Fermented 

Animal Feeds from Almond 

Hulls and Tomato Pomace

The goal of this University of California project is to increase the feed 

value of almond hulls and tomato pomace and biomass for the cattle 

industry. The research objectives are to develop new fermentation 

methods and produce probiotic and highly digestible feed; quantify the 

nutritional values of feed and potential for reducing enteric methane 

emissions of cattle and estimate the production cost; and disseminate 

results to stakeholders. The new method for producing fermented feed 

is expected to be practical and could increase the economic value of 

hulls and pomace by over 40 percent.

$425,888.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

20. How to Irrigate Nut 

Orchards Based on 

Expected Yields

Multiyear drought became a major problem for nut growers in 

California. How to irrigate orchards to maximize yield and assure 

survival is often make-or-break decision, yet there is very limited knowhow that can help growers. This University of California project 

proposes to reduce the knowledge gap and use time and spatial 

approach to quantify impact of irrigation on future nut orchard 

performance. The general goal of the project is to determine the 

impact of matching irrigation to the spring estimates of year's yield on 

final yield and the following year's yield potential (maximum 

production capacity).

$364,442.00
27

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

21. Conversion of Almond 

and Walnut Hulls to Fungal 

Protein, Biogas, and 

Biofertilizers 

The University of California project aims to produce fungal protein, 

biogas, and biofertilizers from almond and walnut hulls to increase the 

economic return to farmers and hullers and ensure sustainable 

management of these byproducts. The project objectives include 

fermentation process development to use hulls as the substrate for 

fungal biomass production, extraction of the protein from the 

fermentation residues, production of biogas and fertilizers from the 

organic waste generated from the process, and economic and life cycle 

analysis of the integrated process. Project success will be determined 

by the positive economic and environmental evaluations on the 

process, the farmers' willingness to adopt the new product.

$429,605.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

22. Almond-Alfalfa 

Intercropping in Young 

Orchards for Profitability 

and Sustainability

Almond is the most economically important perennial crop in 

California, adding $9.2 billion to the total economy. Diversification of a 

cropping system offers both economic benefits and ecosystem services. 

During early years, almond trees are non-bearing, but have interrow 

space that allows forage cultivation and harvest. Intercropping provides 

earlier and more frequent incomes for a new orchard and can confer 

soil health and ecosystem benefits, but these outcomes have not been 

evaluated in California almond orchards. USDA-ARD project goals are 

to provide scientific documentation of benefits of almond-alfalfa 

intercropping with regards to orchard soil fertility, water dynamics, 

profitability, and tree health. Results will be disseminated with growers 

and industry professionals during field days and via grower targeted 

publications, blogs, and in peer-reviewed journals. Research success 

will be evaluated by grower interest in or adoption of intercropping.

$401,312.00
28

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

23. Irrigation Strategies to 

Improve Water Productivity 

and Yield Quality of Olive 

Orchards in California

Olive acreage has increased in California within the last two decades, as 

well as challenges related to climate change and groundwater 

management policies. However, information on olive water uses and 

efficient irrigation practices for high density systems is scarce. This 

University of California project aims to develop and extend new 

information to enhance olive productivity through precision timing and 

quantities of irrigation. Project objectives are to characterize water use 

and develop crop coefficients for California oil and table olive orchards; 

Develop protocols to reduce water during drought tolerant 

phenological stages without impacting productivity but improving yield 

quality; and Develop irrigation guidelines to implement innovative 

proximate and remote sensing technologies in water management.

$427,151.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

24. California Winegrower 

Strategies and Tools to 

Mitigate and Adapt to 

Climate Change

Given the climate crisis and related pressures, California winegrowers 

must mitigate and adapt to climate change. Potential impacts and 

climate beneficial practices have been identified in prior research; 

however, actionable guidance, sound strategies and training, tools, and 

resources are needed to expand climate smart practices in vineyards 

and wineries. The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance goals of 

this project are to: 1) Conduct a literature review of scientific research 

and create summary report; 2) Create a "toolbox" of climate smart 

practices, resources and tools, case studies and videos that 

winegrowers can use to create mitigation and adaptation strategies; 3) 

Assist winegrowers with cost-share opportunities; 4) Disseminate 

strategies and tools via 10 plus workshops and webinars for over 500 

winegrowers, newsletters and website; 5) Develop communication 

materials to inform over 6,000 growers, trade and consumers about 

California wine's climate action; and 6) Evaluate success by number of 

participants using toolbox and increased adoption of practices.

$454,982.00
29

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

25. Boron Removal from 

Irrigation Waters: Biological 

Principles and Derivation of 

Maximum Crop Tolerance 

Levels 

Boron (B) toxicity limits the utility of a significant amount of the 

underutilized irrigation resources in California; understanding of the 

management of irrigation B is, however, inadequate. This University of 

California project will determine the acute, chronic, and phenologycritical impact of B in irrigation water on almond performance. This 

information will assist growers, water district managers, and regulators 

with strategies for the management of B in irrigation and drainage 

waters by providing specific information on the B rate and B timing that 

results in negative crop impact. While this project is made possible by 

the availability of a new B removal technology, irrigation B reduction 

can also be achieved by blending irrigation sources or by selecting the 

time of year when the B compromised irrigation source is used. This 

project will also establish the critical rates and times of B exposure that 

impact crops and, hence, inform management of B in irrigation and 

drainage waters.

$307,020.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

26. Production of Short, 

Medium, and Long Season 

Specialty Crops in HighResidue, No-Till Farming 

Systems 

A Rodale Institute two-year field experiment will be carried out at the 

Rodale Institute, California Organic Center in Camarillo, CA to evaluate 

production of transplanted specialty crops including zucchini, pepper, 

and eggplants using regenerative practices compared to conventional 

practices. The project team will evaluate yield and quality of 

transplanted vegetables in high residue no-till systems where weed 

management will be facilitated using roller-crimped cover crops 

compared to the standard management (weed control using plastic 

mulch or frequent tilling). The team will also evaluate and document 

the effects of high residue no-till systems on soil organic matter, soil 

health, soil water holding capacity, and water use efficiency. An 

economic analysis will be performed to show the viability of specialty 

crop production using regenerative practices. Results will be 

disseminated via on-farm field days, web articles, webinars, and 

conference presentations.

$248,004.00
30

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

27. Developing Sustainable 

Strategies to Adapt 

California Walnut 

Production to Warmer 

Winters Under Climate 

Change

Warmer winters due to climate change threaten sustainable walnut 

production through increased costs and decreased yields. Walnuts 

need a high amount of winter cold to bloom and leaf-out normally in 

the spring. “Dormancy Breaking Strategies" (DBS) known to 

compensate for inadequate winter chill in other crops and competing 

countries have not been widely tested in California walnuts. This 

University of California project's goal is to give California walnut 

growers environmentally sound and profitable tools to adapt existing 

orchards to warmer winters by testing at or near-market DBS for 

efficacy, testing additional chemistries to inform future research, and 

increasing understanding of the physiological impact of DBS to improve 

their efficacy. Project success will be measured by finding at least two 

DBS that adapt walnuts to warmer winters, increasing knowledge 

among growers of these DBS, and increasing knowledge of 

physiological metrics to improve DBS effectiveness.

$366,732.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

28. Comprehensive 

Utilization of Olive 

Byproduct for Improved 

Economic Feasibility and 

Environmental 

Sustainability 

California is the largest olive oil producer in the United States. The 

production of olive oil generates a list of byproducts, including olive mill 

wastewater, olive pomace, and olive pit. Among those byproducts, 

olive pomace is currently used as cattle feed (valued at $10 - $50 per 

ton), while there is no efficient treatment for olive mill wastewater and 

olive pit. Each year, more than 800,000 tons of olives are produced in 

California, leaving the olive byproducts as a significant environmental 

and economic burden. This Cal Poly Corporation study proposes a 

biorefinery strategy to improve the economic profitability and 

environmental sustainability of olive byproducts including four 

objectives : Extract phenolic compounds as value-added antioxidants; 

Produce biogas from olive pomace by enzymatic treatment and 

anaerobic digestion; Produce biochar from olive pit for wastewater and 

soil treatment; Undertake a techno-economic and life-cycle assessment 

to determine the economic feasibility and environmental impact of 

olive byproducts.

$425,978.00
31

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

29. Application of Spectral 

Soil Carbon Measurement 

and Artificial IntelligenceDriven Analytics to Increase 

Competitiveness of 

California Specialty Crops

Specialty crops in California are subject to increasing climate 

vulnerability and degraded soils. Yet, growers lack cost-effective tools 

to manage soil health. The cost of conventional soil carbon 

measurement makes most soil carbon markets uneconomical. Soil 

carbon markets work overwhelmingly with Midwest commodity crops, 

excluding California growers. This Yard Stick PBC project will research 

the application of spectral soil carbon measurement and artificial 

intelligence-driven analytics software to the California specialty crop 

market. The technology's technical feasibility has been proven in the 

Midwest, but it requires regionalized machine learning models and 

upgraded hardware to be appropriate for California specialty crops. 

Researchers will assess whether the technology achieves parity with 

best-available conventional testing methods. Once adapted to specialty 

crops, the system will reduce soil carbon measurement costs by 90 

percent, unlocking billion-dollar soil carbon offset markets and 

providing growers with tools to manage soil health.

$473,424.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

30. Stacking RNAi-Based 

Resistance to 

Phytophthora, Crown Gall, 

and Nematodes in Almond 

and Walnut Rootstocks

This USDA-ARS project addresses the program of preventing and 

managing pests and diseases to minimize economic and environmental 

harm to specialty crop farmers. The project proposes to stack RNAi 

resistances to Phytophthora, crown gall, and potentially root-lesion 

nematode in almond and walnut rootstocks, thereby improving 

efficiency and sustainability of almond and walnut production.

$499,733.00
32

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

31. Flattening the Curve on 

Branched Broomrape - 

Reducing the Threat to the 

California Processing 

Tomato Industry

The parasitic weed branched broomrape (Phelipanche ramosa) is a 

critical threat to the processing tomato industry and could be a risk to 

other specialty crops grown in California. Because it is an "A-listed" 

weed, infested crops usually are destroyed without harvest, resulting in 

100 percent economic loss. This parasite plant is a prolific seed 

producer, and the seed can survive in soil for many years. The 

University of California focus of this project is on developing and 

extending interventions tomato farmers can take to "flatten the curve,” 

by reducing the incidence of this weed and reducing spread within the 

region and to other regions of California. Specifically, this project will 

build on previous research on chemical management of this unique 

weed, examine cultivar sensitivity data to guide future breeding efforts, 

and conduct vital equipment sanitation.

$448,710.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

32. Drone-Based Biological 

Control of the Vine 

Mealybug in California 

Vineyards

Releasing predators and parasitoids as a biological control method for 

the management of vine mealybug (VMB) has been studied for over a 

decade. However, biocontrol in vineyards has been underutilized, in 

part due to the challenges of applying natural enemies in large areas 

and the absence of established, economically viable protocols. The 

UAV-IQ project team has developed operational and technological 

capabilities to fly drones equipped with intelligent release systems 

directly over crops to release beneficial insects and mites. It has 

generated positive results in numerous crop types, which supports the 

hypothesis this method can be effective for vine mealybug control in 

vineyards. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of predators 

Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (C. montrouzieri) and parasitoids Anagyrus 

pseudococci (A. pseudococci) released by drones in vineyards to control 

vine mealybug and aims to develop economically viable treatment 

protocols. Project success will be measured by a reduction in vine 

mealybug abundance in treated vineyard blocks.

$158,773.00
33

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

33. Establishment and 

Evaluation of Ganaspis 

brasiliensis to Suppress 

Spotted Wing Drosophila

Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) is a world-wide invasive pest and, in 

California, can severely damage specialty fruits, such as caneberries, 

strawberries, and cherries. SWD control currently relies on repeated 

insecticide applications, which can harm beneficial insects, lead to 

secondary pest outbreaks, and leave toxic residues on fruits. This 

University of California project will release the beneficial wasp Ganaspis 

brasiliensis (G. brasiliensis), to improve areawide SWD bio-controls. 

Project subobjectives are to Improve mass rearing; Conduct releases 

throughout California's susceptible specialty crops; and Evaluate 

effectiveness and adjust release procedures as needed.

$412,620.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

34. Impact of Brevipalpus 

Transmitted Viruses on the 

Production and Export of 

California Citrus

This University of California project will determine whether native 

Brevipalpus mites found in citrus can vector Brevipalpus transmitted 

viruses (BTVs) that cause citrus leprosis and will develop educational 

materials for vector and disease management. The vector status of the 

two native mites is needed to inform the possible regulatory and 

management approaches needed for citrus leprosis in California. 

Educating growers about the native mites and BTVs allows for more 

timely detection and mitigation of BTVs when they enter California, 

reducing the impact of this disease.

$453,701.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

35. Identifying Landscape 

Variables and Cropping 

Patterns Associated with 

Viral Epidemics in Lettuce

In recent years, lettuce production in the Salinas Valley was severely 

impacted by Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV). INSV is transmitted 

by thrips, a tiny insect pest with an extensive host range that includes 

numerous crops that are part of a diverse agricultural system within the 

Salinas Valley. While this scenario creates management challenges, 

there are opportunities to identify landscape variables that influence 

virus outbreaks. The USDA-ARS goals of this project are to characterize 

the migration patterns of thrips between lettuce and non-lettuce crops 

and identify problematic areas that support populations of thrips 

vectoring INSV. Outcomes will result in a greater understanding of 

cropping and landscape factors that pose the greatest risk for thrips 

infestations and INSV outbreaks in lettuce crops.

$283,148.00
34

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

36. Development of 

Innovative Approaches to 

Manage Botryosphaeria 

Branch Canker and Dieback 

in California Avocado

Recent surveys of young and mature avocado groves have shown that 

Avocado Branch Canker (ABC), caused by several Botryosphaeriaceae, is 

well established in all growing areas, with incidences been accentuated 

by drought as experienced in California. These fungi mainly infect trees 

through wounds, causing death of graft union, dieback, and canker. 

They are very difficult to control once inside the plant and the absence 

of registered materials for treating pruning and grafting wounds is a 

serious concern for the avocado industry. This University of California 

proposal will assess the impact of ABC in relation to cultural practices 

and abiotic stressors and provide ABC management solutions to 

avocado stakeholders. Its success will be measured using pre- and postproject surveys evaluating grower's education, tool adoptions and 

associated benefits.

$234,100.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

37. Assessing the Effect of 

Exogenous Silicon 

Application on Yield and 

Quality of Lettuce Produce

The application of exogenous silicon (Si) can enhance growth and 

quality of diverse crops such as soybean and tomato (Souri et al., J. 

Plant Growth Regul, 2021, 40:906–925) but its effect on lettuce 

production has not been sufficiently tested. This USDA-ARS project 

proposes to investigate the effect of Si on the growth, stress response, 

and postharvest quality of lettuce, the factors affecting Si effect, 

alongside with the study of molecular basis of its effect. Understanding 

the effect of exogenous Si on lettuce yield, quality, and their stability 

will help to sustain the supply of high-quality lettuce in changing 

climate. The project will be successful if the effectiveness of Si 

application is tested on at least 15 cultivars in replicated trials using 

evaluations of their yield, resistance to abiotic stress factors, pests, 

diseases, and postharvest quality.

$323,950.00
35

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

38. Development of a Rat 

Specific Toxicant for the 

Protection of Specialty 

Crops

California's citrus farmers are no longer able to control rats using 

anticoagulants due to a lack of efficacy. Moreover, social acceptance of 

anticoagulants is shifting and more regulations governing their use are 

being adopted. To address these concerns, this U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

proposal will develop a novel rat specific toxicant DR8, a norbormide 

analog, through oral gavage and feeding trials. A novel bait matrix will 

also be developed by testing the preference and acceptance of possible 

ingredients and attractants by black rats. The team will measure the 

success of this project by the efficacy of the final bait formulation 

containing the DR8. This will be done by offering the DR8 bait to rats in 

addition to their normal food ration. This will be done both in individual 

cages and in a colony (group housed) setting. This models the likelihood 

of rats to consume and die from the bait in citrus fields where other 

food sources are available.

$376,446.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

39. Development of 

Immuno-detection for 

Lettuce Dieback Associated 

Virus and Greenhouse 

Evaluation of Lettuce for 

Resistance

Lettuce dieback causes stunting, necrosis, and often complete loss of 

lettuce crops, but diagnosis has been challenging because the disease 

was believed to have been caused by two tombusviruses (Moroccan 

pepper virus (MPV) or Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV)) that are 

inconsistently associated with the disease. At best either MPV or TBSV 

can be found in only 60 to 70 percent of symptomatic plants. Recent 

studies demonstrated that a novel virus, now called lettuce dieback 

associated virus (LDaV), is responsible for causing the disease and its 

presence in infected lettuce is highly correlated with lettuce dieback. 

This USDA-ARS project will: Develop antiserum for the detection of 

LDaV that can be used for serological detection; Clone LDaV and 

develop an agro-inoculation system for easier inoculation of plants 

during greenhouse evaluation of germplasm for LDaV resistance;

Determine if disease symptoms on lettuce are more severe when plants 

are infected by LDaV along with either tombusvirus, or by LDaV alone.

$237,824.00
36

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

40. High Throughput 

Phenotyping of Downy 

Mildew Resistance in Baby 

Leaf Salad Greens

Cultivated arugula (Eruca sativa), wild arugula (Diplotaxis tenuifolia), 

and baby kale (Brassica oleracea) make up a significant portion of 

California's baby leaf salad greens market. Downy mildew, caused by 

Hyloperonospora parasitica, presents a major threat to baby leaf salad 

greens production. Disease control has relied on fungicides due to the 

lack of downy mildew resistant varieties. To help growers and breeders 

develop downy mildew resistant varieties and accelerate the 

phenotyping process, this Cal Poly Corporation project proposes to 

develop a method to use multispectral imaging for high throughput 

phenotyping. This technique facilitates downy mildew resistance 

breeding through early detection and fast screening of downy mildew 

in baby leaf salad greens.

$157,201.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

41. Investigating the Impact 

of Biofungicides on Wine 

Grape Disease Control and 

Wine Quality

The fungal pathogens Erysiphe necator and Botrytis cinerea cause 

powdery mildew and Botrytis bunch rot in wine grape, respectively. 

Both diseases are difficult to control due to their resistance against 

many synthetic fungicides as a result of repetitive use of fungicides with 

similar modes of action. Therefore, they pose tremendous threat to the 

wine grape industry in California. The proposed Cal Poly Corporation 

project focuses on, identifying the effective and economic use of 

biofungicides in wine grape powdery mildew and Botrytis bunch rot 

management, and studying the effect on microbial community 

especially pro-fermentation microbes and the subsequent wine quality 

when using biofungicides solely and integrated in programs.

$261,265.00
37

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

42. Improving Integrative 

Pest Management in 

California Leafy Greens 

Using Emergent Agricultural 

Technologies 

Leafy greens farmers in California face potential losses from aphids and 

thrips, the most problematic pests. Aphids are omnipresent, can flare 

to severe levels, and cause contamination losses even at low numbers. 

Thrips vector Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) and have been very 

problematic in recent years, causing over $25 million in losses in 2020. 

This multi-faceted project aims to develop and optimize new 

technologies to advance Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This 

University of California project will evaluate precision insecticide 

applications using an automated thinner to better use insecticides in 

lettuce by reducing material applied and improving efficacy. The project 

will also validate drone-released natural enemies to improve biocontrol 

in lettuce production systems using whole-field, insectary planting, and 

field border releases. Project success will be measured in terms of 

knowledge gained and research goals accomplished.

$245,707.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

43. Implementing AreaWide, Long-Term Programs 

for Biological Control of 

Aflatoxin/Ochratoxin in Nut 

Crops in California

Mycotoxins pose health risks to consumers, are regulated in foods 

worldwide, and affect nut growers' revenue when their product is 

rejected from the market. Currently, the only proven method to reduce 

aflatoxin contamination is the use of atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus (A. 

flavus) strains as biocontrol. However, in California nut and fig 

orchards, this biocontrol treatment does not reach its full potential, 

mainly due to cross effects between treated and untreated orchards 

where toxigenic strains from untreated orchards move to treated 

orchards. Area-wide programs, where all crops susceptible to 

mycotoxins will be treated with a biocontrol, could reduce the risks of 

cross effects by increasing the rates of atoxigenic strains and reducing 

the toxin producing potential of the population. The University of 

California research will focus on establishing bases to implement areawide, long-term programs, including developing additional atoxigenic 

strains and application strategies for timely delivery of the biocontrol.

$337,257.00
38

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

44. Characterization of 

Lettuce Resistance to 

Impatiens Necrotic Spot 

Virus

California's Monterey County harvests 100,000 acres of lettuce (Lactuca 

sativa L.) annually at a value of $1.2 billion. In recent years, incidence of 

Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) has increased significantly causing 

devastating losses to lettuce production. Genetic resistance is the most 

economical and environmentally sound control method, but no 

complete resistance to INSV has been identified. Therefore, further 

characterization of this resistance and development of improved 

lettuce germplasm is imperative. With USDA-ARS goal of releasing INSV 

resistant lettuce, the objectives are to: 1) combine two sources of 

partial resistance into a single genotype, 2) characterize inheritance of 

INSV resistance, and 3) develop improved crisp head and romaine 

germplasm. Success will be indicated by releasing new lettuce 

germplasm, publications, citations, and requests for seeds and 

information.

$275,069.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

45. Microbiological Risk 

Assessment Using QMRA in 

Preharvest Agriculture 

Water Treatment Systems 

for Leafy Greens

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

Arizona to evaluate how agricultural water treated with common 

sanitizers may impact human pathogens established on leafy greens or 

in soil. This project will directly address these knowledge gaps through 

laboratory evaluations and in-field evaluations over two growing 

seasons, using agricultural water treated with peracetic acid or calcium 

hypochlorite, and then using the data collected to conduct a 

quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) for Shiga-toxigenic 

Escherichia coli (E. coli) in leafy greens (romaine and spinach). Success 

of the project will include a comprehensive understanding of the 

impact of residual agricultural water treatment chemistries on 

pathogen persistence in water, on plant tissues, and in soil, and how 

that relates to risk. The scientific data generated can be used by 

growers to justify enhanced benefits of antimicrobial water treatment, 

beyond die-off of organisms found in agricultural water alone. 

Ultimately, the project aims to provide growers and regulators with an 

improved understanding of the impact of water treatment on risk 

reduction for consumers.

$439,931.00
39

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

46. Testbeds for Microbial 

Source Tracking Using 

Microfluidic Paper-Based 

Analytical Devices

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

to provide a site-specific risk-assessment tool for fresh produce 

operations that are adjacent or nearby to an animal operation. 

Pathogen contamination on fresh produce can lead to serious health 

issues. These pathogens often originate from animal feeding operations 

that are in proximity to fresh produce operations. Current methods for 

preventing such contamination are based on guidelines of maintaining 

a certain distance between animal and produce operations. However, 

these guidelines do not provide information that is specific to a 

particular site. This project will test a novel growers’ risk assessment 

biomarker investigative tool kit in locations that have nearby animal 

and produce operations. The tool detects DNA from feces of animals 

(swine, poultry, cattle) using a paper-based device and produces a color 

change (like a pH strip). The tool also incorporates data from local 

weather conditions and air quality to determine their influence on the 

contamination risk. Results of this study will be summarized in project 

reports, presented at the annual CPS Research Symposium, and 

published in peer-review journals.

$431,874.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

47. A Metagenomic 

Approach to Food Safety 

Risk Mitigation in Pears

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) will partner with Virginia 

Polytechnical Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) to determine 

the microbiome profiles of marketable and unmarketable fresh pears. 

Research on conditions that can support the growth of foodborne 

pathogens on fruit surfaces has primarily been focused on fresh apples 

or stone fruit, leaving the pear industry without science-backed 

recommendations to prevent contamination or control microbial 

growth under industry-relevant conditions. To help inform the pear 

industry, this project will conduct experiments to better understand the

pear surface microbiome before storage, how the storage environment 

impacts the microbiome of marketable and unmarketable pears, and 

how key organisms in the microbiome can impact food safety risks, 

such as Listeria monocytogenes, throughout pear storage. Results from 

these studies will yield data for the fresh pear industry on metagenomic 

profiles of marketable and unmarketable pears.

$366,580.00
40

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

48. Control of Salmonella 

and Listeria Monocytogenes 

on Peaches through SprayBar Brush Bed Sanitizer 

Intervention 

The Center for Produce Safety (CPS) will partner with Washington State 

University to provide data on the antimicrobial effectiveness of 

sanitizer treatments in peach packing lines. Recent multistate 

foodborne illness outbreaks linked to peaches and other stone fruits 

indicate that Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes can survive and 

persist during production and postharvest handling and packing, 

highlighting the need to control these pathogens. Although sanitizers 

interventions have been used in stone fruit processing, there is a lack of 

data on the antimicrobial efficacy of current sanitizers under 

commercial packing conditions for peaches. To address this knowledge 

gap, this project will first validate the efficacies of selected sanitizers 

against Salmonella and L. monocytogenes on peaches at the lab scale 

and in a pilot-scale spray-bar brush bed system, and then verify the 

selected sanitizer interventions in multiple commercial peach packing 

lines. Critical operating parameters for chlorine and chlorine dioxide 

will be assessed and compared with two other commercial sanitizers, 

peracetic acid and JC9465 (an oxidizing wash process aid). Also, this 

project will evaluate Enterococcus faecium NNRL B-2354 as a surrogate 

for Salmonella and L. monocytogenes on peaches for the sanitizer 

intervention studies.

$434,426.00
41

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

49. Supplementing Food 

Antimicrobials in 

Commercial Edible Coatings 

to Enhance the Safety and 

Extend the Shelf-Life of 

Stone Fruits

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

Tennessee to evaluate commercial edible coatings supplemented with 

commercial food antimicrobials to enhance the safety and extend the 

shelf life of stone fruits. This project will supplement five commercial 

coatings for stone fruits with generally-recognized-as-safe food 

antimicrobials effective against common foodborne pathogens and 

fungi. The physical, chemical, and antimicrobial properties of various 

edible coating–antimicrobial formulations will first be established. 

Selected antimicrobial coating formulations will be applied on yellow 

peaches and white nectarines inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, 

Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica, and the survival of 

these pathogens and native fungi, as well as the quality and decay of 

the coated fruit, will be evaluated during storage at simulated retail 

conditions. The project findings will contribute directly to the enhanced 

microbial safety and extended shelf life of stone fruits.

$351,967.00

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30

50. Optimizing Methods for 

the Detection and 

Quantification of Infectious 

Human Norovirus from 

Fresh Berries Using Human 

Intestinal Enteroids

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

Georgia to optimize the detection of infectious viral pathogens, human 

norovirus (HuNoV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV), from berries. Berries can 

become contaminated with these viral pathogens that originate in 

human feces, leading to gastrointestinal illness outbreaks, chronic 

health complications, and product recalls. The sources of berry 

contamination include unhygienic food handlers and contact with 

unclean water or food-contact surfaces. This project will harness the 

latest technology in norovirus cell culture to first optimize the standard 

extraction and detection methodology to recover infectious HuNoV and 

HAV virus from berries, and then fill critical knowledge gaps regarding 

detection and persistence of these viruses in common types of fresh 

berries postharvest. Early detection of infectious viruses in berries will 

provide better protection for consumers and for industry to avoid 

recalls of contaminated product. The outcomes of the project will be an 

improved detection method for industry and regulators and a better 

understanding of the risks associated with the presence of viruses on 

berries.

$221,269.00
42

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

California 

Department of 

Food and 

Agriculture

$23,411,759.30 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$1,449,904.01

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02

1. Consumer Outreach 

Through Bus Tours and 

Colorado Reader

The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (CFVGA) will offer 

deeper consumer education of produce farming and nutrition through 

public bus tours and a Colorado Reader-produce edition. Bus tours will 

focus on adult education, while the Colorado Reader will focus on 

upper elementary student and teacher education.

$22,000.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02

2. Promotion of Colorado 

Produce to Commercial

Buyers

The Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association will encourage 

commercial produce buyers to buy for the first time or to increase their 

purchases of Colorado produce by contracting a professional chef and 

nutritionist to extol how increased produce consumption from local 

sources improves human gut health and immunity. The contractor will 

provide cooking demos and nutrition talks to groups of commercial

produce buyers, explaining how local produce can improve consumer 

health.

$15,715.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02

3. Nursery and Greenhouse 

Spanish and English 

Continuing Education Live 

Classes and Videos

The Colorado Nursery and Greenhouse Association will provide classes 

and training for greenhouse and nursery staff to increase their technical 

knowledge about nursery and greenhouse crops. Our industry is 

diverse, and many of our staff are Spanish speaking. Providing online 

(video) training helps us reach members and staff who can’t attend 

classes in person, including members and their employees in parts of 

the state where we are not able to offer classes as frequently, such as 

on the Western Slope. There is also a need for classes for our Spanishspeaking members and employees, so they are equally served in our 

training processes. Providing for digital capture of both English and 

Spanish training ensures that members and employees can take part in 

the same training if they can’t attend the live classes.

$25,150.00
43

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02 4. Expanding Potato 

Exports to Mexico

The Colorado Potato Administrative Committee will establish a potato 

promotion program in the interior of Mexico working with retailers and 

importers in Mexico. Working with our consultant in Mexico, G&G 

Gestoria en Comercio Exterior, we will partner with interested retailers 

to promote Colorado Potatoes through in-store displays, sample 

demonstrations, point of sale displays, recipe postcards, and posters. 

We will conduct market analysis to determine the best potential 

importer partners and provide them with point of sales material for 

their customers. This program will establish brand recognition for 

Colorado Potatoes in Mexico and increase the demand for Colorado 

Potatoes in Mexico.

$80,000.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02

5. Evaluation of 

AgriPhotoVoltaics for Grape 

Production in Western 

Colorado

Colorado State University will evaluate the effect of solar panels placed 

above grapevines (AgriPhotoVoltaics) on grape yield and quality, 

environmental conditions (temperature, relative humidity, solar 

radiation, wind speed, soil moisture), and temperature stress (heat and 

cold) and disseminate results to specialty crop growers through field 

days and conferences. The long-term goal of this project is to 

determine if AgriPhotoVoltaic (APV) systems will provide benefits to 

perennial cropping systems (wine grapes and tree fruit) in the hot, 

semi-arid growing region of Western Colorado.

$152,643.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02

6. Introducing Labor Saving 

AG Tech and Fostering the 

Best Solutions for Colorado 

Growers

Colorado State University Extension will address workforce recruitment 

and retention issues on Colorado vegetable farms by delivering farm 

field days in 2023 and 2024, demonstrating private sector labor saving 

technologies for up to 50 beneficiaries with 25 reporting technical 

knowledge gained about producing vegetable crops.

$12,728.10
44

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02

7. Specialty Crop 

Production Research, 

Technical Support, and 

Coordinator for Colorado 

Growers: 2023

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

enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state by 

conducting applied research that will enhance growers’ capacity to 

apply sustainable practices to their production systems. The mission of 

the CSU SCP is to empower growers and producers throughout 

Colorado by supplying them with science-based information to inspire 

innovation, competitiveness, and success. The Program collaborates 

with researchers both in Colorado and nationally to address the needs 

of specialty crops producers. Projects will include studies to increase 

yield, reduce inputs, increase efficiency, increased economic return, 

and/or conservation of resources. The results will be disseminated to 

stakeholders through grower meetings, our website, and a field day. In 

addition, the SCP Coordinator will convene a group of other SCBGP 

project leads at a conference in Denver, CO to enhance communication 

between specialty crops projects across the state.

$90,192.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02

8. Supporting Organization 

of Two Conferences with 

Colorado Fruit and 

Vegetable Growers 

Association (CFVGA)

Colorado State University Extension will lead the Colorado Fruit and 

Vegetable Growers Association to develop, deliver and evaluate an 

annual conference and labor conference in 2023 with 70 stakeholders 

gaining technical knowledge about producing specialty crops. A 2023 

CFVGA produce labor conference will be held to further address the 

ongoing labor challenges of Colorado produce farms.

$28,226.86
45

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02

9. Web-Based Peach Cold 

Hardiness Prediction Tool 

for Grower Frost Control 

Informed Decision-Making

The Colorado State University will address peach cold damage 

challenge in Colorado through cooperation among researchers, tree 

fruit growers and agricultural professionals and will develop decisionsupport tools to mitigate cold damage. More specifically the team will 

develop peach cold hardiness prediction models, validate the 

performance of cold hardiness prediction models across different CO 

locations and develop a web-based cold hardiness forecast tool by 

integrating prediction models with weather stations. This project will 

enhance the competitiveness of the peach industry in Colorado by 

increasing productivity and profitability and has become a research 

priority of the industry. Farmer decision-making will be impacted 

through website access to the developed tools and via multiple grower 

educational activities.

$96,854.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02

10. Improved Irrigation 

Management for 

Sustainable Potato 

Production in Colorado

GeoVisual Analytics will help advance irrigation scheduling capabilities 

towards cost-effective, precise, and uniform water application, specific 

to potato farmers in the San Luis Valley but applicable to other 

Colorado specialty crops. GeoVisual will track scheduling 

recommendations, soil moisture measurements and crop conditions 

during field trials for a better understanding of crop irrigation needs in 

relation to actual applied amounts. This information will be used to 

identify and share with the grower community best-of-class

technologies and practices to help drive water conservation and 

sustainable water use.

$95,354.61
46

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02 11. Pueblo Chile 2.0

The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce will work with the Pueblo 

Chile Growers Association to launch Pueblo Chile 2.0, an awareness & 

educational campaign. Sample kits and promotional materials will be 

distributed to wholesale food distributors, buyers, retail 

establishments, culinary professionals, restaurants, and institutional 

kitchens showcasing the unique and outstanding characteristics of the 

Pueblo Chile. The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce will work 

with the Pueblo Chile Growers Association on an awareness & 

educational campaign focusing on wholesale food distributors, buyers, 

retail establishments, culinary professionals, restaurants, and 

institutional kitchens on the unique and outstanding characteristics of 

the Pueblo Chile.

$105,000.00

Colorado 

Department of 

Agriculture

$824,248.02 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$67,290.80

Connecticut 

Department of 

Agriculture

$436,671.91

1. Reduction and Diagnosis 

of Transplant Shock in 

Landscape Trees in 

Connecticut Nurseries and

Urban Sites

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) will partner 

with Connecticut city tree planting programs and nurseries to test 

mycorrhizal inoculation in order to reduce transplant shock in 

landscape trees and develop diagnostic tools to detect and predict 

transplant shock. The project has two goals: 1) quantify benefits of 

mycorrhizal inoculation on transplant shock of 300 landscape trees in 

urban tree planting sites and partnering nurseries, and 2) use nonstructural carbohydrates as a diagnostic tool for quantifying the benefit 

of mycorrhizal inoculation for tree health, and for predicting tree 

survival.

$96,313.00
47

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Connecticut 

Department of 

Agriculture

$436,671.91

2. The Effects of 

Management Practices on 

the Nutritional Quality of 

Cut-and-Come-Again 

Greens 

from Urban Farms in 

Connecticut

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) will analyze the 

mineral nutrient content of successive harvests of greens grown using 

cut-and-come-again harvesting practices in a controlled experiment 

and on urban farms to identify the effect of different management 

practices on crop quality and develop cut-and-come-again production 

guidance. Greens are a high-value crop with high nutrient content and 

relatively quick growing times. This makes them a valuable crop in 

urban agriculture where space is limited, and food security is a 

motivational factor. Information gained from the analysis of leaf 

samples from farms using cut-and-come-again harvesting will enable us 

to identify management practices that promote high quality greens, 

especially from later harvests, and start to develop management 

guidance.

$58,494.69

Connecticut 

Department of 

Agriculture

$436,671.91

3. CT Farm to School – 

Supply Chain Facilitation 

and Training

UConn Extension will increase the number of active supply chain 

relationships between farmers, food hubs, and school buyers leading to 

an overall increase in the volume of locally grown products served in K12 school districts.

$99,629.00

Connecticut 

Department of 

Agriculture

$436,671.91

4. Bolstering Specialty Crop 

Production Through 

Farmer-to-Farmer Tool 

Lending and Education

The New CT Farmer Alliance (NCTFA), a fiscally sponsored chapter of 

the National Young Farmers Coalition, will bolster specialty crop 

production by coordinating an active network of tool sharing for 

farmers in Connecticut and nurturing a strong web of farmer-to-farmer 

support and education across the state. New and beginning farmers will 

participate in community building events and trainings to help build a 

culture of cooperation and to learn from their peers about best 

practices in tool sharing, specialty crop production, and environmental 

sustainability. As a result of this project, farmer participants will be 

empowered to manage their production of specialty crops and more 

acres more effectively and sustainably will be brought into specialty 

crop production.

$35,632
48

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Connecticut 

Department of 

Agriculture

$436,671.91

5. Conducting a Feasibility 

Study for a Plant-Based 

Food Innovation Center in 

Connecticut

The University of Connecticut, College of Agriculture, Health, and 

Natural Resources will conduct a feasible study to determine the need 

for a plant-based food innovation center in Connecticut. The food 

innovation center would provide translation research to help growers 

and producers develop new plant-based products to benefit the state 

economy. The proposed project is expected to enhance all specialty 

crops grown in Connecticut.

$60,700.65

University of the 

District of Columbia $243,001.17

1. Specialty Crop School 

Garden Support Program at 

the Washington Youth 

Garden

Friends of the National Arboretum will build on lessons learned from 

previous SGBGP grants to increase youth awareness, access, and 

enjoyment of specialty crops through a comprehensive School Garden 

Support Program, consisting of the Summer Institute for Garden-Based 

Teaching, the school-year Educator Coaching Program, and student 

activities including field trips, Garden Lessons, and grow-at-home kits. 

Over 10,000 youth in grades K-6 and over 900 adults from Title 1 

schools in Wards 5, 7, and 8 will have increased knowledge of, 

increased access to, and/or increased technical knowledge of how to 

produce specialty crops.

$71,290.00
49

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

University of the 

District of Columbia $243,001.17

2. Conducting Sensory 

Panels to Evaluate 

Consumer Acceptance of a 

New Specialty Crop, 

HikudrumTM ‘Yao green’ 

Hibiscus 

The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) will collaborate with 

the Food Quality Laboratory at the USDA-ARS to conduct sensory 

panels of HikudrumTM ‘Yao green’ hibiscus. ‘Yao green’ is a new 

specialty crop currently being evaluated for plant variety protection. 

Currently, the only major commercial variety of edible hibiscus is a red 

variety, often known as ‘Thai red.’ Prior research at UDC indicates that 

‘Yao green’ is a superior plant to cultivate in the Mid-Atlantic region 

and equally nutritious to ‘Thai red.’ The main difference between the 

two varieties is that ‘Yao green’ has green plant parts, including its 

calyx, whereas ‘Thai red’ has red plant parts. This influences the color 

of the food products made from these two plants and may alter 

consumer preference. We will grow ‘Yao green’ and ‘Thai red’ at UDC’s 

Agricultural Experiment Station and harvest leaves, flowers, and 

calyces. Organoleptic quality of these plant parts will be assessed via 

trained sensory panels followed by consumer panels. Sensory attributes 

and consumer acceptance of “Yao green” and “Thai red” will be 

compared. The results will be presented at a minimum of one 

conference and published in a peer-reviewed journal and cooperative 

extension factsheet.

$149,770.00

University of the 

District of Columbia $243,001.17 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$2,500.00
50

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$348,807.26

1. Agrivoltaics Research and 

Outreach in Delaware – 

Combining Solar with Fruits 

and Vegetables

University of Delaware (UD) Cooperative Extension will develop 

outreach programs on agrivoltaics - combining solar with specialty crop 

production. Local research will be conducted to determine the 

synergistic benefits of co-locating photovoltaic arrays on vegetable and 

fruit farms. Outreach programs will be developed to extend 

information on best practices for agrivoltaics on farms. This will include 

developing electronic resources, budgets, factsheets, and workshops 

on agrivoltaics; forming an agrivoltaics working group to guide outreach 

activities; surveying farmers to determine interest in growing specialty 

crops with solar; identifying current solar fields on farms and 

identifying if they have potential for agrivoltaics; creating 

demonstration areas with growers; and evaluating the experimental 

agrivoltaics installations being built at UD Newark and Georgetown 

farms.

$29,264.00

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$348,807.26

2. Expansion of Specialty 

Crop School Garden 

Program in Delaware with a 

focus on FFVP Schools

Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids (HFHK) designs and implements school 

specialty crop vegetable garden programs which support the science 

education curriculum for kindergarten-8th grade students. (HFHK-EC). 

This project will support 4 additional school partnerships across 

Delaware, with a focus on FFVP schools in Kent and Sussex Counties. In 

addition, a pilot program will be introduced at a minimum of at least 2 

Delaware schools which will engage parents and guardians of the 

students in tasting and learning about the specialty crops being grown.

$60,000.00

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$348,807.26

3. Identifying Varieties and 

Management Practices for 

Summer Production of 

Lettuce and Other Greens

This University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Vegetable and Fruit 

Program project will develop strategies for summer production of salad 

greens which would allow growers to produce and supply this type of 

product year-round. Variety trials with multiple planting dates 

conducted over two years will identify new heat tolerant lettuce 

varieties and alternative salad greens crops that can be produced in 

Delaware during the summer. Additional trials will test the combined 

use of reflective mulch and shade cloth for producing high quality 

summer lettuce. Research results will be shared with growers through 

presentations, articles, and trial reports.

$30,000.00
51

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$348,807.26

4. Out with the Old: 

Supporting the Watermelon 

Industry in the Sanitary 

Design of Transportation 

Equipment.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture hopes that through this grant, 

we can successfully complete two things: (1) contractually work with 

University Delaware Extension to identify and provide guidance to the 

proper resources needed to retrofit transportation equipment used in 

the Delaware watermelon industry. (2) Provide financial assistance to 

those who successfully compete a retrofitting process.

$65,000.00

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$348,807.26

5. Pest and Disease 

Monitoring Tools for 

Delaware Beekeepers

The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) will provide all 

beekeepers registered in Delaware with tools for assessing bee colony 

health, with the aim of reducing colony losses. These tools will include 

sampling kits to monitor for Varroa mites, American Foulbrood and 

European Foulbrood test kits, and resources to help identify pests and 

diseases of honeybees. Increasing the availability of pest and disease 

testing resources will help beekeepers to address colony health issues 

promptly.

$24,391.17

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$348,807.26

6. Poultry House Retrofit 

Opportunities for Growing 

and Marketing Fruits and 

Vegetables 

Owens Premium Produce in cooperation with Pete Pappas & Sons Inc 

produce buyers and the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension 

will address the issue of out of production poultry by creating a 

demonstration unit for lighted indoor hydroponic production of 

strawberries, peppers, cherry tomatoes, and other high value produce 

in a retrofitted poultry house and the initiation of a grower’s 

cooperative to market produce from converted houses. Information 

from these efforts will be extended through electronic resources, field 

days, grower informational meetings, and on-farm training sessions.

$37,564.00
52

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$348,807.26

7. Reducing Vegetable 

Rotational Intervals to

Improve Weed Control And 

Herbicide Resistance

The University of Delaware’s Weed Science Program seek to improve 

weed control options for DE vegetable farmers by expanding the 

availability of herbicides used in crop rotations. A more diverse 

approach to weed control will increase overall effectiveness, while 

reducing selection pressure for herbicide-resistance. We will engage 

with herbicide manufacturers to allow for a reduction in time between 

herbicide application and planting key vegetable crops. Information 

will be shared with Delaware farmers through field days, meetings, and 

online newsletters. UD Weed Science program has been successful in 

working with herbicide manufacturers and the Delaware Department of 

Agriculture obtaining special labels to allow shorter herbicide rotations.

$27,611.00

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$348,807.26

8. Using the Network for 

Environmental and 

Weather Applications Tools 

for Integrated Pest 

Management

The Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association of Delaware (FVGAD) will 

work together with the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension 

to increase the utilization of Network for Environmental and Weather 

Applications (NEWA) tools. Eight weather stations will be installed to 

increase coverage in Delaware. During the project, outreach will be 

conducted to educate growers on the weather tracking and forecasting 

components of NEWA. The weather components are then used in the 

NEWA software to develop pesticide spray recommendations based on 

target pest and crop growth stage, allowing growers to more accurately 

identify when pesticide sprays are needed and reduce the overall 

number of sprays or result in more timely sprays. Digital and print 

resources will be developed by Extension to help growers understand 

the value of NEWA’s tools.

$25,444.00

Delaware 

Department of 

Agriculture

$348,807.26 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$27,855.15
53

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

1. Potential Threat of Two 

Recently Identified and 

Widely Distributed Viruses 

on Watermelon Production 

in Florida 

The University of Florida will test the fruiting-wall training system to 

manage excessive vegetative growth, reduce labor cost, and improve 

yield and fruit quality of low-chill peach under subtropical climates. 

Developing a fruiting-wall orchard that can reduce peach tree vigor in 

the Florida environment will reduce production costs, while at the 

same time improve fruit quality, size, and open opportunities for 

developing profitable orchard systems. Testing a fruiting-wall will 

provide an opportunity to manipulate vegetative growth. Controlling 

excessive vegetative growth mechanically in peach will reduce costs 

and environmental impacts of production, while increasing yield and 

fruit quality and improving disease management, thus contributing to 

sustainable production and integrated farm management.

$129,532.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

2. Testing and Registration 

of Insecticides for 

Management of Asian Bean 

Thrips on Florida Snap 

Beans

University of Florida and the IR-4 pesticide registration program will 

evaluate the efficacy of a new pest control product, ISM-555, to 

manage the invasive Asian bean thrips which was first found in the US 

in 2020 on snap bean. Bean is a high value specialty crop, and Florida is 

the primary domestic producer growing 30,000 acres a year. This 

project is important and timely because Asian bean thrips, 

Megalurothrips usitatus is a newly detected thrips species in Florida 

that causes substantial damage to bean flowers, buds and leaves 

reducing yield by 30%. The proposed project will determine the efficacy 

and residue of new pest technology that has demonstrated effective 

control of thrips on other crops. The goal is to register ISM-555 as an 

EPA-approved pesticide for specialty crop growers to be used in pest 

control programs.

$171,370.00
54

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

3. Genome-Editing for 

Rapid Development of 

Powdery and Downy 

Mildew Resistant Cucurbits

The University of Florida will develop a long-term solution to the 

challenge caused by powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) and downy 

mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) in watermelon and squash by 

leveraging CRISPR-cas9 gene-editing technology to develop novel 

cultivars through silencing of S-genes that make plants susceptible to 

the causative pathogens. The two diseases can infect cucurbit plants at 

any growth stage and across all seasons, often resulting in reduced 

marketable yield, as well as undesirable fruit qualities characterized by 

poor flavor and shortened storage life. No cultivars resistant to the two 

pathogens are currently available for both crops, and resistance from 

wild species has been difficult to transfer into cultivars due to lengthy 

breeding processes and linkage drag (carry-over of unwanted traits). 

This project will deploy CRISPR- cas9 gene-editing technology to create 

durable and broad-spectrum resistance to powdery and downy mildew 

by creating loss-of-function in susceptibility genes (S-genes) that act as 

recognition sites for the two pathogens in the host.

$186,936.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

4. Field Evaluation and 

Introduction of New UFbred Low-chill Blackberry 

Cultivars for Florida 

Growers

The University of Florida will propagate new UF-bred low-chill 

experimental blackberry cultivars, conduct replicated field trials of 

these cultivars in central and north Florida, partner with Florida 

growers to conduct on-farm trials, and disseminate results to growers 

and the industry.

$170,768.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

5. Root-zone Application of 

Controlled-Release 

Fertilizers to Reduce 

Nitrogen Inputs and 

Leaching in Strawberry 

Production

University of Florida will develop a new fertilization technique to 

improve nitrogen use efficiency in strawberry production. Currently, 

strawberry growers use drip injection to deliver water-soluble fertilizers 

to the entire planting bed after transplanting. It is also common to 

apply large amounts of nitrogen (>20% of the total-season input) during 

establishment to promote initial plant growth. By contrast, our new 

fertilization technique will apply a small amount of controlled-release 

fertilizers in planting holes immediately before transplanting. By 

releasing nutrients slowly and directly to the root zone, it is anticipated 

that this new technique will improve nutrient use efficiency, while 

reducing nitrogen inputs and risks for nitrate leaching and groundwater 

contamination.

$148,040.00
55

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20 6. Smart and Variable Rate 

Fertilizer for BMPs

University of Florida’s Southwest Florida Research and Education 

Center will develop a smart and variable rate fertilizer applicator for 

Florida tree crops. The overall goal of this project is to promote an 

environmentally friendly Best Management Practice (BMP) by 

developing a smart fertilizer technology utilizing sensor fusion 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.

$121,516.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

7. Cost-effective Adoption 

of Grafting to Improve 

Nitrogen-use Efficiency, 

Yield, and Quality of 

Watermelon 

This project led by the University of Florida researchers and extension 

experts is a timely response to stakeholder's critical needs to obtain upto-date research-based information on cost-effective adoption of 

grafted plants as a BMP tool to advance the long-term environmental 

and economic sustainability of the Florida watermelon industry. A 

project advisory committee will be established to provide feedback for 

implementing the project, addressing stakeholder needs, and 

measuring project success. A researcher-stakeholder network will be 

developed to promote cost-effective, integrative use of watermelon 

grafting for solving site-specific production challenges related to 

nutrient and water management beyond disease control. This project is 

expected to help improve BMPs of Florida watermelon production and 

assist growers with decision-making of grafting adoption.

$185,576.98

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

8. Low Cost and Quick 

Diagnosis of Strawberry 

Nutrient Deficiencies via a 

Vision-Electrochemical 

Sensor Suite

The University of Central Florida and the University of Florida will 

increase the efficiency and speed in detecting nutrient deficiencies in 

strawberry plants by developing a low-cost, vision and electrochemical 

sensor device, and by disseminating the results to stakeholders through 

field days, publications, and grower meetings. The main outcome of the

project is a low cost, plug-in-play nutrient deficiency sensing device. 

This device can quickly detect nutrient deficiencies and assist growers 

with fertilizer management decisions.

$150,140.00
56

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

9. Development of 

Microbial-Based Tools to 

Improve Management of 

Spotted Wing Drosophila in 

Florida Berry Crops.

The goal of this project is to develop effective and sustainable 

microbial-based strategies to protect Florida berry crop production and 

economic interests impacted by an invasive fly pest, the spotted wing 

drosophila. To expand the management tactics against SWD, we 

propose developing microbial-based attractants, repellents, and 

semiochemicals to improve SWD monitoring efficiency and to combine 

with chemical insecticides to enhance standard management 

treatment.

$150,811.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

10. Fruiting-wall Training 

System to Reduce Labor 

Costs and Increase 

Sustainability in Low-chill 

Peaches 

The University of Florida will test the fruiting-wall training system to 

manage excessive vegetative growth, reduce labor cost, and improve 

yield and fruit quality of low-chill peach under subtropical climates. 

Developing a fruiting-wall orchard that can reduce peach tree vigor in 

the Florida environment will reduce production costs, while at the 

same time improve fruit quality, size, and open opportunities for 

developing profitable orchard systems. Testing a fruiting-wall will 

provide an opportunity to manipulate vegetative growth. Controlling 

excessive vegetative growth mechanically in peach will reduce costs 

and environmental impacts of production, while increasing yield and 

fruit quality and improving disease management, thus contributing to 

sustainable production and integrated farm management.

$165,947.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

11. Identifying 

Commercially Significant 

Autochthonous Yeasts from 

Florida Vineyards for New 

Signature Wine Styles

The main goal of this project is to generate an extensive biorepository 

of autochthonous yeast species from Florida vineyards and explore the 

new winemaking qualities and commercial applications. Native yeast 

samples will be collected from FAMU’s CVSFR research vineyard and 5 

commercial vineyards throughout Florida. Spontaneous fermentations 

will be used to generate pure cultures of the yeasts and DNA 

sequencing will be done for identification and classification. The 

customized “Electronic Nose” analytical tool will be deployed to define 

the cultures with the greatest winemaking capabilities.

$127,932.00
57

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

12. Developing St. 

Augustine Grass with High 

Resistance to Gray Leaf 

Spot by Accumulating QTL 

for Resistance

In this project, DNA marker-assisted selection will be performed to 

identify St. Augustine grass progenies that have accumulated QTL for 

high level of disease resistance. The resistant lines will be evaluated in 

variety trials to select superior varieties for commercial production in 

Florida sod industry. The outcomes will play a key role in development 

of resistant cultivars and their use in sod production, landscaping, and 

home lawns.

$157,403.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

13. Development of NonTransgenic Canker Resistant 

Sweet Orange and 

Grapefruit Varieties Using 

CRISPR-Cas Technology

In this project, University of Florida will generate nontransgenic canker 

resistant sweet orange and grapefruit varieties by editing the promoter 

or the coding region of LOB1 using CRISPR-Cas technology. All genomemodified plants will be tested for resistance against canker and other 

horticultural traits. This project will improve elite Florida citrus varieties 

against canker, which can be directly used by citrus growers. In 

addition, tools developed in this project can be used for generating 

non-transgenic HLB-resistant for the Florida citrus industry.

$282,840.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

14. Identification and 

Characterization of New 

Tomato Infecting Ilarvirus in 

Florida 

This project, with the University of Florida is being the partner, will be 

carried out at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in 

Immokalee. We will conduct genomic and biological characterization of 

this putative novel ilarvirus and studying its etiology and epidemiology 

to assess its importance and develop diagnostic tools. Specifically, we 

will first identify the complete genome sequence of the novel virus and 

subsequently conduct inoculation experiments using different lab hosts 

and tomato varieties to study disease symptomology. Later, we will 

develop a rapid, sensitive, and reliable detection method for disease 

diagnosis. The results of this project will provide a better insight into 

the biology of this virus and grower recommendations for preventing 

disease outbreaks in Florida. Lastly, developing a rapid disease 

detection method and a management strategy will help with early 

detection to prevent its establishment and further spread and reduce 

its threat to Florida tomatoes.

$37,748.00
58

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

15. The Chemical, Physical, 

and Sensory Evaluation of 

Beer Brewed with 

Greenhouse Cultivated 

Florida Hops.

The University of Florida will develop indoor hop cultivation practices 

which will maximize hop aromatic and flavor characteristics to produce 

Florida-grown hops for commercial use by members of Florida’s 

Brewers Association. An additional goal of this project is to enhance 

existing entomological efforts by developing and expanding upon the 

use of banker plant systems for key pests of hops.

$146,656.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

16. Sweet Pepper Cultivars 

with Improved Resistance 

to Bacterial Spot and Broad 

Mite. 

University of Florida’s pepper breeding program aims to develop new 

cultivars of sweet peppers improved for resistance to bacterial leaf spot 

disease and broad mite. With the goal of creating high quality, novel 

specialty peppers with disease and pest resistance, we will use 

conventional crop breeding tools to develop hybrids between heirloom 

varieties of sweet peppers and specific pepper accessions with known 

disease and pest resistant traits. Improved pepper lines will be tested in 

field trials and the results extended to pepper growers via a field day 

and extension publications.

$88,946.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

17. Improving the 

Competitiveness of the 

Florida Blueberry Industry 

Through In-Depth 

Investigation of Consumer's 

Purchasing Preferences

Researchers at the University of Florida will enhance the marketability 

of Florida-grown fresh blueberries by analyzing consumer's preferences 

and willingness to pay for blueberry quality attributes. To help local 

growers in differentiating Florida-grown fresh blueberries in the 

increasingly competitive marketplace, this unique project will conduct 

consumer experiments to investigate all three types of attributes, some 

of which are unique to Florida production. In addition to investigating 

WTP for product attributes, this project will characterize target 

consumer segments favoring Florida-grown blueberries to improve 

marketing practices implemented by Florida blueberry operations and 

retailers. During the outreach stage of this project, we aim to promote 

consumer awareness of the premium quality of Florida-grown 

blueberries.

$189,116.00
59

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

18. Extending the 

Postharvest Storage Life of 

Caladium Tubers for the 

Florida Environmental 

Horticulture Industry

The University of Florida will evaluate the effect of storage 

temperatures and postharvest treatments on caladium tubers with the 

goal of identifying practical means to extend the storage life of Floridaproduced caladium tubers to meet the increasing year-round need and 

to supply caladium tubers for greenhouse growers, nurseries, and 

landscapers.

$166,243.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

19. Evaluation of NitrogenFixing Endophytes to 

Decrease Fertilizer Needs in 

Turfgrasses

The University of Florida’s UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research & 

Education center will study and evaluate the use of endophytic 

(residing within the plant) nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in turfgrasses 

to decrease external N fertilizer needs. The project will survey nitrogenfixing endophytes in different species of turfgrasses with molecular 

methods, isolate potential N-fixing endophytes from different grasses 

and establish culture collections of endophytes and attempt to 

inoculate turfgrasses with N-fixing endophytes and evaluate their 

performance over time in greenhouse trials under different Nfertilization schemes.

$245,992.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

20. Agroview: Yield and 

Fruit Quality Prediction 

Utilizing Remote Sensing 

and Artificial Intelligence

In this project, novel AI models will be developed to integrate data 

from sensing systems with soil and weather data to accurately predict 

yield information, especially in a scenario of climate change. 

Dissemination of results will occur at grower meetings, field days, 

industry meetings, and production videos illustrating the technology. 

This interactive and user-friendly application can: (i) detect, count, and 

geo-locate plants and plant gaps; (ii) estimate plant height and canopy 

size (plant inventory); (iii) develop individual plant stress maps; and (iv) 

determine plant nutrients concentration and create fertility maps 

compatible with variable rate fertilizer applicators (among other 

features). This platform can serve as a digital twin of an agricultural 

field.

$97,216.00
60

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

21. Large Scale Avocado 

Germplasm Screening for 

Identification of Laurel Wilt 

Resistance Sources

The University of Florida, Tropical Research and Education Center, will 

provide the avocado industry with a sustainable and long-term solution 

to the devastating Laurel Wilt Disease of avocado by identifying 

genotypes that are resistant or tolerant to the disease and adapted to 

the local growing conditions.

$204,387.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

22. Development of An 

Infrared-Functionalized 

Microbalance Sensor for 

Cyclospora Cayetanensis 

Detection and

Differentiation 

The Center for Produce Safety (Project Partner) will partner with U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service – Beltsville 

Agricultural Research Center to develop a novel detection system for 

the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. This project represents the first 

step toward producing a new tool that can be used by growers, 

processors, researchers, and testing laboratories to detect and quantify 

C. cayetanensis rapidly and cost effectively. This project will develop 

and test a novel detection system that pairs infrared microscopy with 

cantilever-based microsensor technology. Such a tool could significantly 

improve the understanding of C. cayetanensis risk and risk factors 

contributors and be used to improve the safety of the fresh produce 

available to consumers.

$114,513.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20

23. A Viability Assay for 

Cyclospora and its 

Surrogates Eimeria

The Center for Produce Safety will partner with U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases 

Laboratory – Beltsville Agricultural Research Center to develop a rapid 

and sensitive method that can detect viable Cyclospora. Cyclospora 

cayetanensis is a protozoan parasite known to infect humans. The 

outcome of this research—a rapid, sensitive, specific, and robust assay 

to diagnose parasite contamination and to test the presence of viable 

protozoan pathogens, particularly Cyclospora, by using Eimeria as 

surrogates—will be of practical use to the produce industry and 

regulators.

$240,763.00

Florida Department 

of Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$4,012,588.20 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$130,855.61
61

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

1. Removing Economic 

Hurdles to Sound Food 

Safety Practices on Farm 

Operations (FSMA)

The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) will 

provide a reimbursement opportunity for staff hourly fees for 1) onfarm food safety education through on-farm mock audits, 2) 

development of all or partial food safety programs which includes SOP 

documentation, checklists, risk assessments, trainings, and direct cost 

reimbursement, 3) for third party food safety audit fees, and 4) for 

agricultural, harvest, and packing operation water tests required by 

FSMA regulations, 3rd party food safety audits, and/or buyer/marketer 

mandates. GFVGA can help alleviate the cost to and regulatory burden 

on specialty crop operations by helping develop comprehensive food 

safety programs unique to each operation, increase understanding and 

implementation of federal food safety regulation and market-driven 

food safety audits. This comprehensive approach to farm food safety is 

intended to increase the competitiveness of Georgia’s specialty crop 

industry by enhancing the marketability of produce through food safety 

programs and audits, as well as assist in FSMA readiness.

$48,880.00
62

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

2. Marketing Georgia 

Grown Products to Increase 

Specialty Crop Producers 

Market Share (IFPA)

The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) will 

carry-out this project. The majority of Georgia’s specialty crop growers’

market and sell their products on the fresh market to either retail 

grocery chains or food service distributors (restaurants, schools, etc.). 

This project will provide Georgia specialty growers the opportunity to 

highlight the Georgia Grown brand and present thousands of wholesale 

buyers a focused platform as to the diversity and quality produce 

grown in Georgia. GFVGA, working in cooperation with growers, 

commodity organizations and agribusiness companies across Georgia, 

will bring together farm and ranch producers to feature Georgia’s 

specialty crop fresh produce industry at the 2022 IFPA Global Produce 

and Floral Show in Orlando, FL (formerly called PMA). This show will 

host more than 25,000 produce industry leaders, including retail store 

and food service buyers looking for new suppliers, gathering new 

product information and investigating new technologies. This event 

offers Georgia fresh produce growers a tremendous opportunity to 

meet buyers, market to current customers and identify new outlets for 

their produce.

$65,020.00
63

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

3. Accessing Education the 

Key to Increasing Specialty 

Crop Producer’s Profitability 

(SERFVC)

The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) will 

carry-out this project, recognizing that the production, management,

and marketing of specialty crops in Georgia is ever changing with new 

technologies, new practices, new regulations and new management 

opportunities. GFVGA will plan and coordinate the 2023 Southeast 

Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference (SERFVC), a four-day inperson educational conference and trade show to be held in Savannah, 

GA. The Conference is considered by growers/packers/shippers, large 

and small/limited resource, to be the premier educational event in the 

Southeast. The Conference will continue to give specialty crop 

producers access to the most up to date information as they make daily 

decisions related to selection of specialty crop seed/plant varieties, 

pest management, labor relations operations, crop marketing choices 

and compliance with the new FSMA food safety regulations. The 2023 

conference will pilot a live broadcast of several selected 

speakers/topics that have broad subject matter appeal. Having this live 

broadcast component of several key areas will allow farmers not able 

to travel and attend the full conference the opportunity to still access 

this critical educational material.

$95,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

4. Supporting Growers in 

Engaging and Educating 

Consumers to Increase 

Produce Consumption

(Marketing/GA Grown)

The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) will 

undertake this project. GFVGA will continue efforts aimed at engaging 

and educating consumers, students, and retailers that “Every Bite 

Counts” therefore purchase Georgia grown produce when it is in 

season. The consumer’s purchase is their “vote” and the individual 

choices of consumers and retailers come together to have tremendous 

economic impacts for farms and their employees, local communities, 

counties, state, and ultimately the nation. This effort will be 

accomplished through a concerted targeted social media ad campaign 

that will direct consumers to the ProduceBites.com website as well as 

through grassroots, grower, and industry social media content. 

$200,230.00
64

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

5. Furthering Educational 

Opportunities to Increase 

the Profitability of Georgia’s 

Ornamental

Horticultural Crops

To better meet the need of our growers and the green industry in 

Georgia, the Georgia Green Industry Association seeks to host a threeday educational conference and trade show that will connect the 

different segments of our industry and address the common challenges 

facing our industry. The trade show will allow producers, suppliers, and 

other industry professionals to connect business to business, and ample 

opportunity for our industry professionals to learn from one another 

and share ideas to work toward solutions to industry challenges. We 

expect our efforts to yield a higher level of professionalism, better crop 

yield, improved environmental stewardship, improved crop 

management, and improved efficiencies in crop production and 

maintenance.

$75,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

6.A Multi-Strategy 

Marketing Approach to 

Increase Sales of Georgia 

Pecans

The Georgia Pecan Growers Association (GPGA) will execute 3 distinct 

marketing projects to reach targeted consumer bases to increase sales 

and enhance the competitiveness of Georgia Pecans as follows: Georgia 

Pecan Restaurant Week which will host a week-long event to promote 

Georgia Pecans in featured dishes in select metro Atlanta and Georgia 

Coastal restaurants working with renowned chefs and establishments; 

Woodford Reserve Sip and Savor Tasting Event which will host a monthlong project that partners Georgia Pecans with Kentucky’s Woodford 

Reserve Bourbon to promote the pecan flavor used in the bourbon 

among select metro Atlanta restaurant locations; and Our Family Pecan 

Farm Booklet which will develop and distribute a kid-friendly guidebook 

that promotes the tradition of Georgia Pecans and the pecan growing 

process for use in state-wide distribution to school children 

participating in Ag field days and other Ag events.

$50,000.00
65

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

7. Offsetting the QualityQuantity Tradeoff of 

Hydroponically Grown

Tomatoes via Foliar

Inoculation

Researchers at Kennesaw State University will test whether foliar 

application of plant growth promoting bacteria can offset a commonly 

observed tradeoff between fruit quality and quantity of tomatoes 

grown in a hydroponic setting. The expected outcomes of the proposed 

trials include a protocol that details best practices and cost-benefits 

estimates, a detailed quantification of the expected quality gains in 

tomato fruits, and an improved mechanistic understanding of plant 

microbial interactions and their physiological impacts on growth. We 

propose a research design that will enable us to iteratively optimize the 

microbial application protocol in order to achieve best results. The 

widespread implementation of foliar inoculation as tested in our study 

has the potential to significantly impact Georgia’s growing hydroponic 

industry by improving quality and perception of Georgia-grown 

tomatoes – a commodity that ranks amongst the top crops in terms of 

customers’ willingness to pay a premium for higher quality.

$80,000.00
66

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

8. The Future of Peachtree 

Borer Management After 

the National Chlorpyrifos 

Ban

The University of Georgia Research Foundation (UGARF) proposes to 

develop ecologically based and cost-effective sustainable IPM 

strategies to manage the devastating peach pest, peach tree borer 

(Synanthedon exitiosa), in Georgia. With the recent ban of the broadspectrum insecticide, chlorpyrifos, on usage in food crops, peach 

growers are left with a limited number of effective management 

options for boring insects. The borer larvae feed in the inner bark and 

cambium tissue of stone fruit trees, and if not controlled, borers can 

significantly reduce tree vigor, productivity, and subsequently lead to 

tree death. Previous research demonstrated that peach tree borer 

prefers to attack peach trees over similar plum trees, and as such, 

grafting peach trees on the plum hybrid rootstock ‘Sharpe’ may impart 

a natural resistance to peach tree borer. Our proposed research will 

determine the viability of peaches “high budded” on the ‘Sharpe’ 

rootstock as a management tactic for peach tree borer by comparing 

this to current standard grafting practices and evaluating borer attack. 

Developing an effective, non-insecticide management tactic to manage 

borers will help growers save money due to the reduction in insecticide 

use, labor, and tractor/fuel costs.

$90,000.00
67

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

9. A Sustainable Protected 

Culture System for Water 

Spinach in Georgia

This project will evaluate water spinach (Ipomea aquatica). Until 

recently water spinach was prohibited from being grown in Georgia, as 

it was classified as a noxious weed. With some restrictions being lifted, 

an opportunity exists to create a production system that will provide 

growers the ability to profitably grow this crop, outline the steps 

necessary to reduce movement of this plant into the natural 

ecosystem, and provide new market opportunities. The University of 

Georgia Research Foundation will develop best management practices 

for the protected culture of water spinach using greenhouse 

hydroponic methods and in-ground high tunnel production. We will 

optimize fertilizer nutrient management for hydroponic production and 

determine planting schemes for in ground production. Research will be 

conducted at two locations, Watkinsville, and Tifton, which will provide 

diverse soil types and differences in temperatures allowing our results 

to be adapted state-wide. Nutrient usage/removal data, harvest 

optimization and yield determination and the development of a 

production schedule/guide for growers the state of Georgia will be 

outcomes from this project.

$92,000.00
68

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

10. Sustainable 

Management of Pantoea 

Spp. to Enhance 

Competitiveness of Onion 

in Georgia

The University of Georgia Research Foundation (UGARF) aims to 

improve the competitiveness of Vidalia onion production by reducing 

losses due to bacterial diseases mainly by center rot. In this proposal, 

we aim to reduce bacterial survival between two onion seasons by 

assessing crops that are grown in summer. Our collaborative efforts 

with UGA extension agents resulted in identification of a Pantoea spp. 

(P. stewartii subsp. indologenes) that can survive on row crops (pearl 

millet, rye, corn) in summer and can potentially be transmitted to onion 

crops in winter, acting as a green bridge between two onion crops. 

Other Pantoea spp. lack this ability to survive between two onion crops 

in the field. We will assess and identify summer crops that will either 

support or inhibit bacterial survival (in plant and in crop debris), assess 

the risk of bacterial transmission to winter-grown onion crops, and 

assess the efficacy of copper- and biological-based bactericides in 

reducing foliar Pantoea spp. populations in summer crops, reducing the 

risk of transmission to winter-grown onion. We will conduct economic 

analysis to assess if it is practical for Vidalia onion growers to include 

bactericide applications in summer-grown crops. The information 

generated from this proposal will be extended to the Vidalia onion 

growers, extension agents and crop consultants in Georgia, as well as 

other Allium growers.

$90,000.00
69

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

11. Plant Sap Analysis to 

Optimize Fertilizer 

Application for Sustainable 

Vegetable Production

Fertilizer costs represent +30% of the total production costs for 

vegetable growers and managing plant nutrition effectively is critical to 

the economic viability of any crop. Growers and scientists have been 

studying methods to improve fertilization and nutrient use efficiency 

using leaf tissue and soil analysis to determine the nutrient status of 

vegetable crops, which only provide indications about nutrients 

available for plant uptake, not which nutrients are being utilized by the 

plant. Plant sap analysis outputs the plant mineral nutrient levels and 

shows deficiencies and excesses before disrupting plant development 

and yield. Researchers from the University of Georgia aim to determine 

the most accurate and cost-effective sampling/extraction and analysis 

methods and provide sufficiency ranges for tomato, cucumber, and 

lettuce, allowing growers to add plant sap analysis to their toolbox for 

assessing plant nutrition and optimizing fertilizer applications. 

$60,000.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

12. Fertilization Rates, Soil 

Amendments and Pruning 

Techniques on Blueberry 

Production

The University of Georgia Research Foundation (UGARF) will establish 

an agreement with the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) to 

lead and execute a project to determine the long-term effects 

associated with the use of different soil amendments, fertilization 

rates, and pruning techniques. The primary goal of this research is to 

assess the impact of combining different fertilizer rates, soil 

amendments and pruning techniques on plant growth, development,

and productivity of southern highbush blueberries (SHB) to reduce 

production-associated costs without affecting yield and quality. The 

outcomes of this project are 1. Determine the impact of different soil 

amendments, fertilization rates and pruning techniques on blueberry 

growth, development, and productivity, 2. Estimate the effect of 

different pruning techniques on blueberry growth and fruit production, 

and 3. Develop a budget cost and budget return to estimate the 

economic feasibility of using different soil amendments, fertilization 

rates and pruning techniques. The results from this project can help 

producers reduce production and establishment cost, while increasing 

the environmental sustainability of the blueberry production system 

and maintaining yield and quality.

$92,000.00
70

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

13. Understanding the 

Environmental Conditions 

for Georgia Boxwood Blight 

Infection

Wholesale sales of boxwood was valued at $126 million in the USA 

(2012 Census of Ag). Although an economic value for boxwood use and 

maintenance within the landscape industries has not been measured, it 

is likely in excess of this. Boxwood blight, caused by the fungus, 

Calonectria pseudonaviculata, severely threatens the production and 

use of this economically important ornamental plant. Current boxwood 

blight management recommendations include remediation of the site, 

removal of infected plants, repeated fungicide applications, and use of 

resistant cultivars. We propose to investigate the important and 

understudied components of boxwood blight reproduction and 

dormancy. We plan on sharing our information with a cooperator at 

Oregon State University to improve a boxwood blight disease risk 

model app to accurately reflect southern conditions. Our goal is to 

provide landscapers, nursery growers, extension agents and the public 

more refined and effective strategies to control boxwood blight 

through improved disease development information and an updated 

predictive disease risk model for targeted fungicide applications.

$70,000.00
71

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41

14. Biomarker-Based 

Evaluation of Scab 

Resistance in Pecans

The University of Georgia Research Foundation (UGARF) will develop a 

rapid and reliable biomarker-based method for the evaluation of 

resistance to pecan scab. Pecan scab is a devastating disease which 

necessitates the application of numerous expensive fungicide sprays 

throughout the growing season. In wet years scab infection still often 

results in great yield loss (50-100% in susceptible varieties) and 

deterioration of nut quality. Current methods to evaluate resistance to 

pecan scab require either multiple years of field screening or laboratory 

techniques that are too cumbersome for the evaluation of large 

numbers of seedlings. This project will break the bottleneck of 

resistance screening by finding biomarkers for scab resistance that will 

enable the rapid selection of seedling breeding progenies. To achieve 

these goals, “mature biomarkers” for scab resistance of fruiting pecan 

trees will be identified and characterized and “early biomarkers” for 

scab resistance of pecan seedlings at the initial infection stage will be 

ascertained. This work will change the paradigm of pecan breeding 

from phenotype-based mass selection to biomarker-assisted selection.

$94,270.00

Georgia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,437,091.41 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$114,514.27

Guam

Department of

Agriculture

$245,554.42

1. Introduction and 

Establishment of Black 

Pepper Seed Stock for Local 

Producers on Island

Guam Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the University of 

Guam for the introduction of black pepper as a potential crop for local 

producers in establishing a viable specialty crop in Guam towards a 

niche market and sustainability. The expected outcomes of the project 

include: (1) finding suitable propagation methods of black peppers as a 

new crop for Guam; (2) introducing a new agricultural crop that will be 

distributed through the Guam Department of Agriculture which has 

potential as a value-added export crop; (3) increasing the practical 

knowledge and potentially adopting black pepper production by 

beginning and veteran farmers in Guam; and (4) increasing awareness 

of black pepper production in Guam.

$238,174.03
72

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Guam

Department of

Agriculture

$245,554.42 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$7,366.21

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

1. Conservation of Green 

Lacewings in Avocado 

Groves to Suppress 

Avocado Lace Bug 

Populations

The University of Hawaii at Manoa will scientifically demonstrate the 

effectiveness of predatory insects (green lacewings) in reducing 

avocado lace bug populations and promote the use of flowering cover 

crops in avocado groves to attract and retain the predators. Results and 

developed methods will be disseminated to stakeholders through a 

field demonstration, written publications, and educational online 

videos.

$40,000.00 

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

2. The Accessibility and 

Value of Hawaii Floriculture 

Products

In order to educate buyers on how to acquire Hawaii tropical flowers 

and foliage, the Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association will 

premiere the HFNA Hui Box Program in 2023. Customers will be able to 

collaborate on ordering their floral needs in a way that provides them 

with substantial savings. Promotional materials will be created and 

distributed throughout the floral industry and will be available on the 

HFNA website. The program will also be promoted at the Island Floral 

Design Workshops and Nursery Tours during the summer of 2023 when 

tropical flowers and foliage are most abundant. The workshops will 

showcase varieties distinctive to each island through beautiful designs 

demonstrated by professional floral designers for special events and 

weddings. The workshops and tours will be recorded for use in the 

Celebrations 2023 Webinar. The full-length video will be aired 

statewide and housed on HFNA’s website.

$38,425.00
73

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

3. Improving Breadfruit 

Cultivar Access for Industry 

Expansion and Quality

The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) at 

the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa will support success and expansion 

of Hawaii’s fledgling breadfruit industry by developing local 

micropropagation capacity, increasing access to clean, local planting 

material and making available currently inaccessible varieties of 

breadfruit. Disease-free saplings will be propagated at scale through 

tissue culture, established in soil-less media, and made available to 

agricultural producers statewide. The project staff anticipate 

establishing tissue culture capabilities for six varieties (Fiti, Maopo, 

Lipet, Afara, Puupuu, Ea) currently unavailable locally, and distributing 

a minimum of 2,000 trees by the end of the grant period.

$29,269.00

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

4. HTFC’s 2023-2024 Import 

Replacement Plants 

Distribution Program

The Hawaii Tropical Flower Council (HTFC) will collaborate with 

researchers and extension agents from the University of Hawaii College 

of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and private 

propagators to increase the propagation and distribution of plants that 

were originally cultivated as import replacement plants by the Plant 

Quarantine division of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Nursery 

growers will be polled to ascertain their willingness to grow some, or 

all, of the varieties.

$29,200.00

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

5. Evaluating the growth 

and yield of Celery and 

Cilantro Varieties Statewide 

to Increase Local 

production

The University of Hawaii will be conducting field days to evaluate the 

suitability of at least 10 varieties of celery and cilantro statewide to 

determine best varieties suitable for various/each location in Hawaii 

and increase local production of the two crops. The project team will 

conduct field trials and containers (pots) to grow the two crops/their 

varieties, to evaluate suitability for both conditions and develop 

recommendations for growers and homeowners. The project includes 

conducting workshops and field days to disseminate the project 

findings among local growers and stakeholders in the community. The 

project team will produce extension bulletins that will include 

recommendations on the best varieties of each crop at each location of 

the evaluation.

$55,000.00
74

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

6. Statewide Stakeholder 

Collaboration Increasing 

Access to Asian Vegetable 

Specialty Crops

Hawaii Seed Growers Network (HSGN) will collaborate with agricultural 

stakeholder organizations: UH College of Tropical Agriculture and 

Human Resources University of Hawaii, GoFarm Hawaii, Seeds of 

Honua, Hawaii Island Seed Bank, and independent seed producers 

across the State of Hawaii to enhance the competitiveness of specialty 

crops through identifying, sourcing, and increasing production and sale 

of specialty crop cultivars. The project will identify valuable open 

pollinated specialty Asian vegetables, important in local cuisines, and 

collaborate with GoFarm Hawaii (and various independent growers) to 

trial varieties while engaging beginner farmers in variety selection 

processes. Further, HSGN will collaborate with UH CTAHR Extension 

Agents in a Citizen Science project to identify superior pea varieties 

intended for market for Hawaii by having gardeners, school garden 

networks, and farmers grow out varieties as part of a statewide 

screening program. Finally, HSGN will engage with Seeds of Honua to 

facilitate the Hawaii Heirloom Seed search intended to identify 

heirloom, open pollinated, well adapted cultivars brought to Hawaii 

within local immigrant communities.

$47,271.00

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

7. Increasing the Number of 

Sweet Potato Storage Roots 

to Increase the Yield of 

Sweet Potato Crops in 

Hawaii 

The University of Hawaii at Manoa will conduct trials aiming to increase 

the yield of sweet potato crops by developing and implementing 

sustainable practices focusing on irrigation and fertilization strategies 

for sweet potato crops, with an overarching goal of increasing sweet 

potato yield and reducing losses due to high or low irrigation and 

fertilizer applications, especially at the time of tuber (storage roots) 

development and to achieve higher number of storage roots.

This project will benefit the sustainability of sweet potato production in 

Hawaii. Results of this project will be disseminated to stakeholders 

through field days and workshops, publishing extension bulletins, public 

presentations, and educational video demonstrations.

$40,000.00
75

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

8. Gourmet Mushroom 

Production in Hawaiian 

Agroforestry Systems

Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (HARC) plans to investigate and 

demonstrate the potential productivity of log grown specialty 

mushrooms (Shiitake and Oyster) to utilize residual wood waste 

produced from agroforestry thinnings, invasive species removal, and 

land clearing. The proposed project will investigate wood waste from 

four local tree types (Koa, Formosan Koa, Eucalyptus spp., Albizia) for 

suitability in local mushroom production. Protocols will be developed 

for log cultivation of forest mushrooms in Hawaii, including selection of 

logs, inoculation with selected spawn, forced fruiting and harvest. The 

project will investigate the potential markets for these novel, 

specialized mushroom products. The project will have three research 

sites: one in Hilo, Hawaii, one in Waialua on the Kaukonahua Ranch on 

Oahu, and one at HARC’s Maunawili Research Station on Oahu.

$38,202.00

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

9. Comparing Production of 

Melons Using Field and 

Protected Methods under 

Hawaii’s Conditions

The University of Hawaii will conduct a trial of melon varieties suitable 

for local production and evaluate using pest-exclusion structures to 

protect the melon crop. Trials will be conducted both on Kauai and 

Oahu: two regions identified as being difficult for melon production but 

also key for local food security. To disseminate the project findings 

among the local growers, the project staff will be providing outreach 

through educational activities through field days and workshops on 

growing melons open to both farmers and interested members of the 

community.

$40,000.00
76

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

10. Kahumana Food Hub: 

Increasing Waianae 

Growers’ Production to 

Meet the Demand for 

Locally Grown Foods

In 2017, Alternative Structures International dba Kahumana launched 

the Kahumana Food Hub (KFH) project to improve access to markets for 

socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers on the Leeward Coast of 

Oahu and to improve access to locally produced food for low-income 

consumers. Since the pandemic KFH had to aggregate local produce 

from the entire state. In this grant, KFH will re-focus on Waianae 

growers and build the capacity of new and existing KFH specialty 

growers that are in proximity to Kahumana. Some of the producers 

would be selected for forward contracting, based on their readiness, to 

provide them with a more stable market. In order to meet the goal of 

supporting more Waianae specialty growers, KFH will hire a full-time 

outreach coordinator, prepare growers for FSMA regulations, increase 

collaboration with Hawaii Ulu Cooperative, grow the number of CSA 

locations and minimally processed products, and conduct workshops 

for orchard management focused on breadfruit production and food 

safety.

$41,500.00

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82

11. Enhancing the 

competitiveness of 

Hawaiian Limu in 

recognition of the Year of 

the Limu

Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) will issue a Request for 

Proposals (RFP) for this project and will partner with the entities that 

are eligible and will award the project under the procurement rules 

governing project partner selection/s. The project seeks to select a 

proposal for an award that will have Outcomes and Indicators that 

enhance the competitiveness of Hawaiian Limu in recognition of the 

Year of the Limu 2022.

$31,315.00

Hawaii Department 

of Agriculture $469,036.82 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$34,460.00
77

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

1. Building Awareness, 

Demand of Idaho Apples 

through Retail Promotions, 

National Media, and Social 

Media 

Building Awareness, Demand of Idaho Apples through Retail 

Promotions, National Media, and Social Media”, outlines a project that 

will be conducted by the Idaho Apple Commission. The goal will be to 

work with a marketing agency to build a marketing program. The 

National Advertising will bring a positive aspect to the proposal with 

bringing awareness of Idaho Apples on a National Level. The proposal 

will have an increased awareness of social media and media presence. 

Radio advertising continues to bring a positive message for the Idaho 

Apple industry and will be continued. The program builds consumer 

awareness to encourage consumer purchases of Idaho Apples.

$64,400.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

2. Integrating Cereal Cover 

Crops and Soil-Applied 

Herbicides for Weed 

Control in Dry Beans

The Idaho Bean Commission through the University of Idaho is 

proposing to establish field studies to determine the weed suppressive 

ability of fall-planted cereal cover crops, and the effect of cover crop 

biomass on weed control efficacy of soil-applied herbicides (under four 

herbicide resistance scenarios), and bean yield.

$101,583.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

3. Social Media and In-store 

Demos Increase Awareness 

and Sales of Idaho Cherries

The Idaho Cherry Commission’s goal is to increase demand, and sales, 

for Idaho Cherries, and to build strong relationships with local retailers. 

The project will include an enhanced Social Media program and 

advertising in a trade publication to let buyers know when Idaho 

Cherries are available.

$20,200.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

4. Creating Awareness and 

Demand for Idaho Hops 

through Tours, Social 

Media, Domestic 

Promotions, and 

Conventions

Creating Awareness and Demand for Idaho Hops through Tours, Social 

Media, Domestic Promotions, and Conventions outlines a project that 

will be conducted by the Idaho Hop Growers Commission. The two-year 

project will include tours of the Idaho Hop Growing Region as well as 

domestic promotions that will tie in with some of the tours. The 

Commission will be involved with other domestic promotions to 

continue to build awareness of Idaho Hops. The Commission’s Social 

Media will enhance the domestic promotions the Commission will be 

involved with.

$48,275.00
78

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

5. Domestication, 

Propagation and 

Commercialization of NewGeneration Native Idaho 

Plant Products Emphasizing 

Woody Plants

Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association (INLA) will provide a unique, 

economically impactful output: marketable, superior native plant 

products to enhance the plant palette offered to consumers by the 

Idaho landscape nursery industry. In addition, the project will enhance 

consumer aspirations to improve landscape sustainability, conserve 

natural resources (including water), support pollinators, and create 

urban habitat.

$135,701.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

6. Enhancing the 

Competitiveness of Frozen, 

Dehydrated, and Fresh 

Idaho Potatoes in Mexico

The Idaho Potato Commission will focus on enhancing the distributor 

and partnerships relationships to ultimately increase consumption of 

Idaho potatoes, in all forms, throughout Mexico. This will be achieved 

by developing strategic partnerships with retailers and operators where 

program objectives will focus on increasing consumption and sales of 

the targeted Idaho potato product.

$159,500.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

7. Idaho Preferred’s Retail, 

Restaurants, Agritourism, 

and Digital Marketing 

Specialty Crops Connection 

Promotion

Idaho Preferred®, an Idaho State Department of Agriculture program 

within its Market Development Division, will continue to successfully 

promote Idaho specialty crops with a traditional and digital marketing 

strategy. Tactics include business to consumer (B2C) and business to 

business (B2B) promotions, targeted advertising, and public relations. 

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to positively influence consumer 

interest locally produced product purchases.

$251,174.42

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

8. Enhanced In-Season 

Nitrogen, Pest, and 

Irrigation Management for 

Idaho Potato Cropping 

Systems. 

Idaho State University is seeking to improve the competitiveness of 

Idaho agronomists and potato growers by developing and 

implementing technology-based methods to improve in-season potato 

crop pest sampling, tissue sampling and soil moisture measurement 

practices in Idaho and subsequent data interpretations that drive inseason agronomic recommendations to improve environmental and 

economic sustainability outcomes.

$130,412.20

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

9. Driving Awareness of 

Idaho Wine in A PostPandemic World

The Idaho Wine Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission (IWC) 

led by Executive Director, Moya Dolsby, is committed to helping wine 

grape growers, winemakers and cideries in the state of Idaho produce 

the best quality wine and cider in the region. Dolsby will continue to 

guide all project elements associated with advancing the industry.

$190,000.00
79

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

10. Vineyard Health and 

Education to Increase 

Production of Idaho Wine 

Grapes

The Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission will 

facilitate, with Professor Edward Lewis and staff, a research project 

determining the impacts of soil amendments on soil health, plant 

health and yield, and populations of pest and beneficial soil fauna as it 

relates to the production of wine grapes. This will be accomplished by 

soil sampling four times a year on vineyards of varying ages in three 

American Viticulture Areas also known as AVAs.

$150,000.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

11. Building Demand and 

Awareness of Idaho-E. 

Oregon Onions with Social 

Media, Marketing, and 

Missions 

Building Demand and Awareness of Idaho-E. Oregon Onions with Social 

Media, Marketing, and Missions”, outlines a project that will be 

conducted by the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee (IEOOC). 

Through this project the IEOOC will look for new markets and build on

existing markets. Staying in front of International and Domestic buyers, 

foodservice professionals, and consumers, and offering them continued 

education for these industry segments of Idaho and Eastern Oregon 

Onions in regard to the benefits, versatility, and availability is vital.

$89,000.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

12. Tools to Predict and 

Stabilize Onion Yield and 

Quality from Extreme 

Weather Conditions

The Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee (IEOOC) through a 

contractual relationship with the University of Idaho will develop 

regional specific predictive models and decision support system to 

predict onion yield and quality and how it relates to weather conditions 

over the growing season. The project will also develop tools which 

could help stabilize losses from heat stress as well as investigating the 

why June temperatures appear to be critical to influencing the yield of 

drip irrigated onions. This will be investigated through series of 

greenhouse and field experiments, as well as an in-depth analysis of 

historical datasets of onion field trials in the region. The outcomes of 

the project will be presented at field days and grower meetings as well 

as the availability of the decision support system as a web-based 

application.

$99,230.00
80

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85

13. Improving the 

Harvesting Performance of 

Orchard Robot (OrBot)

The Robotics Vision Lab of Northwest Nazarene University has 

developed Orchard Robot (OrBot), which was designed for harvesting 

fruits. OrBot is composed of a machine vision system to locate fruits on 

the tree, a robotic manipulator to approach the target fruit, and a 

gripper to remove the target fruit. The main goal of this proposal is to 

improve the performance of OrBot specifically increasing both 

harvesting speed and harvesting success rate. In addition, OrBot will be 

evaluated for nighttime fruit harvesting, extending the robot’s working 

hours. The results of this research project will be reported online, 

through local agricultural field days, tours to different commercial 

orchards, presentation at conferences, and publications in scientific 

journals.

$100,719.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85 14. Sunnyslope Wine Trail 

Marketing Project

The Sunnyslope Wine Trail is seeking to expand their advertising 

presence beyond their immediate location south of Caldwell using a 

combination of new advertising opportunities while capitalizing on 

their established brand. Upon the recommendation of the Idaho Wine 

Commission and their collaborator, Destination Caldwell, the wine trail 

would like to launch a 2-year ad campaign with Northwest Travel & Life 

magazine as well as the local Scout Guide produced here in Boise. We 

will reach new consumers by using new avenues of advertising, 

attracting them to our winery tasting rooms. 

$40,000.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85 

15. Developing Optimum 

Management Strategies for 

Bacterial Rot Diseases of 

Potato

The University of Idaho will develop best practices for the optimum 

management of bacterial rot diseases in potato caused by 

Pectobacterium and Dickeya species. This will be achieved by 

determining which bacterial species are present in Idaho potatoes and 

then designing species specific real-time PCR protocols for the most 

important pathogens. These assays will be used to develop a seed 

testing system and also to determine the relative importance of the 

individual sources of inoculum (seed, soil, water). The project results 

will be disseminated in grower meetings and field days.

$144,617.00
81

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85 

16. Enhancing Quality and 

Market Potential of Idaho 

Grapevines: Development 

of New Diagnostic Tools

University of Idaho will characterize the entire virome of grapevine 

samples collected in Idaho vineyards, to compare the found sequences 

with common strains present in the area in order to develop specific 

tools for general detection and differentiation of newly described viral 

genomes. The new-generation sequencing (NGS) technology will be 

used to obtain whole genome sequence of the divergent leafrollassociated virus variants and other viruses present in the Idaho 

grapevines and linked to fruit quality. The outcomes of this project will 

include: 1) a better understanding of the leafroll disease virus 

populations in Idaho; 2) new diagnostic assays that are able to detect 

and distinguish identified variants of leafroll disease-associated viruses.

$95,944.00

Idaho State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$2,060,813.85 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$77,104.24

Illinois Department 

of Agriculture $588,645.58

1. Educational Support, 

Outreach, and Marketing 

for Illinois Specialty 

Growers through 

conferences and a video

library.

The Illinois Specialty Growers Association (ISGA) will offer specialty crop 

farmers educational programs through their annual hybrid Illinois 

Specialty Crop Conference with a technology platform that will allow 

for educational live sessions, an interactive exhibit hall and an industryexclusive virtual educational resource library available to growers yearround.

$114,111.00

Illinois Department 

of Agriculture $588,645.58 2. Strengthening Regional Specialty Crop Farmers

Angelic Organics Learning Center will improve farm viability for 

specialty crop farmers by providing high impact educational resources 

such as training and connections with an eye towards removing barriers 

for socially disadvantaged farmers.

$69,438.00
82

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Illinois Department 

of Agriculture $588,645.58

3. Increasing 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 return to and 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. This grant will enable us 

to provide enhanced at-Market, point-of-promotion, in-school, afterschool, and year-round educational programming

aimed at teaching more than 2,000 low-income children and adults 

how to identify, grow, purchase, prepare and enjoy Illinois Specialty 

Crops sold at the 61st Street Farmers Market.

$32,611.00

Illinois Department 

of Agriculture $588,645.58

4. Developing Cold-Hardy 

American Persimmon as an 

Alternative Specialty Fruit 

Crop for Illinois Growers 

and Consumers

Savanna Institute, an Illinois- and Wisconsin-based nonprofit focused 

on expanding agroforestry systems and tree crop utilization, will lower 

key barriers for American persimmon production to contribute to the

viability of the Illinois specialty crop industry by jump-starting 

persimmon crop improvement for the state. Working through our 

Illinois research hub, Savanna Institute will identify existing persimmon 

genetics that have superior cold-hardiness and other key production 

traits over a range of Illinois climate and soil conditions, establish 

baseline genetic and genomic information to enable new cultivar 

development, and utilize our education, outreach, and supply chain 

development capacity to put these key information resources in the 

hands of Illinois farmers, nursery operators, and researchers.

$73,867.50

Illinois Department 

of Agriculture $588,645.58

5. Cultivating Holistic Illinois 

Specialty Crop Resources, 

From Seed to Sale to 

Supper Plate

The Land Connection (TLC) will increase knowledge and consumption of 

Illinois specialty crops by cultivating a comprehensive guide of local 

vegetables, fruits, and herbs – from seed to supper plate. We will 

expand our offering of both Specialty Crop “Use and Nutrition” and 

“How to Grow” cards, while also producing new video content and 

other digital learning tools to accompany new and existing card series.

$63,444.61
83

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Illinois Department 

of Agriculture $588,645.58

6. Enhancing Specialty Crop 

Education and Consumer 

Awareness Through Illinois 

Agriculture in the 

Classroom: Agritourism and 

Farmers Markets

Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) seeks to extend its model to 

offer and emphasize opportunities for specialty growers and farmers 

markets to engage in consumer education through participation in 

state-wide trainings, offering local program support, and access to free 

educational resources.

$35,000.00

Illinois Department 

of Agriculture $588,645.58

7. Promoting Asian Bitter 

Melons as Anti-Diabetic 

Diet in Illinois

The Southern Illinois University will promote Asian bitter melons in 

Illinois by collecting and disseminating data on current market analysis; 

functional food processing and nutritional analysis; and cooking 

demonstrations at farmers markets and at the Neighborhood Coop in 

Carbondale.

$68,962.00

Illinois Department 

of Agriculture $588,645.58

8. Sanitization of Specialty 

Crops Using Microplasma 

Based Far-UVC Light

The University of Illinois will study the potential for sanitizing specialty 

crops with microplasma-based far-UVC lamps. Ensuring the safety of 

specialty crops is a major and enduring challenge. The proposed work 

will systematically investigate the ability of a microplasma-based farUVC lamp system to inactivate two bacteria that are commonly 

associated with the safety problems of specialty crops, Escherichia coli 

(gram-negative) and Listeria monocytogenes (gram-positive), on 

samples of lettuce, strawberries, and tomatoes. The impact of such 

treatment on produce color will also be evaluated, as an index of 

overall quality.

$65,326.00

Illinois Department 

of Agriculture $588,645.58 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$16,903.69
84

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$486,095.35

1. Specialty Crop Block 

Grant-Honey Education 

Trailer 

At Ease Orchard will develop an education plan across the State of 

Indiana utilizing a Bee Demonstration Trailer and experience 

beekeepers. The demonstration trailer will consist of live bees in an 

enclosed demo box, harvesting equipment, hive equipment and the 

ability to demonstrate harvesting honey from the hives and multiple 

other beekeeping techniques such as sanitizing a hive and queen 

rearing. The trailer will be manned and attend events at 4H clubs, Farm 

Shows, Bee Club events, and schools. The Goal is a minimum one event 

per month. Similarly, the Bee Trailer will meet Indiana Health 

Department standards for Honey harvesting and be available to 

support assisting with on-site training at residences to teach 

beekeepers how to properly harvest and bottle honey. The outcome of 

this grant is educational in honey food safety, support to beginning 

farmers/beekeepers in honey harvesting allow it to become a 

commercial or wholesale item and therefore increasing the popularity 

and knowledge of honey as a specialty crop.

$67,315.84

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$486,095.35

2. Leveraging Farm to ECE 

Partnerships to Increase 

Demand and Access for 

Specialty Crops

Green Bridge Growers will increase demand for locally grown produce 

through a Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) initiative that 

incorporates local food sourcing, food and agricultural education, and 

family engagement to promote healthy eating practices right from the 

start for young children and their caregivers. ECEs are an important 

market for small farmers because of relatively low barriers to entry and 

have the added benefit of promoting household nutrition knowledge 

and the consumption of specialty crops. By partnering with ECEs to 

better understand and influence the role farmers can play in this 

market, our project will develop replicable models, outreach on best 

practices for other farmers entering the ECE market and expand food 

access for under-resourced families throughout the state.

$87,413.90
85

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$486,095.35 3. Local Food Ecosystem 

Project + Seed to Store

The City of Indianapolis requests funding for its Local Food Ecosystem 

project, Seed to Store, which is a farm to retail program that fosters 

connections between local minority-led urban farms and small 

businesses in Indianapolis and Marion County. Indianapolis’ Division of 

Community Nutrition and Food Policy will act as the lead agency in 

administering this project in partnership with farmers, grocers, and 

other business owners. Seed to Store aims to boost specialty crops 

sales, build capacity for the local food economy, and improve access to 

and awareness of healthy specialty crops through direct-to-consumer 

marketing. Seed to Store partner farms grow specialty crops such as 

collards, watermelon, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, and eggplant. Now in 

its second year, Seed to Store will implement infrastructure 

improvements through cold storage, farm labor support, and software 

for inventory management and ecommerce. Targeted marketing and 

promotions initiatives will also help develop connections between 

consumers and the specialty crop industry and provide education for 

increased accessibility.

$129,846.00

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$486,095.35

4. Developing a Novel 

Multi-Year Production 

System for Strawberries 

Grown on Plastic Mulch in 

Indiana

Purdue University will address two of the greatest barriers to the 

profitability and sustainability of multi-year plasticulture strawberry 

production in Indiana by improving runner management through 

cultivar selection and chemical runner suppression and establishing 

safe and effective weed management strategies. There is increased 

demand for local pick-your-own strawberries and decreased access to 

the timely and abundant labor required to grow the crop. This project 

represents the first meaningful research effort into a multi-year plastic 

mulch production system for strawberries in Indiana and directly 

addresses the most pressing concerns identified by stakeholders. 

Recommendations generated from this project will be used to ensure 

that growers adopting multi-year plasticulture production have the 

greatest likelihood of sustainable success through cultivar selection and 

chemical control of runners and effective weed management 

strategies. 

$123,744.34
86

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Indiana State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$486,095.35 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$38,887.64

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

1. Farmer to Farmer 

Knowledge Sharing to 

Improve Cut-Flower 

Production & Profitability

Since 1985, Practical Farmers of Iowa and our members have 

specialized in farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing. Beginning and 

advanced specialty crop farmers in Practical Farmers’ membership are 

always looking to improve their product quality and profitability and 

have identified that working crop-by-crop, looking at other farmers’ 

production, harvest and packing systems is a valuable learning process 

that quickly provides actionable ideas for their own farms. The central 

objective of this project is to improve the competitiveness of specialty 

crops in Iowa through in-depth, crop-specific knowledge sharing related 

to cut flower production and marketing among farmers at conferences, 

field days, and meetups.

$24,000.00

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

2. Development and 

Demonstration of No-till 

Vegetable Production 

Systems in Iowa

Rodale Institute - Midwest Organic Center (RI-MOC), located in Marion, 

IA, will continue the IDALS SCBG-funded research project established in 

2021 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. Researchers aim to determine why some 

vegetables produced in permanent, no-till beds yielded less than those 

produced in beds with conventional tillage. Data collection will focus on 

differences in soil temperature, soil moisture, soil fertility (i.e., nitrogen 

availability) during key stages in plants’ lifecycles, and plant tissue 

testing. Results will be compared to experiences of Practical Farmers of 

Iowa farmer cooperators with the goal of compiling recommendations 

for best practices for no-till vegetable production. Results and 

recommendations will be shared with specialty crop growers through 

field days and presentations at regional conferences.

$23,976.00
87

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

3. Climate Smart Irrigation 

Sensors and Technologies 

for Iowa Vegetable Growers

Water is fundamental to food production. The importance of 

sustainable water management will continue to grow as the impact of 

climate change intensifies. Iowa vegetable growers rely heavily on 

irrigation to maintain crop yields and quality, however, irrigation 

management aspects such as amount, scheduling, etc. is not well 

understood and often arbitrarily decided. There is lack of information 

on efficient management of irrigation and how sensors, sensor 

technology, and automation can be utilized for sustainable water 

management. The goal of this two-year study is to identify, evaluate, 

and introduce relevant soil moisture sensors and sensor technology to 

enhance irrigation efficiency and overall sustainability of our vegetable 

production systems.

$23,983.00

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

4. Reimbursement for OnFarm Food Safety 

Improvements for Fruit & 

Vegetable Growers

Since 1985, Practical Farmers of Iowa and our members have 

specialized in farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing. Specialty crop 

farmers in PFI’s membership are always looking to improve their 

product quality and profitability. Seeing other farmers’ production, 

harvest and packing systems, and sharing about how to address issues 

such as food safety, provide valuable learning opportunities that 

quickly provides actionable ideas for their own farms. The central 

objective of this project is to improve the competitiveness of specialty 

crops in Iowa by supporting on-farm enhancements through a cost 

share program and though in-depth knowledge sharing at a field day.

$24,000.00
88

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

5. Improvement of 

Blueberry Establishment in 

Iowa Soils

The Department of Horticulture at Iowa State University will conduct an 

experiment to improve the establishment of blueberry plants in Iowa 

soils. The establishment of two new cultivars will be evaluated with 

various soil treatments. The aim of the project is to reduce 

establishment costs while obtaining optimal soil pH for blueberry 

growth. Blueberry plants will be evaluated for plant growth and 

development, photosynthetic output of leaves, and foliar nutritional 

content to assess any stress levels affecting plant growth, and the 

impact of soil amendments. Soil will be monitored for nutrient content, 

pH, and electric-current changes to determine overall soil health and 

assess the amendments. Results will determine if soil treatments 

facilitate overall plant and soil health during plant establishment, as 

well as reduce establishment costs.

$23,818.00

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

6. Winemaking Practices to 

Improve Cold-Hardy Wine 

Quality Over Time

The Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State 

University will evaluate the quality of red and white wines produced 

from cold-hardy interspecific grape varieties using two winemaking 

practices over time after bottling. Wines produced in Iowa tend to be 

sold to consumers a few years after their production and consumers 

may keep wines for a longer time before consumption, which leads to a 

decrease in wine quality over time. In this project, red wines from coldhardy grapes will be made using an extended maceration process and 

white wines from cold hardy grapes will be made following the 

standard operating procedure. Before bottling, three concentrations of 

sulfur dioxide, a common preservative, will be added to both wines to 

evaluate the best amount to preserve wine quality.

$22,214.00
89

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23 7. Iowa Specialty Crop 

Producers Conference

In 2019 the Iowa Wine Growers Association and the Iowa Fruit and 

Vegetable Association created a partnership and began working with 

representatives of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land 

Stewardship to plan a combined specialty crop producers conference. 

For the past three years the conference has brought together specialty 

crop producers from across the state to network with each other and 

engage in education. The conferences have been very well received by 

our association's members and the specialty crop industry. The Iowa 

Wine Growers Association will work with the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable 

Growers Association, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land 

Stewardship, and other industry members and connections to plan, 

prepare and carry out the 2023 Iowa Specialty Crop Producers 

Conference.

$24,000.00

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

8. The Kitchen: Where 

Small Communities & Food 

Business Grow in North 

Iowa

Healthy Harvest of North Iowa, in partnership with Simply Nourished – 

Mason City and local organizations, will create "The Kitchen" – a 

shared-use space offering commercial-grade equipment, storage space, 

and technical assistance to businesses to support the development 

value-added products from specialty crops, increase farm profitability, 

and decrease food waste in North Iowa. HHNI will evaluate current 

local offerings of technical assistance to small, specialty crop and local 

food businesses and work to develop a comprehensive suite of 

workshops and resources to best support the success of these 

businesses to be hosted by HHNI and their partners. 

$24,000.00
90

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23 9. Teaching about Vineyards 

& Grape Production

The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation will increase the educational 

material available to teach about fruit production (grapes) in Iowa by 

developing lesson plans, hands-on activities, and career connection 

highlights for educators and students to engage with. The lessons and 

activities will include vineyard management, grape processing, product 

production, and career connections. The lessons will be used by 

Agriculture in the Classroom educators across the state and other 

formal and informal educators. This project will inspire more students 

and their families to consider the work and resources used in the 

production of grapes (viticulture). It will also increase interest in careers 

related to viticulture which will provide new technologies and methods 

to the industry.

$14,569.00

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

10. Developing Digital & 

Print Marketing Tools for 

Shared Use Amongst Iowa's 

Specialty Crop Market & 

Producers

With input from a broad range of specialty crop producers and local 

food system partners, the Iowa Food Foundation will create, execute, 

and share the results of a yearlong digital and print marketing 

campaign focused on the community benefits of buying regional 

specialty crops, both economically and environmentally. The project 

will utilize paid website ads, social media ads, print materials and popup events. Content from this campaign will be readily available for 

shared use by producers, farmers markets and food hubs across the 

state of Iowa.

$24,000.00
91

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

11. Business Basics 

Bootcamp for Iowa 

Specialty Crop Producers

Iowa State University will partner with the Food Finance Institute and 

Darcy Maulsby & Co. to increase financial and marketing business 

knowledge of Iowa specialty producers. This will be done by offering 

both a financial bootcamp and a marketing bootcamp offering 

producers information and follow-up progress reporting to ensure the 

information is understood and being utilized in their operations. The 

bootcamps will combine training, one on-one consulting, and the 

opportunity for networking amongst producers. After the bootcamps 

follow-up reporting will be conducted so that producers can check in 

with staff to assist in applying financial and marketing information and 

strategies to their own operations. As a result of the bootcamps, 

financial and marketing workbooks, will be created for wider 

distribution to producers who do not participate in the bootcamps. We 

anticipate that this would then impact more than 100 producers 

beyond the initial bootcamps.

$24,000.00

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23

12. Understanding Capacity 

& Feasibility of a Fruit & 

Vegetable Processing 

Facility in Iowa

This project will investigate and determine best practices for processing 

facilities in other states; conduct market analysis and a feasibility study 

for a processing facility; and gain understanding into the potential 

economic impact that a processing facility for local fruits and 

vegetables could be for our state. This will be completed with both 

Iowa State University staff and outreach to organizations currently 

engaged in the procurement and purchasing of local foods to 

understand the viability of this business.

$36,200.00

Iowa Department of 

Agriculture and 

Land Stewardship

$334,996.23 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$31,170.66
92

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Kansas Department 

of Agriculture $336,867.33 1. Let’s Explore

Children First CEO Kansas Inc. and its partners will enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crops by increasing knowledge and sales of 

specialty crops in the Sedgwick County metro area (Sedgwick, Butler, 

Harvey, Kingman and Sumner counties), through: Continuing 

development of three education gardens impacting 434 low-income 

minority students, their families and neighbors using in-school 

trainings, community nights, and field trips, and launching a media 

campaign called “Let’s Explore,” which will increase awareness of 

specialty crops as demonstrated from a partnership with Meadowlark 

Farm Orchard & Cidery, in Rose Hill, Kansas.

$68,132.00

Kansas Department 

of Agriculture $336,867.33

2. Increasing Specialty Crop 

Access Through School and 

Community Gardens

Kansas City Community Gardens will increase access to specialty crops 

for low-income residents and increase willingness to consume crops 

among low-income children in Wyandotte and Johnson counties. They 

will do this by creating, expanding, and improving food-producing 

gardens at schools and community sites.

$25,044.19

Kansas Department 

of Agriculture $336,867.33

3. Increasing Consumer 

Knowledge and 

Consumption of Specialty 

Crops On-farm in 

Wyandotte County, Kansas

The Farm School at Gibbs Road Inc., doing business as KC Farm School 

at Gibbs Road, will increase consumer consumption and awareness of 

specialty crops through youth and adult educational opportunities onfarm in Wyandotte County, Kansas. This will be achieved in 

collaboration with KC Farm School’s farmers market partners who grow 

specialty crops, produce value-added products including Kansas 

specialty crops as well as community educators. The team will 

implement nine workshops at KC Farm School’s on-farm farmers 

markets and in KC Farm School’s PK-adult education programming for 

individuals aged 4-100 including Ag Explorers for youth aged 4-8, Jr. 

Growers for youth aged 9-12, Farm Apprenticeships for youth aged 13-

18, Let’s Grow Wyandotte!

$45,375.00
93

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Kansas Department 

of Agriculture $336,867.33

4. Marketing Mastery 

Academy (MMA) for 

Specialty Crop Growers

The Kansas Department of Agriculture will partner with a local 

marketing entity with proven specialty crop experience to facilitate a 

marketing training program for Kansas specialty crop growers that 

helps producers learn marketing practices and develop marketing plans 

to implement for their operations to increase the sale of specialty 

crops. Through the marketing curriculum, specialty crop growers will be 

guided through topics such as social media content creation and 

management, marketing cohesion, public relations, and news features, 

developing a marketing plan and budget, analyzing marketing results 

and traction, direct to consumer networking and interaction, wholesale 

relationships and marketing and elements of successful advertising.

$72,076.80

Kansas Department 

of Agriculture $336,867.33

5. Generating Youth 

Interest in Specialty Crop 

Production through 

Expanded Programming at 

Willow Lake Student Farm

Kansas State University (K-State) will expand its research and 

educational offerings at Willow Lake Student Farm (WLSF) to position 

the farm as the premier small to mid-scale, diversified farm research 

and training center in the Midwest. Building on recent infrastructure 

improvements, WLSF will hire a full-time farm manager to lead 

production activities, expand sales to campus dining facilities, and help 

organize student-led activities. These activities include an annual Spring 

Field Day—an event covering basic specialty crop production and an 

overview of WLSF research and education projects; and a Fall Harvest 

Festival—a student-led event to attract youth and families to learn 

about small to mid-scale specialty crop production. Leveraging the 

commitment of K-State students to sustainable specialty crop 

production, this project will extend its reach into the community to 

attract youth and their families, creating a pipeline of future students 

and specialty crop growers in Kansas.

$66,396.00
94

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Kansas Department 

of Agriculture $336,867.33

6. Expanding Food Safety 

Training, Aggregation 

Capacity and Access to 

Local Food in North Central 

Kansas

The Mitchell County Regional Medical Foundation (MCRMF) will 

partner with the High Plains Food Cooperative (HPFC) and Advancing 

Rural Prosperity, Inc. (ARPI), a Kansas team of local food system 

specialists, and collaborate with a group of food champions in the 

region, to offer food-safety education and training to producers, 

processors, institutions, and community care team members in North 

Central Kansas (NCKS). The project partners plan to increase 

aggregation capacity for specialty crops for producers in the region and 

increase access of local food in NCKS through a community care 

network.

$33,250.00

Kansas Department 

of Agriculture $336,867.33 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$15,861.92

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$333,320.94

1. Central Kentucky 

Transitional and Specialty 

Crop Farmer Cohort Pilot 

Program

The Lexington Farmers Market will address long-term agricultural 

stability and sustainability by collaboratively implementing a support 

and training program for farmers in underrepresented groups 

(specifically beginning, socially disadvantaged, and/or veteran farmers) 

who are engaging in direct-to-consumer sales and transitioning to 

organic production practices. This project addresses an ongoing lack of 

holistic technical support for growers entering the specialty crop 

marketplace by utilizing the expertise of a number of stakeholders and 

partner organizations to provide technical assistance and support for a 

broad spectrum of needs specific to new direct-to consumer specialty 

crop producers in Kentucky.

$69,188.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$333,320.94

2. Evaluation of Organic 

Control Tactics for 

Management of Harlequin 

Bugs on Cruciferous Crops

The University of Kentucky through a series of field research trails 

evaluate organically applicable strategies to effectively control 

harlequin bug attacking cruciferous crops and disseminate the results 

to Kentucky stakeholder groups through producer field days and 

meetings and more broadly through scientific publications.

$30,465.00
95

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$333,320.94

3. Exploring Energy-Efficient 

Strategies to Improve the

Kentucky Floriculture 

Industry

The University of Kentucky seeks to explore energy-efficient strategies 

to improve the Kentucky floriculture industry by evaluating unheated 

high tunnel bedding plant production; determine bedding plants 

species suitable for unheated high tunnel production; explore methods 

to mitigate delays in plant development and marketability; and 

document carbon and water foot-printing to promote environmental 

stewardship. Upon completion, this project will develop efficiency 

benchmarks for Kentucky growers; an energy-efficient greenhouse 

grower’s guide; 12 bedding plant-specific factsheets; and showcase 

low-cost technologies available to assess energy consumption and 

water usage for greenhouse growers. In addition, educational programs 

will be provided to greenhouse growers and Extension personnel to 

showcase research findings and disseminate developed resources.

$44,374.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$333,320.94

4. Resistant Cultivars and 

Time of Planting as a 

Fungicide Free Option for 

Management of Lettuce

Drop in High Tunnels in 

Kentucky

The University of Kentucky Vegetable Crops Extension will evaluate the 

use of different resistant cultivars and different planting dates in spring 

and fall for management of lettuce drop, a common fungal disease of 

lettuce in high tunnels. Information will be disseminated to growers 

and county agents through trainings, videos, and fact sheets.

$44,641.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$333,320.94

5. Farm Sustainability 

Assessment Tool with 

Kentucky Farmers to 

Increase Adoption of Best 

Management Practices and 

Improve Specialty Crop 

Competitiveness 

The Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK) will implement a two-year 

project piloting a Farm Sustainability Assessment Tool (FSAT) by 

adapting an open-sourced self-assessment tool that farmers can use to 

improve the sustainability of their in-field management practices. The 

tool produces a scored assessment based on globally recognized 

sustainability standards giving participating farms a competitive 

advantage to communicate the environmental and social benefits of 

their farming practices. This will drive Kentucky specialty crops to 

remain competitive in an evolving marketplace that is predicted to 

grow in favor of climate-smart crops.

$47,043.00
96

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$333,320.94

6. Peer Promotion of 

Community Supported 

Agriculture in Employer CSA 

Programs

The University of Kentucky (UK) Department of Ag Economics will work 

with the University’s Health and Wellness program to develop 

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) peer promotion groups. CSA 

has become a popular direct marketing channel for diversified produce 

farmers in Kentucky and across the US. This increased consumer 

interest is partly the result of employer-funded CSA voucher programs. 

For instance, UK offers over 1000 vouchers to employees to cover a 

portion of a CSA subscription. This and similar employer programs have 

increased knowledge of and participation in CSA across Central KY. 

However, not all of these vouchers are being redeemed.

$49,433.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$333,320.94

7. The Use of Stropharia as 

Under-Vine Weed Control 

Management Strategy

The University of Kentucky will develop a weed management program 

for KY vineyards using King Stropharia inoculated mulch as an 

alternative to synthetic herbicide use. Stropharia spawn will be 

cultivated under-vines to reduce the need for herbicides, maintain soil 

health, and increase overall grapevine health.

$47,022.00

Kentucky 

Department of 

Agriculture

$333,320.94 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$941.97

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry 

$394,986.52

1. Apprenticeship Project 

for Growing New 

Beekeepers in Louisiana

The competitiveness of Louisiana-grown specialty crops will be 

enhanced and concerns regarding the long-term growth of the 

beekeeping industry in the state will be addressed through the 

continuation and improvement of the Apprenticeship Project for 

Growing New Beekeepers in Louisiana (LDAF). LDAF, working in 

partnership with high school agricultural teachers, will offer a 

beekeeping apprenticeship project reaching approximately 200 high 

school agriculture students. Through the Apprenticeship Project for 

Growing New Beekeepers in Louisiana, LDAF will sponsor five high 

school agriculture programs/educators with up to $10,000 in 

beehive/beekeeping resources to establish with the help of students an 

apiary (bee yard) of up to eight beehives at their schools.

$50,000.00
97

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry 

$394,986.52

2. Application of Combined 

MAP with UV-C to Reduce 

Microbial Loads and Extend 

Strawberries' Shelf Life

A pilot-scale Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) and ultraviolet 

light combined system (MUCS) at LSU Agricultural Center is designed to 

reduce pathogen and spoilage microbial loads. The proposed study is to 

determine the effectiveness of the MUCS in reducing Salmonella 

enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 levels 

on the surface of strawberries and in reducing spoilage microbial loads 

for extending the shelf life. MUCS is expected to assist growers in 

reducing pathogens on produce surfaces and extending the shelf life 

without compromising the overall quality of strawberries during 

refrigerated storage. The outcome of the study will benefit Louisiana 

growers and consumers.

$55,502.00

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry 

$394,986.52 3. Promoting LouisianaGrown Pecans - Phase 2

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) will 

enhance the competitiveness of Louisiana-grown pecans by 

implementing a successful promotional campaign for a second year. 

The marketing strategies for a Phase 2 effort will include continuing 

Louisiana-grown pecan promotion through (1) use of outdoor 

advertisements in major metropolitan areas in Louisiana, (2) use of 

web/social media pages of Louisiana Department of Agriculture and 

Forestry and the Louisiana Pecan Growers Association, (3) placing 

advertisements in trade publications, and (4) developing a pecan 

promotion video for social media.

$69,500.00
98

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry 

$394,986.52

4. Developing Practices to 

Minimize the Food Safety 

Risk Associated with 

Cryptosporidium on 

Specialty Crop

Cryptosporidium spp is the major agent responsible for diarrhea related 

outbreaks and around 8% cases accounts for the domestically acquired 

foodborne cryptosporidiosis in the US. The purpose of this project is to 

understand how Cryptosporidium behaves in Louisiana weather and 

develop practices to minimize the food safety risk associated with 

Cryptosporidium. This project will take place at the LSU AgCenter. 

Project activities will focus on examining the effect of temperature and 

relative humidity on Cryptosporidium oocyst in soil and soil 

amendments. A scientifically based practice measure will be identified 

to minimize the risk of Cryptosporidium oocyst on specialty crops. The 

results from this study will be disseminated to Louisiana specialty crop 

growers through Dr. Adhikari’s ongoing food safety training, LSU 

AgCenter extension outreach programs, and presentation during 

Louisiana Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association meeting.

$59,994.00

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry 

$394,986.52

5. Biopolymer-based Active 

Coatings Combined with 

Rosemary Extract to 

Enhance Produce Safety

Cantaloupe is a popular fruit, but foodborne illnesses associated with 

the fruit are a concern. Irrigation water and wildlife can be good 

vehicles for transferring pathogenic bacteria to the cantaloupe. The 

proposed study aims to determine the efficacy of the biodegradable 

biopolymer coatings containing rosemary extract in reducing E. coli 

O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes levels on the surface of 

cantaloupe and in reducing microbial spoilage loads.

$49,273.00

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry 

$394,986.52

6. Best Practices to Reduce 

Heavy Metals in Louisiana 

Sweet potatoes for 

Increased Competitiveness 

and Food Safety

The LSU AgCenter will undertake on-farm surveys and research station 

experiments to identify management practices that reduce heavy metal 

presence in Louisiana sweet potatoes. The project will generate GISbased farm-specific risk maps of heavy metal presence in sweet potato 

growing areas. It will also conduct on-station studies to identify the role 

of pH, nutrients, irrigation water, and organic matter in reducing heavy 

metal presence in sweet potato. Individual grower training sessions will 

be conducted to enable the grower to interpret the risk maps and 

develop location-specific management strategies. The overarching goal 

of this project is to engage stakeholders to ensure that learning, action, 

and enhanced productivity goals are achieved.

$78,480.43
99

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Louisiana 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Forestry 

$394,986.52 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$31,543.42

Maine Department 

of Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry 

$613,572.55

1. 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 and a recipient of Specialty Crop Block Grant support since fall 

2020, has been working with a broad set of stakeholders to expand the 

supply, demand, and infrastructure for sparkling wines made with 100% 

Maine wild blueberries. This project will leverage wine's unparalleled 

ability to add market value and express the most compelling stories of 

the state’s wild blueberry landscape, advancing our goals of boosting 

field prices for Maine growers and growing a multi-million wild 

blueberry wine industry with broad, deep, lasting benefits for Maine.

$100,00.00

Maine Department 

of Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry 

$613,572.55 2. Maine Produce Safety 

Improvement Project III

The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) will 

continue to enhance food safety 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 

educational trainings, workshops, and demonstrations about food 

safety, one-on one technical assistance, and financial resources to 

Maine farmers. MOFGA’s team of experienced and knowledgeable 

service providers will continue to offer, to a new group of 15 farmers, 

needed technical assistance to improve on-farm produce safety, help 

with SOP plans, and recommendations for upgrades, system changes, 

and facility layouts.

$91,806.32
100

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Maine Department 

of Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry 

$613,572.55

3. Investigating Cultural 

Practices to Improve 

Integrated Pest 

Management Practices for 

Potato Viruses of Potato. 

(Year 2 of 3)

The Maine Potato Board will investigate the efficacy of cultural 

practices to reduce the incidence and spread of potato virus Y (PVY) 

and Potato Leafroll Virus (PLRV); specifically the practices of 

intercropping (mixed- species planting or nurse cropping), grain-seeded 

spray alleys to prevent potato plant damage and mechanical PVY 

infection, grain-seeded field borders as PVY buffers, and improved 

targeting and management of environmental inoculum provided by 

volunteer potatoes and solanaceous weeds. Project results will be 

shared with Maine potato producers through grower meetings, and 

through a written report on Integrated Pest Management Strategies for 

PVY in Maine.

$83,705.00

Maine Department 

of Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry 

$613,572.55

4. Improving Leaf Spot 

Management to Enhance 

Wild Blueberry Health, 

Yield, and Climate 

Resilience 

This University of Maine project will support the sustainability of wild 

blueberry by examining the effects of leaf spot diseases on wild 

blueberry health and yield, and the use of fertilizer, fungicides, and 

irrigation to mitigate the effects of leaf spot infection under the current 

and a warming climate. We will test effective, low-cost, and 

environmentally friendly disease management techniques to secure 

and improve wild blueberry production. This project will also identify 

the fungi found in leaf spot infected leaves to determine whether fungi 

living in blueberry leaves aid in plant protection or cause further 

damage.

$93,469.00

Maine Department 

of Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry 

$613,572.55

5. Drought Stress 

Management for Wild 

Blueberry Growers

The University of Maine System Wild Blueberry Research and Extension 

Team will identify specific recommendations for wild blueberry growers 

to manage drought stress through soil amendments and irrigation 

timing. Research and education supported by this program has led us to 

the conclusion that drought stress is a major current and future 

limitation to wild blueberry production. In this project we will continue 

studying amendments to aid in soil moisture retention while expanding 

our research into irrigation timing and soil health.

$63.058.30
101

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Maine Department 

of Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry 

$613,572.55

6. Enhancing the Efficacy of 

Managing Soilborne 

Diseases in Potato 

Production through 

Integrated Soil 

Improvement

The University of Maine propose to conduct laboratory and field 

studies to identify the microorganisms responsible for accelerated 

degradation of fumigant and find a solution to remediate impaired soil. 

The outcome will be expected to improve soil fumigation and soil 

health. We will team up with potato extension specialist and plant 

pathologies. Data from these studies will aid in soil treatment and 

disease management. Information generated will be disseminated to 

stakeholders though field days, Maine potato conferences, Extension 

meetings and academic conferences.

$76,280.00

Maine Department 

of Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry 

$613,572.55

7. Fresh Maine Wild 

Blueberries: Industry, 

Extension, Academic 

collaboration to protect and 

enhance safety and quality

The University of Maine College of Natural Sciences Forestry and 

Agriculture and Cooperative Extension will partner with Maine wild 

blueberry growers to enhance food safety and quality of fresh product 

by assessing its sanitary quality throughout small scale fresh pack 

processing environments, developing improved handling techniques to 

extend fruit shelf life, and developing educational materials to be 

disseminated to industry members through grower meetings, 

factsheets, and webinars.

$50,614.00

Maine Department 

of Agriculture, 

Conservation, and 

Forestry 

$613,572.55 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$52,407.18

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$479,561.03 1. Building Better 

Beekeepers in Maryland

The University of Maryland’s Bee Lab will engage with Maryland (MD) 

beekeeping associations and equipment suppliers to foster better 

beekeeping practices in the state by developing, delivering, and 

promoting best practices for protecting MD pollinators. The extension 

materials will include efforts to help “wannabee” beekeepers decide if 

beekeeping is right for them by transparently presenting the resources 

and efforts needed to keep colonies alive. We will develop a 

“Beekeepers Creed” that will outline the broad responsibilities 

associated with beekeeping. A Maryland-specific Best Management 

Practices (BMPs) document will also be developed and distributed. 

$40,378.00
102

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$479,561.03

2. Evaluating Apple 

Rootstock Performance in 

High-Density Plantings 

Under Maryland Conditions

University of Maryland will evaluate the influence of a panel of ten 

different apple rootstocks established in combination with the highvalue commercial cultivar Buckeye Gala in a high-density planting, on 

key tree, fruit quality and ripening pattern characteristics. These 

features will be assessed for two consecutive growing seasons under 

Maryland environmental conditions. Findings from this study will be 

used to provide apple growers critical information and 

recommendations that will allow them to select the best performing 

rootstocks under local conditions, and therefore increase the value and 

marketability of their crop that can lead to greater profits. 

$30,111.00

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$479,561.03

3. Harvesting Chestnuts: 

Reviving Maryland’s Oldest 

Specialty Crop

SilvoCulture, Inc., a Maryland-based non-profit organization, plans to 

create a viable chestnut harvesting system that will generate revenue 

for Maryland farmers and provide a marketable locally produced food 

source. Through a collaboration with organizations such as the 

Northern Nut Growers Association and the Pennsylvania-based 

Swallowtail Farm, SilvoCulture Inc. will 1) identify and document the 

location of Maryland chestnut orchards; 2) establish a chestnut 

harvesting hub that will function beyond the project; 3) promote best 

practices for chestnut production, harvesting, and marketing; and 5) 

design, build, and test a solar dryer for chestnut processing. Results will 

be published in a series of documents to include a final report; survey 

results for Maryland chestnut orchards; and the design and testing of 

the solar dryer.

$30,000.00

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$479,561.03

4. Maryland’s Best – 

Promoting Specialty Crops 

to Maryland Consumers 

and Distributors

Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Section 

will promote local specialty crops to consumers and distributors 

through advertising, a podcast highlighting specialty crops and the 

farmers who produce them, the website Marylands.Best.net, Maryland 

Public Television, business to business meetings, and point of sale.

$166,954.00
103

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$479,561.03

5. Produce Safety GAP/GHP 

Programs to Provide Market 

Access and FSMA Produce 

Safety Rule Compliance

The Maryland Department of Agriculture Food Quality Assurance 

Program will partner with the University of Maryland Plant Sciences 

and Landscape Architecture Department, University of Maryland 

Extension, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and the University of 

Maryland Agricultural Law Education Initiative to continue providing 

coordinating food safety programs based on research; lessons learned 

from previous projects; identified gaps in specialty crop growers food 

safety knowledge; 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 through GAP certification. 

$123,853.00

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$479,561.03

6. Safety, Consumption and 

Sustainability of Specialty 

Crops

Aarons Place Inc, a non-profit will be collaborating with University of 

Maryland Extensions, a local female farmer, and a local Latino farmer 

to raise a variety of specialty crops for distribution to food insecure 

families, while increasing one’s nutritional and food safety knowledge 

and consumption of specialty crops with measurable outcomes. The 

main focus of this project is to expand the consumption of specialty 

crops in a manner that benefits food insecure communities. Particular 

attention will be given to those of various ethnicities, as Aaron’s Place 

serves a large Latino and Haitian population that would greatly benefit 

from the expansion of specialty crops. Aaron’s Place’s goal is to 

advance the knowledge and distribution of specialty crops through 

both famers and consumers with this grant.

$35,000.00

Maryland 

Department of 

Agriculture

$479,561.03 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$53,365.00
104

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$465,122.39

1. Cultural Connections 

through Specialty Crop 

Production and Education

Mill City Grows will conduct the Cultural Connections program to 

facilitate access to and education about fresh, local, culturally 

connected specialty crops for socially disadvantaged communities with 

a focus on Southeast Asian, Latinx, and African Diaspora communities in 

Lowell, Ma. Purchase and consumption of culturally connected 

specialty crops will increase as a result of this project. This will be 

accomplished through conducting community and field research on the 

most desirable specialty crops and how to grow them in our region, 

expanding point of sale education with staffed outreach tables and 

multilingual marketing, and the development of a network of regional 

grower support.

$68,487.47

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$465,122.39

2. Eating Seasonally: 

Learning How to Store and 

Preserve Local Specialty 

Crops Year-Round

Through Coastal Foodshed’s Learn to Love Local program, we will 

educate customers on the seasonality of Massachusetts grown 

specialty crops through free workshops where participants will learn 

simple and affordable ways to preserve and store seasonal crops. We 

will also develop a comprehensive marketing campaign and materials 

to be distributed through our markets, social media channels, and 

housed on our website to reach additional community members. 

Finally, we will compile all this information into a digital resource to 

also be permanently available on our website and to be shared with 

partnering organizations and farmers for further distribution.

$62,690.00

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$465,122.39

3. Expanding Agroforestry & 

Nut Crops in Massachusetts 

through Peer-to-Peer 

Farmer Education and 

Consumer Outreach

The Massachusetts Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming 

Association (NOFA/Mass) will provide outreach and education to 

farmers and consumers in an effort to increase the prevalence of 

agroforestry production systems and demand for local nut crops in 

Massachusetts through agroforestry systems development plans, 

education events, and outreach initiatives geared toward farmers and 

consumers.

$80,832.00
105

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$465,122.39

4. Groundwork Lawrence 

Community Cooking Classes 

to Improve Local Nutrition 

and Increase Specialty Crop 

Consumption

Groundwork Lawrence (GWL) will promote the purchase and utilization 

of specialty crops and create a healthier Lawrence by re-establishing 

our community cooking classes following the lifting of COVID-19 

restrictions and increased vaccination rates. Resident interest in 

learning cooking techniques and use of both familiar and new produce 

will be addressed through a series of intentionally focused cooking 

classes with 190 participants over the three-year grant period. Through 

this work, GWL will increase the consumption of specialty crops in 

Lawrence and foster improved public health.

$58,726.00

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$465,122.39

5. Laser Scarecrow Pest 

Control for Beginning and 

Disadvantaged Farmers

Farm & Community Collaborative, Inc. (“F&CC”), in partnership with 

farmer and technical advisor Ken Elliot and mechanical engineer 

Carlton Brule, will provide four Massachusetts small farms, with priority 

given to beginning and/or socially disadvantaged farmers, with 23 

“Green Scarecrow” laser units as well as one-on-one technical 

assistance in the 2023 season. Green Scarecrow is an eco-friendly laser 

technology that mitigates bird damage in orchards, vineyards, and field 

crops. The goal of this project is to improve pest control processes to 

increase production yields and economic return for small farms, which 

would ultimately increase consumer purchasing and consumption of 

specialty crops.

$76,500.00

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$465,122.39

6. Training Underserved 

Communities to Drive 

Specialty Crop Consumption 

in Hampshire County

The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) will partner with 

Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) to train up to 120 

historically underserved Hampshire County residents and up to 120 

other participants on managing businesses and/or programs that 

increase sales of Massachusetts specialty crops. CES will coordinate a 

needs assessment to develop a 12-part training series; enroll and 

support program participants; disseminate a training resource for 

future adoption; and evaluate the program’s success. CISA will develop 

and present the training program’s modules; offer one-on-one coaching 

to support underserved residents; and develop and disseminate a 

training resource

$79,840.00
106

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Massachusetts 

Department of 

Agricultural 

Resources

$465,122.39 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding. .

$37,137.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

1. 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, the Michigan Blueberry Commission, the 

Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board, the Michigan Vegetable Council, 

and the Michigan Potato Industry Commission to promote Michigan 

specialty crops both domestically and internationally. 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.

$164,507.50

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

2. Increasing Access to and 

Consumption of Community 

Garden Fruit Crops 

Consumption of Community 

Garden Fruit Crops

Consumption of Community

Garden

The Charter Township of Canton, Leisure Services Department, strives 

to increase the access to and consumption of specialty crops by 

planting and harvesting fruit trees and bushes that will be planted in 

designated community gardens. Leisure Services’ Parks and Recreation 

staff and volunteers will plant and care for crops, disseminate 

educational materials and share crops to targeted areas. Beneficiaries 

of the nutrition program and produce will include seniors, food 

assistance recipients, Farmers Market attendees and community event 

participants. By increasing access and awareness of nutritious foods, 

Canton looks forward to reducing food insecurity and improving 

community health.

$19,410.00
107

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

3. Advancing Control and 

Mitigation Strategies for an 

Emerging Hop Disease in 

Michigan

The Hop Growers of Michigan, in collaboration with the Small Fruit and 

Hop Pathology Laboratory at Michigan State University, will investigate 

multiple approaches to chemical and cultural management strategies 

for a new disease named halo blight, caused by Diaporthe by 1) 

developing diagnostic tools for hop cone diseases, 2) continuing to 

evaluate fungicide efficacy of Diaporthe, 3) determining the role of 

herbicides in Diaporthe infections, 4) evaluating the impact of 

fungicides on Diaporthe infection through in vitro assays, and 5) 

collaborating with growers to determine the effect of mechanical 

crown scratch on inoculum levels and disease severity. This project will 

allow the researchers at Michigan State University to develop 

scientifically derived management strategies for this emerging hop 

disease and will be disseminated by various annual outreach activities 

and grower focused events.

$99,000.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

4. Michigan GROWN, 

Michigan GREAT Streaming 

and Digital Advertising 

Campaign

The Michigan Ag Council will promote the sales of Michigan-grown 

specialty crops to consumers through streaming commercials and paid 

content articles which will target specific demographics responsible for 

making purchasing decisions for the household.

$100,000.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

5. Developing a Sustainable 

Asparagus Beetle 

Management Program for 

the Michigan Asparagus 

Industry

The Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board (MAAB) will establish an 

agreement / contractual relationship with the Michigan Department of 

Agriculture & Rural Development to develop scientifically based, 

practical measures for asparagus beetle management and disseminate 

results to stakeholders through grower meetings and field days. The 

project outcome will include a more effective management program for 

asparagus beetles -- the most important insect pest of asparagus in 

Michigan.

$97,862.00
108

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

6. Validation of Improved 

Dry Bean Varieties, 

Maturities, and Integrated 

Weed Management 

Systems: 

PHASE II Managing 

Production for an Evolving 

Market

The Michigan Bean Commission (MBC) will work to improve 

environmental and economic sustainability of dry bean production in 

Michigan while improving quality and reducing the use of synthetic 

crop inputs to better meet the demands of a changing marketplace. For 

Michigan Producers to remain the leader in dry bean quality demanded 

by the consumer into the future, research needs to focus on the 

reduction of reliance on harvest-aid applications.

$100,000.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

7. Enhanced Strategies to 

Communicate the Value of 

Michigan Dry Beans: 

Conventional and Digital 

Educational Programs to 

Increase Bean Consumption 

for Today’s HealthConscious

Consumers

The Michigan Bean Commission (MBC) will work 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.

$119,600.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

8. A Deep-Rooted Problem:

Addressing a New Disease 

in Michigan Carrots

The Michigan Carrot Committee, along with Michigan State University, 

will investigate a newly reported disease, black rot, on Michigan 

carrots. This disease is incited by the soil-borne, fungal pathogens, 

Alternaria radicina and Alternaria carotiinucultae. Symptomatic carrots 

at three stages in carrot maturity – seedling, plants in the field, and 

stored carrot roots – will be sampled and cultured for the causal 

pathogens of the disease, Alternaria radicina and A. carotiincultae. The 

pathogen(s) will be identified through combined morphological 

examination, molecular sequencing, and pathogenicity testing; the 

results of the study will be shared with growers through meetings, field 

days, and the Great Lakes Expo. Findings will serve as a foundation for 

disease control strategies.

$96,332.00
109

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

9. Aster Yellows Detection 

in Leafhoppers to Improve 

Sustainable Crop 

Management

Researchers at Michigan State University will develop a new DNAextraction method to improve the diagnostics-based management for 

aster yellows and disseminate results to stakeholders. The project’s 

outcome will include a more effective diagnostic program for aster 

yellows, a disease transmitted by aster leafhoppers to vegetable crops 

across Michigan.

$86,742.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

10. Determining the Role of 

the Fusarium Species 

Associated with Michigan 

Celery “Meltdown”

Celery Research Inc. has partnered with Michigan State University 

(MSU) researchers to address celery “meltdown” which reduces quality 

and yield. “Meltdown” includes stunting, wilting, chlorosis, crown rot 

and plant death. The purpose of this grant is to determine the specific 

causes of celery “meltdown” and to develop a guide of diagnostic 

symptoms of “meltdown” to aid in on-farm diagnosis and a rapid PCR 

assay to detect the pathogens that cause Fusarium Yellows on celery. 

We will test isolates previously collected from diseased plants for their 

ability to cause “meltdown” symptoms to determine their 

pathogenicity. If a difference in pathogenicity is observed by cultivar, 

these results will inform the selection of cultivars and serve as an 

important outcome of this project. Results and recommendations will 

be communicated to celery growers and stakeholders.

$96,271.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

11. Evaluating the Samba 

Wasp as a Promising New 

Biocontrol Agent for 

Spotted-Wing 

Drosophila in Michigan

The Michigan Cherry Committee, in collaboration with entomologists at 

Michigan State University, will establish a contractual relationship with 

MDARD to begin rearing, releasing, and assessing establishment of 

Ganaspis brasiliensis (a.k.a. the samba wasp) a promising new biological 

control agent of spotted wing drosophila, the most economically 

important insect pest of Michigan’s cherry and blueberry industries.

$99,993.00
110

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

12. MCTA Website Reboot: 

Using the Internet to 

Increase Awareness and 

Access of Michigan

Christmas Tree Farms

The MCTA will contract with Courtland Consulting to overhaul the 

MCTA website with the current most up-to-date software. In addition 

to the website overhaul, the MCTA is requesting additional funding for 

targeted advertisements to be placed on social media platforms such as 

Facebook and Instagram, during the holiday’s directing potential 

customers to the MCTA website. Once on the website, consumers will 

gain awareness and knowledge of the industry and access to Michigan 

Christmas tree farms. Updating the MCTA website will aid in promoting 

the industry through greater access to farms by connect more 

customers to Michigan Christmas tree farms, ultimately having a 

positive impact on Michigan’s economy.

$30,900.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

13. Using Greenhouse 

Lighting to Limit Losses 

from Downy Mildew on 

Bedding Plant Impatiens

This proposal submitted by the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council 

(MGGC) in conjunction with Michigan State University (MSU) 

researchers aims to reduce or eliminate losses from the impatiens 

downy mildew (IDM) pathogen and enhance the quality of bedding/ 

seed impatiens (Impatiens walleriana) by introducing new strategies. A 

direct outcome of this project will be the reduction in exposure and 

costs to control IDM by greenhouse growers and landscapers through 

reducing the need for chemical fungicides. We propose to reduce 

reliance on fungicides and enhance plant quality by 1) quantifying the 

effect of low-intensity lighting of different light qualities on a) the IDM 

pathogen, b) the plant’s susceptibility to IDM c) determining if growth 

or development are affected by different light qualities, and 2) 

providing grower outreach regarding fungicide alternatives.

$80,470.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

14. Onion Thrips and Foliar 

Disease Management in 

Commercial Onions in

Michigan

The Michigan Onion Committee, working with Michigan State 

University, will identify a more effective management program for 

onion thrips, the most important insect pest of onions, that 

incorporates an understanding of their interactions with important 

onion diseases. Researchers at Michigan State University will develop 

scientifically based practical measures for onion thrips and disease 

management and disseminate results to stakeholders through grower 

meetings and field days.

$97,862.00
111

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

15. Integrated Volunteer 

Potato and Colorado Potato 

Beetle Control for 

Sustainable Potato

Production in Michigan

Michigan State University will conduct field studies to assess impacts of 

integrated volunteer potato and Colorado potato beetle (CPB) control 

on commercial potato production. This project will investigate new 

control options for volunteer potatoes and CPB in Michigan and 

includes partners that will create multi-disciplinary interactions (MSU 

Potato Specialist, Weed Scientist, Entomologist, and Pathologist) to 

form integrative solutions and make long-lasting contributions to the 

Michigan agricultural industry. The findings of this research will be 

disseminated to local, regional, and national stakeholders through 

extension and scientific meetings.

$100,000.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

16. Estimating Financial and 

Environmental 

Sustainability of Apple 

Production in Michigan

The Michigan State Horticultural Society, in collaboration with Michigan 

State University, will support the financial and environmental 

sustainability of the apple industry by creating a cost of production 

estimate for commercial apple farming in Michigan, including carbon 

emissions and sequestration. The estimate will be generated by 

gathering the range of costs associated with individual components of 

production, conducting an economic analysis, and synthesizing the data 

into a decision tool for individual use. Educational sessions and 

resources will be created to inform industry members of the cost of 

production estimate and decision tool, and how to use them. These 

products may be used to inform decision making from individual farms 

to industry-wide levels.

$58,246.00
112

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

17. Assessing and Managing 

Fungicide Resistance in 

Strawberry and Raspberry

The Michigan State Horticultural, in collaboration with the Small Fruit 

and Hop Pathology Laboratory at Michigan State University, will focus 

on assessing fungicide resistance and developing management 

strategies for two major fungal diseases of strawberry and raspberry, 

powdery mildew and gray mold, which reduces harvestable yield, 

lowers fruit quality, and causes postharvest fruit decay. The objectives 

of this study are to 1) investigate current and new products for 

powdery mildew and gray mold control in raspberry and strawberry, 2) 

screen fungicide resistance in raspberry B. cinerea isolates, 3) conduct 

fungicide resistance screening in strawberry B. cinerea and

strawberry P. aphanis isolates, 4) develop molecular markers to detect 

fungicide resistance in strawberry powdery mildew, and 5) 

communicate fungicide resistance findings to stakeholders. 

$99,000.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01 18. Michigan Tree Fruit 

Industry Survey

USDA-NASS Great Lakes Regional office will conduct a tree fruit 

industry survey of sweet cherry, tart cherry, apple, peach, and plum 

grower acreage in Michigan. Additionally, information on access to 

farm workers, and other operational questions will be asked. This 

survey will provide key data as these tree fruit industries make 

decisions related to research, marketing, education, and operations of 

the industry. It will allow the fruit industry and policy makers to make 

sound business, marketing, and policy decisions that will competitively 

position Michigan’s fruit industry in both national and global markets.

$96,486.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

19. Pest Risk and 

Management in HighDensity Apples and Cherries

Michigan State University will compare pest activity and damage in 

high-density and conventional plantings of ‘Honeycrisp’ apples and 

sweet cherries. The project will test the efficacy of netting as a pest 

management technique in high-density plantings for pest birds (in 

apples and cherries), apple maggot and codling moth (in apples), and 

spotted wing drosophila (SWD; in cherries), through a replicated field 

experiment. We will assess the effects of netting on fruit quality. The 

results will be disseminated to growers through meetings, field days, 

and extension articles.

$99,321.00
113

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

20. Testing New Ways to 

Monitor and Manage 

Cucurbit Downy Mildew

The Michigan Vegetable Council has partnered with Michigan State 

University (MSU) researcher, Dr. Mary Hausbeck, to develop novel 

strategies to protect the state’s cucumbers from the downy mildew 

pathogen, Pseudoperonospora cubensis. The goal of this project is to 

improve management of downy mildew by basing fungicide spray 

intervals on environmental conditions and comparing an intermediately 

resistant cucumber variety to a susceptible variety. The outcomes will 

be a tool to help growers apply fungicides when the weather favors 

disease resulting in reduced management costs and optimum 

production and yield. Another outcome will be that a recommendation 

will be provided to growers about how to incorporate intermediately 

resistant varieties into existing management programs.

$96,486.00

Michigan

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

21. Development and 

Dissemination of Practical 

Methods that Protect 

Michigan’s Chestnut

Yields from Brown Rot

Midwest Nut Producers Council (MNPC), in partnership with the 

Michigan State University (MSU) chestnut team, will link researchers, 

extension educators and commercial growers to identify, share and 

implement practical and affordable brown rot management options 

affecting the chestnut industry. This project builds on previous research 

that identified multiple organisms that cause nut rots and documented 

their relative significance. The project will focus on the following 

objectives to identify and implement practical methods that protect 

Michigan’s chestnut yields from brown rot: 1.) evaluate field 

management strategies for brown rot through replicated trials that 

assess the efficacy of candidate fungicides and orchard floor 

management practices; 2.) identify key pathogens causing nut 

disorders, and 3.) develop and disseminate practical and prescriptive 

recommendations on brown rot management to growers and 

processors through annual MSUE events, MNPC meetings, journal 

publications and trade publications.

$100,000.00
114

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01

22. Integrating Sweet 

Cherry Row Covers to 

Combat Environmental 

Factors to Increase

Production, Expand Retail 

Markets

Riveridge Produce Marketing will integrate row covers into established 

sweet cherry orchards to combat environmental factors to increase 

production, expand retail markets and share key learnings with other 

growers and researchers in the state.

$78,577.00

Michigan 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Rural Development

$2,153,501.01 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$125,481.96

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

1. Optimizing Protected 

Culture Strawberry 

Production for Environment 

and Financial Sustainability

Twin Cities Berry Company LLC, a research and production farm, will be 

developing climate resilient practices for high-density strawberry 

production within protected culture structures, allowing new and 

emerging farmers to overcome spatial and environmental hurdles to 

financial sustainability. Twin Cities Berry Company, supported by 

several industry stakeholders, proposes research to modify caterpillar 

tunnels- inexpensive infrastructure already common on many small 

farms with new and emerging farmers (NEFs)- into completely enclosed 

ecosystems that combine tabletop 'horizontal' strawberry fruit 

production with hanging trough 'vertical' fruit production. Properly 

utilizing the tunnel space this way allows for a minimum 2.32x increase 

in planting density. Plants are managed in containers within the 

tunnels, modified with insect exclusion netting to be passively resilient 

against pest and climate pressures. These enclosed ecosystems will 

henceforth be referred to as "Fruit Factories". Project objectives and 

outcomes will be evaluated by Dr. Petran and project stakeholders.

$123,235.81
115

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

2. Management of SWD in 

Small Fruit with BotanicalBased Repellents and 

Classical Biological Control

This project from the University of Minnesota will investigate botanicalbased repellents to prevent infestation of small fruit by spotted-wing 

drosophila (SWD) and facilitate the rearing and release of Ganaspis 

brasiliensis in Minnesota for biological control of SWD. This project will 

advance sustainable integrated pest management of SWD in small fruit 

by developing two new technologies to protect fruit and suppress SWD 

populations.

$124,980.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

3. Developing Enterprise 

Budgets to Inform 

Marketing Channels for 

Specialty Crop Producers

University of Minnesota personnel will create enterprise budgets for six 

crops in Minnesota that have been identified as most desirable for 

school food service professionals and develop decision-making tools 

about which crops to grow for Farm to School markets, and at what 

scale. The Department of Horticultural Science faculty member and 

extension educators at the University of Minnesota will work with local 

produce farmers who aim to sell to institutions to develop enterprise 

budget and decision tools. As institutions across Minnesota invest in 

farm to institution (e.g., schools) relationships and sales, farmers need 

to know how to profitably produce the crops that food service 

professionals are looking for.

$124,868.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

4. Cold-hardiness 

Evaluation for Breeding and 

Variety Release Using 

Thermal Analysis in Grapes

This project by the University of Minnesota uses differential thermal 

analysis to assess grape buds for hardiness to inform breeding 

decisions, make selections and variety release decisions, speed up the 

breeding process, and understand the genetics of winter survival in 

grape. Winter hardiness is critical to variety success for Minnesota 

grapes. Typically, cold hardiness is considered as plants surviving 

extreme low temperatures and the USDA hardiness zones approximate 

these expected temperatures. However, the paradigm for defining 

hardiness is shifting with additional emphasis on adaptation in fall in 

response to temperature and day length, acclimation to cold 

temperatures (extreme cold hardiness), de-acclimation in spring, and 

spring frost avoidance

$124,653.00
116

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

5. Fostering Stable, Resilient 

Botanical Farms and Valueadded Ventures Through 

Business Law Education

Farm Commons will empower botanical producers with essential 

business law information that enables them to create resilient botanical 

production operations and value-added enterprises that satisfy growing 

market demand. Farm Commons will increase the resilience and ability 

of botanical growers and value-added ventures to expand by providing 

training on the most crucial business law issues facing these producers. 

At least 200 specialty crop growers will increase their knowledge on 8 

specific learning objectives that center around compliance with food 

safety regulations, product/content labeling, insurance and licensing 

needs, marketing, and health claims as well as employment law 

obligations.

74,117.40

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

6. Implementing New 

Strategies to Expand Hard 

Fescue Seed Production in 

Northern Minnesota

The University of Minnesota will optimize hard fescue seed production 

in northern Minnesota through agronomics and breeding. Hard fescue 

is a new crop that benefits Minnesota producers economically, while 

reducing environmental impacts. This project aims to optimize hard 

fescue establishment in a seed production system for farmers in 

northern Minnesota. Our approach involves both agronomics and plant 

breeding.

$125,000.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

7. Developing Variable Rate 

Nitrogen and Water 

Management Strategies for 

Sustainable Potato 

Production

This University of Minnesota project will develop and evaluate variable 

rate nitrogen and irrigation management strategies to increase 

nitrogen and water use efficiencies and reduce nitrate leaching losses 

to support sustainable potato production in Minnesota. 

The University of Minnesota is submitting this grant proposal to 

evaluate the potential benefits of variable rate nitrogen (N) and 

irrigation management in terms of potato tuber yield, quality, N and 

water use efficiencies, economic returns, nitrate-N leaching losses and 

develop integrated variable rate N and irrigation management 

strategies to support sustainable potato N management in Minnesota. 

Minnesota stands as the seventh potato-producing state in the country 

with 42,000 acres planted for potatoes in 2021.

$124,663.00
117

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

8. New Dual-purpose 

Potato Clone MN13142 

with Long Dormancy: 

Extension Bulletin 

Development for Growers

This University of Minnesota project will improve potato production 

sustainability in the Midwest by adopting a new variety with improved 

tuber quality, long-term storage, and reduced chemical use. Certified 

seeds will be developed for commercial potential evaluation. The 

University of Minnesota is submitting this grant proposal to release a 

new potato variety for local fresh pack and organic potato growers. 

With increasing concern over the use of chemicals in our food supply, 

the potato industry must identify/develop cultivars with minimal or no 

chemical use

$124,978.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

9. Protecting Minnesota's 

Christmas Tree Industry 

from Elongate Hemlock 

Scale 

Elongate hemlock scale is an invasive species found on Minnesota 

Christmas trees imports 2018-2021. Prior work suggests Elongate 

Hemlock Scale (EHS) can overwinter in at least the southern third of the 

state. This Minnesota Department of Agriculture project, with research 

done at the University of Minnesota, will determine the effect of host 

on winter survival. The MDA will establish a contract with Dr. Aukema 

at the U of MN to determine the host effect on cold hardiness of 

elongate hemlock scale. EHS is an insect that infests Fraser fir (a 

popular Christmas tree) and other firs and spruces. Its preferred host is 

hemlock. EHS is native to Japan, but has spread through much of the 

range of hemlock in the eastern U.S.

$124,854.00

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

10. Grow and Gather! Farm 

to School & Early Care 

Grant Support and 

Evaluation

IATP seeks to support the success and formally evaluate MDA’s grant 

program reimbursing schools for purchases from MN farmers as the 

program grows beyond its pilot. Building on our FFY20 Specialty Crop 

grant, 2.5 years of continued funding will cover pivotal growth, as 

MDA’s grant doubled between the first and second rounds of funding 

and is poised to again double funding and expand eligibility to include 

early care providers with the next round of grants.

$72,760.00
118

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17

11. Statewide Promotion of 

Minnesota Grown Specialty 

Crops Through Sponsored 

Search and Social Media

Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Minnesota Grown Program is 

the statewide program charged with promoting locally grown fruits, 

vegetables, and other specialty crops. Since it received its first 

permanent funding from the state legislature in 1987, this publicprivate partnership has grown to include nearly 1,300 producer 

members and approximately 80% of these producers’ market at least 

one specialty crop. The program includes a robust online platform and 

directory to connect consumers with producers; an extensive array of 

marketing materials for member farms and retailers; a limited amount 

of paid TV and digital advertising across Minnesota; and public relations 

activities. 

$83,972.35

Minnesota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,368,798.17 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$134,305.71

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34

1. Raspberry Cultivar 

Evaluation Trial in 

Mississippi

Raspberries are functional foods rich in mineral nutrients and health 

beneficial phytochemicals. They are ranked as the third most popular 

berry following strawberries and blueberries in the US. Due to their 

health benefits, consumer interest in raspberries has been increasing 

rapidly in recent years. Raspberries grow best in regions with cool 

summers and mild winters. However, newer cultivars have been 

developed to tolerate more heat and sun. Local Mississippi growers are 

interested in incorporating raspberries into their productions to 

diversify crop profiles to meet increasing consumer demands and 

improve farm incomes

$33,649.00
119

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34

2. Characterization of 

Melatonin and 2,4,6-T as 

Herbicide Safeners in 

Tomato and Protective 

Responses Induced by 

Safeners 

The Mississippi State University will provide effective control of 

problematic weeds in tomato production systems by increasing 

tolerance of tomato to effective herbicides using safeners. The main 

goal of this project is to use safeners to increase tolerance of tomato to 

herbicide that are effective in controlling problematic weeds, including 

yellow and purple nutsedge, annual grasses, and pigweed species. We 

will also confirm if the use of safeners do not produce any antagonistic 

effects with the herbicides tested. Results from this project will be 

made available to approximately 1,200 stakeholders at the Vegetable 

Field Day, American Society of Horticultural Science, and Southern 

Weed Science Society Annual Meeting, combined.

$38,082.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34

3.Instrumented Assessment 

of Sweet Potato Harvest 

and Packing Line Impacts 

Towards Damage Reduction

Mississippi State University will collaborate with local sweet potato 

growers and packers to reduce mechanical impact damage during 

harvest and packing line operations. This project is to: 1) measure 

impacts due to mechanical harvest and packing lines using an impact 

recording device, 2) quantify visual damage on sweet potato storage 

roots through image analysis, and 3) determine sweet potato impact 

damage thresholds. Research-based findings will be published in peerreviewed journal articles and widely shared with stakeholders via 

extension publications, electronic newsletters, webpages, and social 

media.

$50,000.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34

4. Mississippi Sweet 

Potatoes - Superfood of the 

South

The Mississippi Sweet Potato Council will work to promote Mississippi 

Sweet Potatoes. This program will work to broaden markets in high 

traffic areas across the nation and educate consumers of how healthy 

sweet potatoes are and where their food comes from. This project will 

also promote sweet potatoes within Mississippi by distributing 

educational material at large attendance events.

$59,500.00
120

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34

5. Determine Viral 

Infections and their Main 

Routes of Circulation in 

Mississippi Queen Breeding 

Operations

Mississippi State University in collaboration with queen breeders will 

empirically analyze honeybee queen samples to identify viral infections 

circulating among queen breeding operations in the state of 

Mississippi. Utilizing advanced diagnostic tools in the upstream level of 

apiculture industry (queen breeding) will help to make informed 

decisions on management strategies to mitigate viral diseases in queen 

producing operations and prevent further spread. The goal is to 

enhance agricultural biosecurity by improving honeybee queen quality

and reducing honeybee colony mortality.

$65,110.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34

6. Effect of Low Rate of 2,4-

D on Tomato at Different 

Growth Stages and its 

Progeny

Mississippi State University will determine the effect of low rates 

(simulated drift rate) of 2,4-D 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 2,4-D and if 2,4-D 

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.

$26,838.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34 7. Making Mississippi 

Specialty Crops FARMtastic

The Mississippi State University Extension Service’s FARMtastic 

program will promote Mississippi specialty crops through a minimum of 

four major regional school-based events per year, as well as two major 

statewide Ag Expos designed to educate children and adults about the 

agriculture industry. Elementary students have little understanding of 

agricultural systems. Cooperative Extension in numerous states has 

sought to address this problem through agricultural education 

programs delivered to elementary students. Emerging evidence 

suggests students who are aware of their relationship to farms and the 

natural environment are more likely to make healthier food choices, 

subsequently resulting in better health outcomes.

$69,811.00
121

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34

8. Public Relations and 

Marketing Campaign to 

Promote Buying Mississippi 

Blueberries 

Farm Families of Mississippi will develop and implement a promotional 

campaign educating consumers on the benefits of buying Mississippi 

grown blueberries. We will establish a baseline figure from the 2022 

crop year of consumers who gained knowledge of specialty crops 

through the television advertisement Farm Families of Mississippi 

produces and airs on local television stations across the state. We will 

then compile viewership data including total number of commercials 

aired, number of impressions, and frequency in which those 

commercials were seen for the 2023 crop year to compare with the 

2022 figure.

$56,649.49

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34

9. Educating Our Youth 

About Growing and 

Harvesting Crops

The 100 Black Men of Jackson will lead a group of community youth 

through the process of cultivating and growing crops in their 

greenhouse. The youth will be educated about farming, cultivating, and 

tending a garden with vegetables. This group has been experimenting 

with the planting process for several years and their challenges are the 

local deer who have snuck into the high tunnel to eat everything. They 

will use the grant money to repair the areas where the deer are able to 

gain access to the high tunnel and they will also purchase new supplies 

for the upcoming season.

$3,500.00

Mississippi 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Commerce

$436,232.34 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$32,251.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45

1. Dissecting Genetic 

Determinants of Grape 

Berry Acids in 

Chambourcin-based Hybrids

Missouri State University proposes research to develop the first 

‘Chambourcin’, linkage map via both SSR and SNP markers. In 

preparation for the localization of quantitative trait loci (QTLs), 

phenotyping protocols for evaluating berry acids will also be 

established. In this proposal, our focus is on the exploration of the 

heritability and genetic architecture of berry acid traits. The ultimate 

goal of this project is to utilize DNA markers to optimize the production 

and quality of ‘Chambourcin’-derived hybrids for future cultivar 

releases.

$49,974.00
122

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45

2. Developing an 

Understanding of the Virus 

Situation with Missouri 

Elderberry 

This project, led by the University of Missouri, will employ the latest 

technologies to develop an understanding of the viruses most 

commonly associated with elderberry production in Missouri. 

Important viruses will be identified, and then plants throughout 

Missouri will be screened. Based on project results, mitigation and 

management strategies for elderberry viruses will be developed and 

disseminated to growers.

$49,804.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45

3. Water Quality and Good 

Agricultural Practices 

Certification for Produce 

Growers

Based on the success of our previous and current produce safety 

outreach efforts, the University of Missouri (MU) Extension will provide 

continued resources and training to Missouri produce growers related 

to water quality and water treatment options to improve produce 

safety.

$42,340.44

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45 4. Springfield Community 

Gardens Field and Farm

Springfield Community Gardens will leverage the existing investment of 

multiple local and federal stakeholders for beginning and established 

urban and rural farmers (many of whom are socially disadvantaged) 

into a long-term solution towards financially viable agricultural careers.

$41,400.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45

5. Enhancing Extension 

Specialists Capacity in 

Teaching Hydroponics for 

Specialty Crops

This project led by University of Missouri Extension seeks to train 

extension educators and beginning and established farmers on 

hydroponic cultivation methods of specialty crops. The education 

program will cover technical information on hydroponic specialty crop 

production and investment estimates for commercial production.

$49,950.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45

6. Promotion of Specialty 

Outdoor Mushroom 

Production

Truman State University will establish a mushroom cultivation yard 

demonstration site on our farm in Northeast Missouri and host four 

workshops educating local farmers, ranchers and public on outdoor 

specialty mushroom production. The goal is to increase the number 

mushroom producers that will utilize currently unused woodland to 

generate additional farm income while at the same time increasing the 

culinary offerings of local markets, an outcome desirable for both 

producer and consumers.

$17,951.00
123

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45 7. Growing Native Ferns as 

Specialty Crops in Missouri

The Specialty Crops Program at Lincoln University will conduct an 

education project to promote native ferns as specialty crops. This 

project will assess availability of ferns commercially and consumer 

preferences across the state; identify five to ten species native to 

Missouri that are easy to grow; and develop publications with 

propagation protocols that nursery producers and small farmers can 

adopt.

$47,985.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45

8. Fingerling Potato 

Production in Moveable 

High Tunnels

The University of Missouri will evaluate eight different cultivars of 

fingerling potatoes in both the hoop house and compared to in field 

production. There is tremendous interest in fingerling potato by 

consumers and the profitability is great for Missouri specialty crop 

growers.

$28,216.88

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45

9. Weed Management 

Practices to Increase Sweet 

Potato Production in 

Missouri

The University of Missouri, Division of Plant Science and Technology 

will compare various combinations of herbicides and cover crops for 

early season weed management in ‘Beauregard’ sweet potatoes grown 

on raised beds.

$28,080.00

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45

10. Investigating Pathogen 

Spread and Developing 

Management Strategies of 

Boxwood Blight

Lincoln University proposes to develop tactics to manage boxwood 

blight and disseminate research results to stakeholders through grower 

meetings. Boxwood is a popular broadleaf evergreen plant that is 

widely planted in home gardens, public and private landscapes, and 

urban areas in Missouri. However, boxwood blight, a notorious disease 

caused by Calonectria spp., has caused a significant economic loss in 

Missouri and other states.

$29,688.27

Missouri 

Department of 

Agriculture

$419,680.45 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$33,512.14
124

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

1. The Regional Pulse Crop 

Diagnostic Lab: Serving 

Montana Pulse Growers

This is a proposal from Montana State University’s Regional Pulse Crop 

Diagnostic Lab (RPCDL). The RPCDL is the only laboratory in the United 

States exclusively dedicated to pulse crop (chickpea, lentil, and dry pea) 

diagnostics. The RPCDL enables pulse crop exports by rapid and 

accurate detection of regulated plant pathogens. The outcomes of this 

project will include sustained services of the laboratory, monitoring for 

new pathogens of concern and fungicide resistance, testing new 

products for farmers, and extension outreach. The RPCDL assists 

growers in selling pathogen free seed, making seed treatment and 

planting decisions, and supports conventional and organic growers. 

RPCDL educates agricultural stakeholders on the importance of seed 

health and phytosanitary issues, protecting trade where 80% of the 

crop is exported.

$168,176.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72 2. Predicting Soilborne 

Disease Risk of Pulse Crops

This proposal from Montana State University will help farmers predict 

disease risk in fields they are planning to plant to pulse crops (pea, 

lentil, and chickpea). If farmers know the risk of disease, particularly 

aphanomyces, pythium, and fusarium root rot, are high, they may 

choose to plant a different crop or use cultural methods or seed 

treatment fungicides to reduce disease risk. This project will monitor 

soil samples for new pathogens of interest and fungicide resistant 

pathogens. 

$444,174.00
125

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

3. Sniffing Out PVY: Using 

Dogs to Detect PVY in 

Potatoes

Dogs have been trained to detect potato virus PVY and have 

demonstrated detection efficiency similar to laboratory methods. 

Montana State University proposes to evaluate dogs for their sensitivity 

of detection for PVY in postharvest potato test samples and early 

generation plantings of seed potatoes. For postharvest tuber samples, 

this project will have the dogs smell the samples and record the sample 

as positive or negative for PVY. Sniffing results will be validated in the 

Hawaii winter grow out and in the lab at MSU using Immunocapture RT 

qPCR. If the dog can reliably detect PVY in tuber samples, seed lots 

testing negative would not require further testing (postharvest grow 

out or lab testing) saving considerable expense to the farmer. For early 

generation potatoes, MSU will test the dog’s ability to pre-screen clonal 

seed potato families before they are planted in the field. In this study, 

the sniffing results will be compared to visual inspection of the 

emerged plants for disease, followed by laboratory screening for PVY in 

leaves using Elisa.

$110,214.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

4. Agronomic Strategies and 

Cultivar Selection for 

Production of High Protein 

Field Pea

Montana growers are facing great challenges in producing consistent 

high protein peas because protein concentration is influenced by 

genetics, environment, and agronomic management. Unlike cereal 

crops, farmers do not apply nitrogen fertilizer in field pea crop. 

Therefore, enhancing plant biological nitrogen fixation through genetic 

improvement and agronomic management will be the key for protein 

improvement. In this project, project partner Montana State University, 

will select pea cultivars to be grown in different environments to 

investigate the genetic and environmental effects on plant growth, 

carbohydrate and protein accumulation, and final biomass and seed 

yield. In the meantime, agronomic management experiments including 

irrigation, fertilization, rhizobium, and plant growth regulator, will be 

conducted in Sidney, MT to investigate the effects of management 

strategies on nitrogen fixation, yield, and protein.

$158,635.00
126

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

5. Building Specialty Crops 

Water Management 

Network (SCWMN) for 

Drought Resiliency in 

Montana

This project is to be carried out by an interdisciplinary research group at 

Montana State University and includes - the precision ag lab, seed

potato lab, plant sciences and plant pathology, and MSU Western 

Agriculture Research Center. In this research, MSU proposes the 

development of a Specialty Crop Water Management Network 

(SCWMN) for MT using an irrigation decision support system (IDSS) 

based on time and cost-effective soil, canopy, and aerial reflectance 

(drones and satellite imagery) sensors. The IDSS will be a practical tool 

for growers to lower production costs, increase profit margins, and 

conserve water. Research results and management practices will be 

shared through publications and workshops.

$402,257.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

6. Understanding Coldhardy Berry Phenology and 

Physiology to Improve 

Cultivar Selection, 

Management, and 

Harvestability 

Montana’s berry industry is expanding with new growers investing 

heavily in haskap, currant, and other small-fruit plantings. As these 

perennial crops mature, efficient management and harvest of highquality fruit is critical to their profitability. This project, led by Montana 

State University’s Western Agricultural Research Center, will determine 

how temperature affects berry plant dormancy, bud break, flowering, 

and ripening to identify which cultivars are best suited to Montana’s 

different sites and climates. This will be complemented by efforts to 

improve harvest management and organic production practices. The 

results will be used to inform berry management, harvest decision 

making, and future berry plantings to increase long-term profitability of 

plantings.

$631,442.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

7. Field Evaluation of Pulse 

Crop Breeding Lines in 

Montana

Dr. Kevin McPhee from Montana State University proposes statewide 

variety testing of new pea and lentil breeding lines to aid in 

identification of new varieties for the state of Montana. These 

evaluations will include crop growth and post-harvest evaluation of 

protein content and other seed traits important to the industry. This 

project will generate valuable data on the breeding lines present in the 

pulse breeding program and generate the necessary data to justify 

release. It will also lay the basis for future variety development.

$439,452.00
127

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

8. Enhancing Pea Tolerance 

Against Drought Stress 

Using Beneficial Bacteria

In this project, Montana State University researchers aim to mitigate 

growth damages of pea caused by drought using beneficial microbes. 

Beneficial bacteria are recruited by the stressed plant to cope with the 

drought stress and enhance plant adaption. Our goal is to identify and 

characterize beneficial bacteria to enhance pea resilience under 

drought stress conditions. Pea plants and rhizosphere soils will be 

sampled from the growing areas and the associated bacteria will be 

isolated. The effects of the isolates on plant growth will be tested under 

drought conditions to identify the beneficial strains. Special attentions 

will be given to bacteria of the pseudomonas group because they are 

well known in plant growth promotion and the PI has over 10 years 

research experiences on pseudomonas beneficial bacteria. The 

identified beneficial bacteria could also reduce the levels of irrigation 

requirement.

$186,634.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

9. From Traditional to 

Unique Wines – Strategies 

to Improve Montana’s 

Fermentation of Novel, 

Local Fruits

With 28 wineries and cideries and almost 150 vineyards, orchards, 

berry farms, the cider and wine industry in Montana is poised to profit 

from value-added and agritourism-based specialty crop production. For 

many of these new cold-hardy varieties there is a clearly defined need 

for research to identify appropriate methods for production of 

desirable and profitable fermented products. Montana State University 

will fill this need by pioneering fermentation processes for fruit wines, 

grape wines, and apple ciders. This project will also evaluate novel 

products from winery waste streams to take advantage of pomace that 

would otherwise be disposed of. Knowledge for northern wine and 

cider fermentation will be developed and shared via booklets, website 

resources, and workshops at regional conferences; these data will be 

combined with sensory evaluation to identify best practices.

$389,054.00
128

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

10. Post-harvest Processing 

to Improve Health 

Attributes and Economic 

Value of Small-Fruit

Montana State University will initiate post-harvest evaluations of small 

fruits for their local market. Storage work will focus on in-cooler lightemitting diode (leds) supplementation, an inexpensive technology 

demonstrated to improve quality and reduce deterioration of other 

small-fruits under extended storage conditions. Like fresh market, cold 

hardy berries have great opportunities as value-added processed 

products due to their flavor and reported health benefits (high 

antioxidant levels). Little is known about how post-harvest handling 

and processing affects these qualities. Thus, this project will also 

investigate how storage conditions and processing techniques affect 

flavor and health compounds towards value-added products.

$184,622.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72

11. Montana Berry Growers 

Association Education and 

Marketing Grant

The Montana Berry Growers Association (MTBGA), through 

sponsorship by the Missoula County Weed District and Extension will 

focus on grower education and marketing. The marketing efforts will 

focus on developing a marketing campaign using various media to 

introduce Montana berries and their health benefits to Montana 

consumers. The MTBGA will have three conferences during the grant 

cycle and bring in experts depending upon the information requested 

by association members. This will also provide the opportunity for 

members of the MTBGA to attend conferences outside of Montana to 

learn from more experienced berry growers this will include various 

types of media including, but not limited to, print and social media 

formats. The material will be used by Montana Berry Growers 

Association members and the association to promote the different 

types of berries and their nutritional values and health benefits.

$34,000.00

Montana 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,077,116.72 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$148,327.89
129

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

1. Mitigation of a Newly 

Introduced and Potentially 

Devastating Virus Disease of 

Tomato

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Department of Plant Pathology, in 

a contractual relationship with the Nebraska Department of 

Agriculture, will develop a protocol that would make four tomato 

varieties (Roma, Beefsteak, Grape and Cherry) tomatoes amenable to 

genetic modifications to provide resistance against tomato brown 

rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a newly identified and serious virus in the 

U.S. The protocol will offer quick and targeted development of resistant 

commercial tomato cultivars able to overcome a potentially disastrous 

ToBRFV disease thereby stabilizing productivity and availability of this 

important vegetable crop. The goal of this project is to equip Nebraska 

grown tomato varieties with molecular genetic modifications for 

resistance against ToBFRV.

$46,100.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

2. Mechanisms of Yield 

Reduction in Dry Edible 

Bean 

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), in a contractual relationship 

with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, is proposing an 

experiment where the shade avoidance response would be induced 

and direct competition for resources is prevented. This will quantify the 

impact of the weed interference in the absence of crop/weed 

competition. The goal of this study is to create, under a controlled 

condition, the shade avoidance response in dry beans, and then 

compare the yield loss impacts of the shade avoidance response 

compared to full competition between dry beans and weeds.

$57,346.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

3. Characterization of Pea 

Bacterial Blight Pathogen 

and Identification of 

Resistant Pea Germplasm 

for Nebraska

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), in a contractual relationship 

with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, will characterize pea 

bacterial blight pathogen complex, an important disease for Nebraska 

pea production, and establish a greenhouse screening method for the 

disease. Diseased samples of the production fields will be used to 

isolate and characterize the pathogens. The method will be established 

using field pathogens and USDA pea germplasm will be screened using 

the method. Deliverables will be a pathogen, disease screening 

method, and resistant pea genotype.

$58,000.00
130

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

4. Late-season Palmer 

Amaranth Interference in 

Dry Edible Bean

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), in a contractual relationship 

with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, is proposing to quantify 

the impact on dry bean caused by mid-season palmer amaranth 

interference after the loss of pre-crop emergence herbicide efficacy. 

The goal is to provide actionable thresholds that farmers and 

agronomists can use to guide management decisions. If this level of 

palmer density can be quantified, dry bean growers in Nebraska will 

have a better understanding of the expected impact it can have on 

their dry bean production and what adjustments can be made to 

manage growing practices accordingly.

$28,500.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

5. Climate Resilient 

Specialty Crops: Biobased 

Approaches for Mitigating 

Drought Stress

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), in a contractual relationship 

with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, will expand specialty 

crop research and development in Nebraska through field trials across 

two years that will explore the potential for arbuscular mycorrhizal 

fungi, compost, and biofabric mulch to mitigate drought stress in 

carrots and strawberries. Research conclusions that allow for 

implementation of new grower practices will be shared at regional 

grower conferences and in scientific publications.

$71,917.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

6. Use of Desiccation 

Herbicides in Dry Edible 

Bean to Reduce HerbicideResistant Weed Seed 

Production at Harvest

The University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), in a contractual relationship 

with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, is proposing to compare 

the performance of four desiccation herbicides in reducing weed 

biomass and weed seed production prior to harvest. The impact of 

different desiccation herbicide on weed seed production and on weed 

biomass reduction, prior to harvest, has not been previously 

investigated for herbicide-resistant weeds in dry edible beans. Results 

of this research will benefit dry bean growers in Nebraska who have 

uncontrolled herbicide-resistant weeds at harvest.

$15,582.00
131

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

7. Increasing Economic 

Sustainability by Using UV 

Light as the Latest Weapon 

in The Battle Against 

Powdery Mildew in the 

Vineyard

Mac's Creek Vineyards, in a contractual relationship with the Nebraska 

Department of Agriculture, will investigate the feasibility of eliminating 

or reducing chemical pesticide spraying for disease control against 

powdery mildew in vineyards via the usage of Ultraviolet (UV) light. 

This proposal is designed to develop environmentally preferable 

disease control practices that have a less harmful effect on human 

health and the environment when compared with competing 

traditional practices. This will lead to eco-friendly alternatives resulting 

in environmentally sound practices with equal or improved disease 

control reducing harmful environmental impact and disease resistance.

$58,200.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93 8. Omaha Urban Farm 

Zoning Guide and Registry

The City of Omaha Planning Department, in a contractual relationship 

with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, will develop an Urban 

Farm Zoning Guide and Registry to increase access to specialty crops 

and expand specialty crop production and distribution. The guide will 

educate producers about specialty crops and aid in navigating the city's 

new urban agriculture zoning, which increases points of access. 

Through partner organizations, registry participants will receive training 

and assistance that increases productivity and promotes the purchase 

of specialty crops.

$13,800.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

9. Developing a Novel 

Technology Combined 

Flavor-detection Method 

with Machine Learning 

Algorithm to Improve the 

Competitiveness of 

Nebraska Hops

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), in a contractual relationship 

with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, will develop a novel 

technology combined flavor-detection method with machine learning 

algorithm to enhance the flavor and use of Nebraska grown hops, 

therefore improving the sustainability of the Nebraska hop industry. By 

collaborating with hop farms and breweries in Nebraska, UNL will 

characterize the flavor profile of Nebraska hops, investigate hops 

function in beers, and enhance the flavor of Nebraska hops with precise 

computation models.

$73,024.00
132

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93 10. Potato Cyst Nematode 

2022

This project is designed to maintain Nebraska's Potato Cyst Nematode 

(PCN) pest-free status by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture 

(NDA) conducting comprehensive soil surveying throughout Nebraska 

to confirm the presence or absence of PCN in Nebraska. Maintaining 

Nebraska's PCN pest-free status requires official annual soil surveys of 

potato fields, to confirm the presence or absence of PCN in the state. 

This data makes it possible to certify potato products, particularly seed 

potatoes, for international trade. The cumulative years of data is 

beneficial in maintaining markets and opening new markets. Should 

PCN be found, survey data could be used to determine the extent of 

the infestation, and potentially mitigate the impact on trade.

$85,000.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93 11. Developing Pea 

Varieties for Nebraska

The Nebraska Dry Pea and Lentil Commission, in a contractual 

relationship with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, will focus on 

developing high yielding, superior pea varieties for Nebraska. Superior 

varieties are those which have high percentage of superior quality seed 

proteins, important non-protein nutrients, and low levels of antinutritional factors. Developing a pea crop tolerant to abiotic stresses 

common in Nebraska (including heat, drought, and winter hardiness 

(winter pea only)) and proper plant architecture for lodging tolerance 

and harvest ease is of paramount importance.

$120,000.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

12. Novel Iron-Chelating 

Agent for Improving Yield 

and Iron Quantity in 

Nebraska Pea

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Panhandle Research and 

Extension Center (PHREC), in a contractual relationship with the 

Nebraska Department of Agriculture, will work to improve iron in pea, 

which is important for human health. UNL will conduct a 2-year field 

trial to test if iron-cucurbituril oligomer improves iron quantity and 

quality in pea compared to commonly used products. Peas will be 

planted in the field and four iron treatments will be applied. The 

harvested seed will be used to determine iron content and quality. 

Deliverables will be a noble product to improve iron in pea.

$45,706.00
133

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93

13. Microbial Solution to 

Address Iron Deficiency 

Chlorosis in Dry Edible 

Beans

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Panhandle Research and 

Extension Center (PHREC), in a contractual relationship with the 

Nebraska Department of Agriculture, will evaluate biological 

management for iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) in dry edible beans in 

high-pH soils. The 2-year trial will be conducted to evaluate the efficacy 

of siderophore-producing microbial solution to address IDC in dry 

beans. The IDC is a complex problem related to soil properties, pH, 

temperature, moisture, and carbonate content. Chlorosis can also 

occur in dry beans when there is high soil residual nitrate level. 

Depending on the severity, IDC can cause a significant bean yield loss.

$50,400.00

Nebraska State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$831,404.93 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$66,295.85

Nevada 

Department of 

Agriculture

$273,176.55

1. The Farm2Food 

Accelerator: Energizing 

Growth for Nevada’s 

Female Specialty Crop 

Producers 2022-2025

The Farm2Food Accelerator is a 15-week program that equips female 

specialty crop producers and food entrepreneurs using specialty crop 

ingredients to expand production of their food products and enter new 

regional markets. This project will accomplish the following: 1) 

Integrate Nevada specialty crop producers into the Farm2Food 

Accelerator and evaluate the effectiveness of the program and 2) Use 

research findings and feedback from the Nevada 2021-2022 Farm2Food 

Pilot Program to continue to adapt the Farm2Food Accelerator to 

better serve Nevada producers.

$99,098.00
134

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Nevada 

Department of 

Agriculture

$273,176.55 2. Beans: Direct Harvest-toConsumers Market

The University of Nevada, Reno Extension will conduct specialty crop 

research and demonstrations to evaluate seven diverse varieties of 

beans, including heirloom and tepary beans for agronomic parameters 

and preference for marketability in northern Nevada. The addition of 

bean varieties will enhance the competitiveness through increased 

production and thus consumption by introducing this new crop to the 

local community and growers through a series of outreach activities, 

including extension publication, conference presentations, field 

demonstrations, and teaching school students the concept of 

sustainable agriculture through a presentation during their Ag Day 

events or classroom teaching.

$74,070.16

Nevada 

Department of 

Agriculture

$273,176.55

3. A Survey of Pest and 

Beneficial Thrips 

(Thysanoptera) Associated 

with Grapes and Other 

Nevada Specialty Crops

The Nevada Department of Agriculture will survey for and collect thrips 

from targeted specialty crops during the growing season to assess pest 

specific and beneficial species that impact specialty crops. The project 

will result in an increased knowledge of the species present on crops 

and their distribution in Nevada. This will in turn be used to heighten 

the awareness of what diseases might be transmitted to the crops by 

thrips. The determination of what predatory thrips are present can lead 

to them being included in integrated pest management programs for 

the crops.

$79,519.93

Nevada 

Department of 

Agriculture

$273,176.55 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$14,289.83

New Hampshire 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Markets and Food

$206,681.23

1. Innovative Pest 

Management Using Soil 

Steaming Technology

The Merrimack County Conservation District aims to make accessible to 

Merrimack County, NH, specialty crop producers a soil steamer to 

reduce pest pressure, increase crop yields, and reduce the use of 

pesticides in high tunnels and crop land. This shareable equipment will 

reduce weeds, invasive species, pathogens, and potentially reduce the 

presence of invasive jumping worms on farms.

$42,530.00
135

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New Hampshire 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Markets and Food

$206,681.23

2. Promoting New 

Hampshire Hard Cider to 

the European Market

The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs 

(BEA), Office of International Commerce (OIC) is proposing to help NH 

cider producers realize new economic opportunities by helping them 

take advantage of selling overseas. This project will address new 

international marketing opportunities for New Hampshire’s hard cider 

with a focus on the European market.

$63,393.00

New Hampshire 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Markets and Food

$206,681.23

3. Buy New Hampshire 

Specialty Crops Targeted 

Social Media and Spotify 

Advertising Campaign in 

Partnership with NH 

Division of Travel & Tourism 

Development

The NH Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food proposes to 

utilize specific marketing concepts-- Instagram Stories, Collection Ads 

and MediaMath Display-- to engage audiences on traditional social 

media platforms (Facebook and Instagram) about NH specialty crop 

farms and products.

$86,132.01

New Hampshire 

Department of 

Agriculture, 

Markets and Food

$206,681.23 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$14,626.22

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

1. Developing Culturally 

Preferred Nutrient-Dense 

Leafy Greens As Promising 

Specialty Crops For New 

Jersey Farmers

Rutgers University has a long history of studying high-value specialty 

crops that appeal to the diverse ethnocultural groups that reside in 

New Jersey. Our project will identify and screen promising land races, 

cultivars, and our own selections of amaranth and roselle that do well 

under New Jersey growing conditions and characterize their nutritional 

and phytochemical composition. We will share our findings with 

existing and beginning growers and conduct outreach to consumers 

about better handling and preparation techniques.

$37,040.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

2. Growing the New Jersey 

Wine Industry: Rutgers 

Grape And Wine Science 

Certificate Program

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, will create and deliver a 

Grape and Wine Science Certificate educational program which will 

train 75 graduates. The program will provide much needed workforce 

development to the wine industry of New Jersey and enhance the 

competitiveness of this industry.

$37,037.00
136

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

3. Mitigating Blueberry 

Scorch Virus Using Artificial 

Intelligence And 

Autonomous Drones

Rowan University will mitigate the spread of blueberry scorch virus by 

developing artificial intelligence (AI) software that allows an aerial 

drone to fly autonomously over blueberry fields and perform early and 

accurate detection of infected plants. Results will be disseminated to 

stakeholders through demonstrations of our technology at grower 

meetings and through deploying our technology at selected blueberry 

farms in South Jersey to assess its effectiveness.

$36,404.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

4. Identifying New 

Fungicides For Cranberry 

Fruit Rot Control Using A 

Novel Bioassay

The American Cranberry Growers’ Association (ACGA) has established 

“Identification of fungicides with activity against fruit rot pathogens” as 

a research priority. The existing fungicide toolbox is limited to four 

groups of fungicides. The funding will support researchers at the 

Rutgers University Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry 

Research and Extension to complete a high throughput bioassay system 

for identification of new fungicides for fruit rot control.

$39,998.01

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58 5. Who's Your Hunterdon 

County Farmer?

The Hunterdon County Board of Agriculture would like to develop an 

interactive online education and marking portal for consumers to easily 

reach Hunterdon County farmers. The website would be able to be 

maintained by the Agriculture Board as well as the farms having access 

to their personal pages. The main page will highlight different farmers 

every week. We will also have chances for schools to request classroom 

visits from farmers, educational information about latest trends in 

farming, old family farm recipes, and links to sites such as Jersey Fresh, 

USDA, Rutgers Extension, etc. The county board would like to also have 

a farmer’s only page with links for useful articles, upcoming meetings, 

and any info needed from the State that pertains to farmers.

$15,000.00
137

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

6. Expanding Awareness, 

Education, And Demand For 

New Jersey’s Specialty 

Crops

The Foodshed Alliance will create a “Know Farms, Know Food” 

campaign providing significant exposure to north and central New 

Jersey’s specialty crop farmers. The campaign will include three main 

components: social media campaign spotlighting the individual 

specialty crop farms, what they grow, and how they grow it; On the 

Farm Tastings and Tours at individual specialty crop farms, and a series 

of consumer workshops on the benefits of eating healthy, delicious 

locally produced food, as well as providing hands-on education on how 

to incorporate it into their lives (instructions on cooking, processing, 

preserving, etc.

$39,949.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58 7. Advertising Jersey Fresh 

Blueberries – 2022-2023

As part of a more extensive research and promotion program, The New 

Jersey Blueberry Growers Association seeks Specialty Crop Block Grant 

funding for a project to promote awareness and purchase of local, New 

Jersey grown blueberries in season via a radio campaign and aerial 

banners over the Jersey Shore during the height of New Jersey’s 

blueberry growing season.

$40,000.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

8. Expanding Specialty Crop 

Knowledge And ProducerConsumer Connections 

Through Educational WebBased Forums And Social 

Media 

The New Jersey Agricultural Society (NJAS) proposed project addresses 

opportunities to significantly expand knowledge of a wider range of 

specialty crops through web-based forums and expanded social media 

outreach among students within the 22 Learning Through Gardening 

(LTG) schools. This approach will enrich learning opportunities for the 

students, all of whom were significantly impacted by COVID-19 

closures/restrictions which resulted in lost learning time. Additionally, 

the project focuses on expanding the visibility of specialty crop farmers 

to connect them more directly to consumers of such crops and will 

support expanded reach of the LTG program to broader audiences, e.g., 

teachers, school staff, students’ families, and the public.

$37,065.00
138

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

9. Competitive Marketing 

Of Jersey Fresh And Local 

Jersey Peaches

The New Jersey Peach Promotion Council will direct and coordinate a 

group of approved and successful techniques to market locally grown 

New Jersey (NJ) peaches using expert consultants, volunteers, director 

peach growers, peach marketers and expert fruit scientists from 

Rutgers University and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. The 

outcome will be focused on maintaining and enhancing the 

sustainability of a competitive peach industry in the state of New 

Jersey. This will be done by improving the visibility of the local peach 

crop using competitive consumer and trade advertising and other 

marketing technology. 

$40,000.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

10. Promoting The Sale Of 

Deciduous And Flowering 

Trees And Landscape 

Confers Through A 

Replanting And Marketing 

Campaign

New Jersey Forestry Association, Inc. will partner with New Jersey 

growers to increase the sale of deciduous and flowering trees and 

landscape conifers to offer replacement seedlings to landowners and 

municipalities. To guarantee the success of this replanting program, 

marketing and education will be provided.

$20,000.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

11. Promoting Specialty 

Crops Grown And Sold By 

The Members Of The New 

Jersey Council Of Farmers 

And Communities

The New Jersey Council of Farmers and Communities (NJCFC) will 

promote New Jersey grown specialty crops through marketing and 

promotion using both traditional, social media, and online venues to 

increase awareness, and provide wholesome produce and outlet 

locations for sales of New Jersey Specialty Crops. Increasing farm to 

table Specialty Crops directly through our 30+ farmers’ markets and 

farm roadside stands comprises our non-profit organization’s 

membership and our mission.

$40,000.00

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

12. Expanding Organic Dry 

Bean Production For YearRound Farm Income In New 

Jersey 

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey will increase 

the supply and demand of organic dry beans throughout New Jersey by 

conducting field research, consumer marketing, and education, 

training, and technical support for farmers. By increasing the diversity 

of crops produced in New Jersey and by increasing the ability of farms 

to sell shelf-stable goods year-round, this project will support farms’ 

financial viability and local food system security.

$14,489.50
139

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58

13. Project To Maximize 

The Effectiveness Of The 

Jersey Fresh Advertising 

Program In 2023 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, social media, and other 

online promotions.

$402,366.21

New Jersey 

Department of 

Agriculture

$873,944.58 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$60,036.81

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$565,724.94

1. Protecting NM Chile and 

Tomato Crops from Disease 

while Generating Electricity 

through Agrivoltaics

This project, performed by New Mexico State University (NMSU) 

researchers at two New Mexico locations, seeks to evaluate the degree 

of protection against Curly Top Virus (CTV) infection provided to chile 

and tomato plants grown under solar panel shading. Electrical output 

will also be gauged to estimate potential economic benefits to 

producers benefiting from less CTV crop loss and electricity generation.

$27,600.78

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$565,724.94

2. Genetic Dissection of 

Phytophthora capsici 

Resistance in Chile pepper 

using Epigenomic and 

Transcriptomic

Approaches

In the proposed project, New Mexico State University (NMSU) will 

facilitate the development of Phytophthora capsici resistant chile 

pepper varieties in New Mexico using powerful epigenomic and 

transcriptomic tools. In this proposed study, DNA methylation profiling 

will be conducted to understand the impact of methylation on the 

expression of genes related to P. capsici resistance. RNA-sequencing 

will be used to discover functional SNP markers for molecular breeding. 

Results from this study will render novel insights into the genetic 

architecture of the P. capsici-Capsicum pathosystem which can direct 

breeding and selection efforts to improve disease resistance of chile 

pepper in New Mexico.

$92,922.00
140

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$565,724.94

3. Jujube Cultivar Selection 

Through Open Pollinated 

Progenies 

New Mexico State University (NMSU) Alcalde Center will start the 

jujube cultivar selection through open pollinated progeny. With their 

existing jujube cultivar trials, they will collect open pollinated fruit from 

target maternal cultivars. They will plant 400-500 seedlings and select 

promising seedlings with reasonable tree growth, good fruit quality and 

yield for further testing. In the long run, they expect to have some U.S. 

selected jujube cultivars.

$39,225.00

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$565,724.94

4. Selecting Adapted 

Cultivars of Lavender for 

Northern New Mexico

New Mexico State University (NMSU) Sustainable Agricultural Science 

Center at Alcalde will select hardy lavender cultivars adapted to the 

growing conditions of northern New Mexico. They plan to sow 3000-

5000 seed to generate as many individuals with as much genetic 

variation as possible. The first stage will begin in 2023 with propagation 

from seed at Farmington, New Mexico. The first-generation plants will 

go through a heavy rogueing in 2023 when weak plants will be 

eliminated before being transplanted to the field.

$28,659.17

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$565,724.94

5. Phase 2: Expanding 

Statewide Value Chain 

Coordination to Grow 

Specialty Crop Sales and 

Related Infrastructure 

Duration: 3 Years

In this “Phase 2” project, the New Mexico Farmers’ Marketing 

Association will advance the foundational statewide value chain 

coordination work that begun in 2018 to increase sales of, and access 

to specialty crops produced by small and midscale growers, many of 

whom are socially disadvantaged farmers from native American and 

traditional Hispanic communities. The value chain work being 

performed in this project supports the middle of the supply chain by 

providing food safety training, quality assurance, HGAP+ certification, 

and a variety of technical assistance to specialty crop farmers and local 

food hubs who distribute their produce. An innovative pilot will test 

forward contracting for producers, and the project will also support 

food hub participation in a new shared data measurement system.

$312,783.51
141

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$565,724.94

6. Nursery and Greenhouse 

Training/Continuing 

Education and Plant Guide 

for New Mexico

The Colorado Nursery and Greenhouse Association (CNGA) manages 

the professional organization for New Mexico Greenhouses and 

Nurseries through its NM Chapter. This project will provide classes and 

training for NM greenhouse and nursery staff to increase their technical 

knowledge about nursery and greenhouse crops and will develop a NM 

Plant Guide.

$19,154.00

New Mexico 

Department of 

Agriculture

$565,724.94

7. ISO 17025 Quality 

Manager for New Mexico 

State University Food Safety 

Laboratory

The NMSU Food Safety Laboratory plans to hire a quality manager (QM) 

to help us obtain and maintain ISO 17025 accreditation. The activities 

required to demonstrate laboratory competence under ISO 17025 are 

extensive and require a lot of recordkeeping.

$43,499.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05

1. Kale Hybrids with 

Improved Producer and 

Consumer Qualities

Cornell University will establish an agreement to lead and execute this 

project. The new kale F1 hybrids introduced through this effort will 

provide improved products in the three primary market classes: green 

curly, red curly and Toscano. These hybrids will have improved quality 

and taste for NY consumers while incorporating yield and production 

improvements for NY growers such as black rot tolerance. This effort 

will capitalize on over a decade of work developing new and improved 

kale inbred lines and parents that will form the base for these new 

hybrids. This has involved significant prior efforts incorporating 

improved taste, texture, quality, and regional adaptation.

$90,960.00
142

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05

2. Developing a 

Management Strategy for 

Halo Blight of Hops in New 

York

Cornell University will establish an agreement to lead and execute this 

project. The implementers will survey hop gardens in NY to assess the 

prevalence, incidence, and severity of Halo Blight, assess the 

contribution of Halo Blight to cone disease, screen fungicides for 

control, assess the susceptibility of different varieties of hop, and 

provide growers with the necessary information to enable them to 

identify and manage this emerging disease. Diseases of hop are one of 

the main drivers of yield and quality of hop cones. Growers in NY are 

familiar with the main diseases such as powdery and downy mildew, 

and while these remain challenging to control, there is considerable 

information available for growers to utilize. Conversely, Halo Blight 

caused by a newly described fungus (Diaporthe humulicola) is a 

recently described disease which has become problematic in the 

Northeast, and for which there is little information available.

$91,396.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05

3. Integrating Tarps and 

Other Soil Health Practices 

to Enhance Climate 

Resilience of Small-Scale 

Vegetable Farms

Cornell University will establish an agreement to lead and execute this 

project. This grant will support the adoption of reduce tillage (RT) 

practices, Cornell University will trial black plastic tarps as a scaleappropriate and labor-saving management tool to terminate winter 

hardy cover crops, improve soil nutrient availability, suppress weeds, 

and increase crop productivity. With increasing adoption of RT and 

tarping among small-scale vegetable farmers, there is a growing need 

for research-based information and best practices that work to 

integrate cover crops within their intensive rotations. Our research and 

extension team, together with collaborating farmers, will engage 340 

farmers and educators by facilitating on-farm experimentation, hosting 

regional field days across the state, and conducting applied research to 

demonstrate how tarps provide a new strategy to improve RT success 

with winter hardy cover crops.

$60,212.00
143

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05

4. Enhancing Midwinter 

Cold Hardiness and Frost 

Resistance in Grapevines 

with Foliar Calcium

This proposal aims to test foliar calcium sprays for their impact on cold 

hardiness level throughout two winters, and two springs. Long-term 

outcomes include the protection of sensitive grapevine varieties, 

improved vine health and vineyard economic sustainability. Results will 

be processed and shared through outreach and extension efforts using 

Cornell Cooperative Extension and presentations at the BEVNY and 

LERGP industry conferences. At the conclusion of the study, results will 

be summarized and published in Appellation Cornell as well as in peerreviewed format.

$86,580.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05

5. Educating New York 

Producers to use UV Light 

to Improve Specialty Crop 

Health and Profitability

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will establish an agreement to

lead and execute this project. The goals of this project are to (a) 

educate producers and extension staff involved in research or producer 

education and outreach about the effectiveness of UV-C light in 

combating and preventing specialty crop disease, (b) show the value of 

UV-C light-based systems as a cost-effective and safe tool for integrated 

pest management on small and large farms, and (c) teach producers 

how to build and deploy simple UV-C systems on their own farms using 

commercially available components.

$93,218.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05

6. Establishing Bulbous 

Bluegrass as a Living Mulch 

in Perennial Crop Systems 

to Improve Soil Health and 

Reduce Herbicide Use

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County will establish an 

agreement to lead and execute this project. This proposal focuses on 

evaluating Bulbous Bluegrass (Poa bulbosa L. ssp. Vivipara) as a living 

mulch for use as a viable weed management strategy. There is also 

great interest in using perennial green covers to reduce or eliminate 

herbicide use and to improve soil physical, biological, and chemical 

properties. Results will be communicated to growers via field meetings 

and through both print and on-line publications.

$79,015.00
144

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05

7. Automated Irrigation 

Management of Apples to 

Maximize Fruit Size and 

Crop Value

Cornell University will establish an agreement to lead and execute this 

project. We propose to use fruit growth rate and stem water potential 

to determine a threshold of stem water potential which maximizes fruit 

growth rate for use in an automated apple irrigation system we will 

develop. The automated system will involve cutting edge sensors 

(micro-tensiometers) and a control system. To develop the systems, we 

will pair fruit growth rate sensors from Italy and micro-tensiometer 

sensors from USA in field studies at Geneva and Ithaca in 2023 and 

2024. We will then develop and implement the automated irrigation 

system in 2024.

$89,150.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05 8. GAP Reimbursement 

Program

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) will 

continue work that previous SCBG Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) 

projects successfully implemented. The proposed project will promote 

the GAP audit as the best way to prepare for new regulatory programs 

and standards to be implemented under the Food Safety 

Modernization Act (FSMA). We will continue to focus support for first 

time and potentially subsequent GAP audits as New York GAP program 

data indicates that a significant number of farms continue participation 

with GAP audits after having their initial audit.

$50,000.00

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05

9. Marketing and 

Promotion of New York 

Specialty Crops

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) will 

continue our consumer-facing marketing campaign to increase the 

competitiveness of NY specialty crops by increasing wholesale and 

retail awareness, demand, and distribution avenues which will lead to 

an increase in NY specialty crop sales by 5%. Marketing activities will 

focus on a coordinated presence at key national and regional 

tradeshows, thereby building awareness and expanding sales 

networking opportunities for various New York State specialty crop 

commodities and their representatives. Activities will also include the 

production and distribution of promotional materials, including an 

updated buyer’s guide, for use at trade shows and special promotional 

events, as well as providing samples of specialty crops for participants 

to try.

$504,023.74
145

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

New York State 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Markets

$1,310,855.05 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$98,401.80

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 1. JoCo Grows Specialty 

Crops

The Johnston County Tourism Authority in partnership with NC 

Cooperative Extension of Johnston County and the JoCo Grows 

Agriculture Steering Committee, will endeavor to educate residents, 

visitors, and consumers within the region, the value and benefits of 

specialty crops grown in Johnston County therefore increasing direct 

sales for our farmers. Connecting farmers to the resources available in 

Johnston County, and statewide for marketing and promotional 

purposes will take the awareness of specialty crops for sale in Johnston 

County to another level, increase revenues, create, and maintain jobs, 

and reach under-served communities through increased accessibility of 

local foods. Our objectives will be met by executing several innovative 

marketing projects, holding public on-farm events, designing a 

marketing plan template, and engaging in educational outreach to 

support agricultural profitability, distribution, and productivity for 

Johnston County specialty crop farmers.

$149,315.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 2. Producing North Carolina 

Ginger 

North Carolina Agricultural & Technical University (NC A&T) will 

promote ginger and its production by identifying the best cultivars. 

Ginger, as one of the most important spices and food additives, sells at 

$15-20 per pound in Farmers Markets and brings high profits to small, 

limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers. Six to eight 

commercially available ginger cultivars will be evaluated for two 

seasons in field and high tunnels in the Piedmont, Southeast and 

Northeast regions of North Carolina. Seed ginger (mature ginger 

rhizome) production will also be explored using ginger produced in high 

tunnels, with a goal of mitigating the reliance of seed gingers from 

Hawaii. A ginger production guide reflecting the production techniques 

of the best cultivars identified from the trials will be published for 

growers and county extension agents. 

$148,542.00
146

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 3. Expanding NC Fraser Fir 

Brand Awareness

The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association will build on previous 

successful Specialty Crop Block Grant projects by expanding its social 

media distribution across current platforms using shared value 

strategies to extend brand awareness of the superior quality of “North 

Carolina Fraser fir, the perfect Christmas tree” to consumers, and to 

provide a counterpoint to extensive misinformation from the artificial 

tree manufacturers. Improvements in genetics, production, pruning 

and shearing, and in postharvest tree care all set North Carolina Fraser 

firs above the competition. Branding can draw on this scientific 

advantage as well as tree characteristics and attributes. This project will 

also support both growers and Christmas tree retailers by providing 

new and updated educational and promotional materials across print, 

social media, and video formats.

$102,704.50

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 4. NC Hops to Beer

North Carolina State University will conduct a field trial of selected hop 

plants for evaluating yield, brewing test beers, and releasing the 

selections to NC hop growers. In this project, we will grow 20 plants of 

each of the five selections in a replicated trial. These plants will produce 

yields for us to provide the hops to collaborating breweries for brewing 

test beers. We will also collect data from these selections on yield and 

responses to disease and insect pressures. These data will be used for 

releasing these selections for NC hop production.

$74,932.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 5. Protecting Hemlocks in 

Nurseries and Forests

Hemlock trees are critical to North Carolina tourism, watershed 

protection, and biodiversity. Hemlocks are also a major nursery crop 

and important to the economy of central and western North Carolina. 

Unfortunately, introduction of an invasive insect, hemlock woolly 

adelgid (HWA), has decimated hemlock forests and much of the 

hemlock nursery industry. North Carolina State University will improve 

sustainable hemlock pest management and conservation by developing 

integrated pest management practices for hemlock production in 

nurseries to include least toxic insecticides and resistant hemlock 

genotypes. Hemlocks grown with these practices will protect the 

environment and will not harm biological control organisms released by 

state and federal agencies for hemlock conservation in forests.

$150,000
147

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 6. Informing Apple Thinning 

with Emerging Technologies

Thinning (the intentional removal of flowers and/or fruit) is a critical 

annual management decision for apple growers. Apple trees produce 

an excessive number of fruit, and over 70% must be removed (thinned) 

to optimize crop value, enhance fruit quality, and ensure consistent 

cropping. Thinning decisions have serious economic consequences 

($5,000 to $10,000 difference in crop value per acre). Application(s) of 

plant growth regulators (thinners) are the most cost-effective and 

efficient method that growers have to thin fruit. The North Carolina 

State University will advance the development of a portable-handheld 

meter to predict apple crop load during the chemical thinning window. 

This promising technology will allow growers to rapidly assess the 

efficacy of a chemical thinner application and determine whether a 

follow-up application is needed to reach a target crop load.

$117,350.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 7. Soil Alkalinization to 

Manage Bacterial Wilt

Bacterial wilt of tomato, caused by the Ralstonia solanacearum species 

complex (RSSC), limits tomato production in North Carolina (NC) due to 

its long persistence in the soil, widespread distribution across the state, 

and the lack of effective and sustainable management options. Some 

evidence suggests that soil alkalinization (increase in soil pH) can 

reduce the incidence of this disease in susceptible crops, but the 

effectiveness of this tactic to manage bacterial wilt on tomato is 

supported only by anecdotal observations in NC. Faculty at North 

Carolina State University propose this project which aims to: 1) 

investigate the practice of soil alkalinization to manage bacterial wilt on 

tomato in NC; 2) understand the impact of soil alkalinization on the 

persistence and viability of RSSC in soil; and 3) identify 

recommendations for nutrient management under an alkaline soil.

$172,299.50
148

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 8. Smart Farming Using 

Digital Diagnostic Sensors

Emerging plant diseases and pest outbreaks reduce crop production 

with serious economic implications for North Carolina growers. In this 

project, research scientists and extension specialists at NC State will

work with extension, grower, and crop consultants to understand the 

pathogen biology of an emerging Phytophthora species attacking the 

tomato and potato. We have identified a Phytophthora infestans lookalike, P. nicotianae, as the cause of severe disease in some potato and 

tomato fields. This more heat tolerant Phytophthora species has 

emerged with climate change. We will use smartphone-based LAMP 

technology to deliver a cost effective molecular diagnostic assay to the 

field so that we can identify Phytophthora species that infect potato 

and tomato in NC more rapidly. 

$101,593.00

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64

9. Breeding New 

Blueberries for Mechanical

Harvest

The North Carolina State University Blueberry Breeding Program has 

long supported and collaborated with NC blueberry growers to breed 

cultivars that stand up to our challenging climate and meet the needs 

of high yield, quality, and machine harvestability. New machine-harvest 

trials will inform the release of new NC State blueberry cultivars, while 

new technologies such as machine learning and in vitro 

micropropagation will allow us to grow and test larger numbers of 

selections in our berry evaluations. In addition, our cooperative 

breeding and partnership with NC blueberry growers help develop new 

varieties faster.

$145,000.00
149

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 10. Genomic Resilience to 

Christmas Tree Pest

This project will be a collaboration between the Christmas Tree 

Genetics Program and the Molecular Tree Breeding Lab in the 

Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State 

University. Our goal is to improve resilience of Fraser fir Christmas trees 

to a major regulatory pest, the Elongate Hemlock Scale (EHS), through 

an integration of genomic tools with traditional tree breeding 

approaches. Fraser fir is one of North Carolina’s most important 

specialty crops with annual revenues between $125 - 250 million. 

Conventional IPM approaches to manage EHS require extensive inputs 

and are largely unsuccessful. Our project aims to identify and develop 

Fraser fir Christmas tree genotypes with enhanced genetic resilience to 

EHS. The results of our efforts will benefit the NC Christmas tree 

industry and contribute to genetic conservation of native Fraser fir 

populations in NC. 

$176,219.16

North Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$1,356,136.64 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$16,095.98

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38 1. North Dakota Specialty 

Crop Education Series

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) will offer a series 

of workshops around the state to educate producers in growing, 

preparing, marketing, and selling specialty crops. At the conclusion of 

these events, attendees will have gained knowledge about food safety 

and will learn new business practices to improve specialty crop 

production and distribution.

$73,625.84

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38 2. Supporting Seed Potato 

Exports to Canada

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) will support 

exports of seed potatoes grown in North Dakota to Canada by 

conducting a survey of Potato Cyst Nematodes or PCN (Globodera 

pallida and G. rostochiensis). A survey showing field specific negative 

results for PCN is required for shipments of seed potatoes into Canada. 

Results will be disseminated to participating potato growers. NDDA will 

partner with North Dakota State Seed Department (NDSSD) to 

complete this project.

$79,925.00
150

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

3. Honeybee Virus and 

Pathogen Survey and 

Research Publication

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) will document the 

presence or absence of various honeybee pests and pathogens through 

a comprehensive survey and provide outreach and education to the 

beekeeping industry and the general public. NDDA will also publish a 

booklet with all the previously funded research projects funded by 

various grant programs that NDDA administers.

$102,094.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

4. Increasing the Availability 

of SSR Genotyping for 

Variety Identification in 

Chickpea and Field Pea

The National Agricultural Genotyping Center will develop two 

genotyping panels for variety identification in chickpea and field pea for 

the seed industry. Certification of field peas in North Dakota requires 

variety confirmation by genotyping, but upgrades to the existing 

diagnostic technology are needed to increase the efficiency and 

accuracy of variety identification.

$322,497.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

5. High-throughput 

Screening for the Genetic 

Markers of Africanized 

Honeybee Colonies

The National Agricultural Genotyping Center (NAGC) will develop a 

high-throughput genetic test to survey colonies for a common marker 

associated with Africanized honeybees (AHB). The test will help apiary 

inspectors and beekeepers identify AHB and limit the further spread of 

aggressive colonies and AHB traits associated with reduced honey 

production.

$118,426.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

6. International Export 

Expansion of N.D. Specialty 

Crops

The North Dakota Trade Office (NDTO) seeks to increase the market 

share of N.D. specialty crops by strategically expanding internationally. 

We plan to do this by providing up to six N.D. companies the 

opportunity to exhibit at SIAL Paris, France, in 2022; Increasing the 

exposure of pulse crops for up to four N.D. companies to the Middle 

East and North African Region by exhibiting at Gulfood 2023 in Dubai, 

United Arab Emirates; and executing an NDTO lead trade mission to 

India based on the market research to a promising region where up to 

five companies will meet with prescreened buyers and develop 

relationships for lasting success.

$307,706.00
151

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

7. Screening for Pea Root 

Rot Disease Resistance in 

Newly Developed NDSU 

Breeding Lines and 

Germplasm 

North Dakota State University Williston Research Extension Center will 

maintain Aphanomyces and Fusarium root rot breeding nurseries by 

infesting the soil with pathogen inoculum and growing susceptible host 

crops and screen North Dakota State University pea breeding lines for 

resistance to Fusarium and Aphanomyces root rot. Maintaining these 

nurseries will serve as a resource to the pulse breeding community for 

many years to come and screening NDSU breeding lines will aid in the 

development of root rot resistant varieties adapted to the North 

Dakota growing region.

$84,438.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

8. Improving Management 

of Two Important Foliar 

Leaf Spotting Diseases of 

Potatoes Improving 

Management of Two 

Important Foliar Leaf 

Spotting Disease

Plant pathologists from North Dakota State University will conduct 

research to improve management recommendations for early blight 

and brown leaf spot of potato caused by Alternaria pathogens. Results 

from pathogen aggressiveness trials, fungicide efficacy evaluations and 

pathogen sequencing will increase our understanding of the brown leaf 

spot pathogen complex including the levels of SDHI fungicide 

resistance.

$197,715.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

9. Defining Verticillium on 

Tubers with Image Analysis 

During Bulking

North Dakota State University will develop improved grower 

recommendations, earlier diagnosis for Verticillium dahliae, and 

increase economic return by determining bulking rate of three russet 

potatoes. The purpose of this study is to understand the effects of 

planting dates on the develop of bulking rates and to define V. dahliae 

accumulation of Dakota Russet, Bannock Russet and Russet Burbank 

utilizing traditional laboratory methods and developing a new imaging 

analysis.

$141,392.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

10. Weed Control in Dry 

Pea, Lentil, and Chickpea 

Using Fall Cover Crop and 

Herbicides. 

North Dakota State University will evaluate using a winter rye (Secale 

cereale) cover crop combined with fall-applied herbicides to control 

winter annual weeds and early spring-emerging weeds like kochia and 

Russian thistle. The project goal is to utilize the competitive shading 

ability of winter rye combined with fall-applied herbicides to reduce the 

density and size of weeds that compete with pulse crops.

$57,311.00
152

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

11. Identifying Dry Bean 

Germplasm and Genomic 

Regions with Resistance to 

New Soybean Cyst 

Nematode Populations

The Department of Plant Pathology at North Dakota State University 

(NDSU) will evaluate 250 dry bean cultivars, germplasm, and breeding 

lines for their resistance to the new virulent soybean cyst nematode 

(SCN) populations HG type 2.5.7 and HG type 1.2.5.7 detected in North 

Dakota and perform a genome wide association study (GWAS) for 

identifying genomic regions and genes associated with resistance to 

SCN in dry bean in cooperation with the Dry Bean Breeding Program at 

NDSU.

$126,062.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

12. Strategic Management 

of Dry Bean Rust: Pathogen 

Surveillance, Host Genetics, 

and Economics of 

Resistance

North Dakota State University researchers propose a multifaceted rust 

management strategy that includes rust surveillance, evaluation of 

genetic resistance, and determination of the economic impact of that 

resistance when used by growers. Surveillance activities will involve 

identifying and characterizing rust races in North Dakota using 

traditional and genomics approaches. The newly released rust-resistant 

bean cultivars and new breeding lines from the NDSU dry bean 

breeding program will be screened against those pathogen races to 

determine the efficacy of genetic resistance and identify potential 

threats of resistance breakdown.

$192,347.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

13. Identifying Dry Beans 

and Rhizobia That Can 

Withstand Soil Salinity and 

Waterlogging.

North Dakota State University aims to improve cultivar selection of dry 

beans for waterlogged and saline soil conditions, and to also determine 

how these conditions influence efficiency of BNF. The goals of this 

project will be accomplished by conducting waterlogging and salinity 

tolerance field and greenhouse experiments to isolate conditions, dry 

bean cultivars and breeding lines, to assess inoperable conditions for 

existing inoculum and to identify rhizobia within the nodules of bean 

plants growing under these two soil conditions and evaluate their 

potential for development as salinity and flooding-tolerant inoculants.

$160,380.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

14. Molecular Approaches 

to Identify Ascochyta 

Resistance in Chickpea

Plant breeders and plant pathologists of North Dakota State University 

will work together to unravel the molecular aspects of Ascochyta rabiei 

– chickpea interaction and use this data to identify durable resistance 

of chickpea to the devastating disease Ascochyta blight.

$312,883.00
153

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38 15. North Dakota Garlic 

From Field to Fork

North Dakota State University will establish an agreement relationship 

with the State Department of Agriculture to lead and execute the 

project that will work toward the increased production of garlic in 

North Dakota and encourage consumers to use more garlic on their 

menus, especially to encourage vegetable and specialty crop 

consumption. We propose to conduct a garlic variety trial to evaluate 

garlic cultivars transplanted at three intervals for growth, development, 

yield, and quality when all other production variables remain constant.

$86,019.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

16. Evaluation of Woody 

Ornamental Shrubs for 

North Dakota

North Dakota State University will conduct this project to provide 

information to growers and users (landscape companies and 

homeowners) for new ornamental woody shrubs for North Dakota 

landscapes. Increasing woody plant species for use in landscaping 

applications would have a significant impact on residents’ specifically in 

North Dakota and throughout the region.

$71,635.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

17. Evaluating Aronia for 

Edible and Ornamental Use 

for North Dakota

North Dakota State University will evaluate 21 different 

cultivars/unreleased accessions of Aronia and provide information to 

commercial small fruit growers and the North Dakota Greenhouse, 

Nursery and Landscape Association on cultivar use for edible and 

ornamental use. Recommendations will be made available through 

websites, newsletter articles and field day presentations.

$58,919.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

18. Fumigation Effects on 

Carryover of Herbicides in 

Potato Production

North Dakota State University will determine the effects of fumigation 

on herbicide carryover in potato production systems. This project will 

determine the breakdown rate of herbicides when fumigated the fall 

after summer herbicide application. Research plots will be established 

to include different herbicides with and without fumigation. Soil 

samples will be taken and evaluated for herbicide residues to 

determine what effects fumigation has on the availability of these 

herbicides. Plants growth with be monitored and yield taken to be 

associated with soil samples.

$132,368.00
154

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

19. Adding Pre-biotics to 

Pro-biotics: 

Chemoattractants Support 

Rhizosphere Bacteria, 

Enhancing Plant Growth 

and Disease Resistance

Researchers at North Dakota State University are proposing the use of 

pre-biotic plant root exudates to support the pro-biotic inoculant 

rhizosphere bacteria that are currently being used for peas but are still 

in the research state for tomatoes and cucumbers. There is a growing 

body of evidence that plant beneficial pro-biotic bacteria use these 

substances to chemotax and swim through the soil towards the plant 

roots. The resulting symbiosis between plant and bacteria enhances 

plant growth and health, as well as disease resistance.

$190,007.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

20. Optimizing the 

Deployment of Fungicides 

for Management of Foliar 

Diseases in Field Peas

The North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension 

Center, in cooperation with the NDSU North Central and Langdon 

Research Extension Centers, will conduct multi-location field trials to 

develop rigorous disease management recommendations for 

optimizing the deployment of fungicides for improved management of 

Ascochyta blight and powdery mildew in field peas.

$128,884.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38

21. Evaluating New Brassica 

Cultivars Yields and Health 

Attributes to Increase 

Opportunities for Local 

Foods

North Dakota State University Agriculture Experiment Station will 

establish an agreement relationship with the State Department of 

Agriculture to lead and execute the project to evaluate new broccoli 

(Brassica oleracea var. italica), and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. 

botritis) cultivars for floret yield, quality, composition, and health 

benefit attributes compared to commonly grown broccoli and 

cauliflower cultivars.

$105,095.00

North Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$3,309,650.38 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$152,057.00
155

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Commonwealth of 

the Northern 

Mariana Islands 

Department of 

Lands and Natural 

Resources

$244,550.44

1. Promotion and 

Marketing of CNMI’s 

Specialty Crops

The aim of this project is for the Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Island Division of Agriculture to market and promote Northern 

Mariana Island specialty crops within the community. The challenge 

that encourages this project is due to the little knowledge of what 

specialty crops are. This project will enable the program to properly 

promote the specialty crops to all walks of life possible. The program 

will partner with local farmers, farmer’s associations, and Garapan 

Public Market to help promote and market specialty crops that are 

locally grown to people within the community of the Commonwealth of 

the Northern Marianas. The main objective is to ensure that the locally 

grown specialty crops are properly marketed and extensively promoted

within the community for the benefit of the people’s health and their 

overall understanding of locally grown crops.

$37,930.00

Commonwealth of 

the Northern 

Mariana Islands 

Department of 

Lands and Natural 

Resources

$244,550.44

2. Plant Disease and Pest 

Detection/Management 

Program

Plant disease and pest detection/management program will be a 

project implemented to help identify plant diseases and pest that are 

attacking or destroying specialty crops. In addition to identification, the 

program will be hosting workshops on various methods or techniques 

of managing pest and diseases. Commonwealth of the Northern 

Mariana Island Division of Agriculture will partner with Northern 

Marianas College, Community Research Education and Extension 

Services to conduct a survey of specialty crops around Saipan, Tinian, 

and Rota; to identify common and imminent plant diseases and pest 

that are attacking crops around the island. The survey will enable the 

program to develop informative brochures or posters for public use on 

available pest and disease management. Poster and brochures will 

include information like, pest or disease descriptions, signs and 

symptoms, and management techniques.

$65,000.00
156

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Commonwealth of 

the Northern 

Mariana Islands 

Department of 

Lands and Natural 

Resources

$244,550.44

3. Increased Crop 

Production (Import 

substitution)

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island Division of Agriculture 

will partner with local farmers within the CNMI (Saipan, Tinian, and 

Rota) to conduct on-farm trials, testing stable specialty crops within the 

CNMI. The purpose is to simply identify varieties that will thrive well 

and produce acceptable yield for the farmers. Each selected farmer will 

be responsible for maintaining the trial plots and reports back on 

information like type of crops grown, number of rows, length of rows, 

fertilizer used, method of farming applied, rate of germination, pest 

and diseases, environmental stressor, and plant growth rate.

$70,000.00

Commonwealth of 

the Northern 

Mariana Islands 

Department of 

Lands and Natural 

Resources

$244,550.44 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$52,045.02

Ohio Department of 

Agriculture $654,234.65

1. Improving Apple Quality 

to Fill Gaps in the U-pick 

Market

A team of scientists and extension specialists at The Ohio State 

University will work towards identifying emerging apple selections that 

fill existing gaps in the Midwestern U-pick market. The current apple Upick market lacks diversity in varieties that meet consumer demands in 

terms of flavor, texture, application, and color, and grower needs in 

terms of seasonality, keeping quality, and disease resistance. Enabling 

this diversity will allow a market advantage to U-pick operations by 

providing high-quality apples that cannot be purchased at a typical 

grocery store. The goal of this project is to evaluate up-and-coming 

apple selections for their taste, flavor, and texture attributes that will 

provide value to local growers and consumers and create distribution 

materials and infographics to share with farmers and consumers about 

the differences in sensory characteristics of evaluated apples.

$109,945.00
157

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Ohio Department of 

Agriculture $654,234.65

2. Refining Best 

Management Practices for 

Nitrogen Applications to 

Cool-Season Turfgrass 

Lawns Across Ohio

The Ohio State University Turfgrass Science team will provide refined 

best practices for nitrogen fertilizer applications for multiple turfgrass 

species to help stakeholders make environmentally friendly decisions 

while maintaining lawns that provide ecosystem services and safe 

recreational surfaces. Two-year research studies will be established in 

Central, Northeast, Northwest, and Southwest Ohio. We will examine 

new and old cultivars of perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, tall 

fescue, and hard fescue to determine if new cultivars require less 

nitrogen by treating plots with varying amounts. 

$109,297.00

Ohio Department of 

Agriculture $654,234.65

3. Small Farm 

Diversification through the 

Adoption of Specialty 

Annual Fruits

A team of Ohio State University research and extension personnel will 

deliver a multi-faceted program aimed at improving small-farm viability 

through diversification into high value specialty annual fruit crops. Our 

project will establish best practice and economic information for six

annual fruit crops which have been selected for their dual-purpose 

applicability for fresh retail or processing for jams, juice, and cider. 

These crops include three solanaceous berries (Goldenberry, Litchi 

Tomato, Garden Huckleberry) and three melon varieties with edible 

skin (Sakata Sweet Melon, Lemon Drop Mini-watermelon, Ginkaku 

Melon). Separate trials will be conducted to evaluate the suitability of 

the new crops for juice processing, as well as their application in 

brewing and cidermaking. 

$109,984.00

Ohio Department of 

Agriculture $654,234.65

4. Managing Key EarlySeason Pests of Tree Fruit in 

Ohio

Ohio state University will partner with local tree fruit growers to test 

the efficacy of reduced risk insecticides and pheromone disruption in 

tree fruit to decrease the negative impact of insect pests and 

disseminate results to growers through online publications and inperson presentations. In completing this project, we anticipate an 

increase in the knowledge of how to use both pheromones and 

insecticides to target these pests, an increase in adoption of either 

management practice and a corresponding reduction in the 

environmental impact of pest management in Ohio orchards.

$73,100.00
158

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Ohio Department of 

Agriculture $654,234.65

5. Advancing High Tunnel 

Production: Research-based 

Support and Technologies 

to Speed and Enhance 

Grower Success

The Ohio State University will speed and improve the success of high 

tunnel specialty crop growers through a coordinated effort integrating 

educational programming and research addressing growers’ needs for 

improved methods, technologies, and resources of vegetable crops. 

This project features an extension and applied-research plan calibrated 

to stakeholder characteristics (e.g., experience, scale, market, setting, 

and approach) and interests. Stakeholders have taught us that 

integrating a) on-station and on farm research and b) coordinated, 

stakeholder-focused extension activities and resource development is 

most beneficial to them.

$72,880.55

Ohio Department of 

Agriculture $654,234.65

6. Establishing Sciencebased Strategies for 

Prevention and Mitigation 

of Human Pathogens in 

Hydroponic Specialty Crop 

Systems 

Researchers from the Ohio State University Departments of Plant 

Pathology, Human Nutrition, and Horticulture and Crop Sciences will 

evaluate the nutritional attributes of leafy greens produced in 

hydroponically with nutrient solutions modified to reduce the risk of 

human pathogen contamination and develop clean break protocols for 

two hydroponic leafy green production systems, nutrient flow 

technology (NFT) and deep-water culture (DWC). Research results from 

the proposed studies, and previously funded studies, will be 

synthesized and translated into a comprehensive, self-paced, fully online, and accessible to the public, education program for the 

hydroponic specialty crop industry that integrates good food safety 

practices (GFSPs) specific to hydroponics with crop management 

training, as well as through industry partners and OSU Extension.

$110,000.00

Ohio Department of 

Agriculture $654,234.65 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$14,330.82
159

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$576,587.51 1. Understanding Tomato 

Virome In Oklahoma

The University of Tulsa will focus on determining what type of viruses 

are infecting tomatoes and their impacts on yields as well as possible 

management methods. We will survey and identify virus types, their 

transmission vectors, and determine possible sources of resistance in 

tomato varieties. This information will be useful in future integrated 

pest management strategies adopted by tomato growers.

$86,924.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry 

$576,587.51

2. Insect Response To 

Regenerative Agriculture 

Practices In Pecan Orchards 

Under Cattle Grazing

Oklahoma State University will improve pecan production by 

quantifying beneficial and pest insects in grazed pecan orchards under 

regenerative agriculture management. Results will be shared with 

stakeholders at grower meetings, field days and scientific conferences.

$63,931.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$576,587.51

3. Improving Nitrogen and 

Nutrient Uptake Efficiency 

Of Pecans Using 

Mycorrhizal Fungi

Oklahoma State University seeks to investigate a means to increase the 

uptake efficiency of Nitrogen and other nutrients by pecan roots in 

different types of pecan orchards using mycorrhizal fungi. Nitrogen is 

an essential nutrient that affects pecan growth and production. Our 

research will target specific types of mycorrhizal fungi with abilities to 

increase Nitrogen uptake and to identify the best biotypes for 

Oklahoma pecan trees.

$84,705.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$576,587.51

4. Fertility Management In 

Soilless Growth Media For 

Vegetable and Ornamental 

Crop Production

Researchers from the Department of Horticulture and Landscape 

Architecture at Oklahoma State University will partner with The Soil, 

Water and Forage Analytical Laboratory from Oklahoma Cooperative 

Extension Service, with the goal to generate reliable interpretations of 

soilless growth media test results and recommendations for 

fertilization based on crops specified.

$82,570.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$576,587.51 5. Oklahoma Gardening QR 

Code Signage

Oklahoma State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape 

Architecture has a premier television show, Oklahoma Gardening. For 

the past several decades, Oklahoma Gardening has provided researchbased horticulture information to Oklahomans. This grant will enable 

OSU Extension to further its horticulture education outreach by 

providing information directly to the public who visit botanic gardens 

and demonstration gardens around the state.

$23,012.00
160

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$576,587.51

6. Investigating Novelty 

Trees For Their Edible 

and/or Ornamental 

Potential For The Oklahoma 

Green Industry

Oklahoma State University will conduct a study to determine if plants 

considered marginally cold hardy will be at least ornamental or ideally 

be able to set fruit for fresh consumption and/or for other culinary 

uses. Deliverables and expected research-based outcomes include 

recommendations to Oklahoma specialty nurseries regarding plant 

varieties that met OSU trial standards for green industry professionals 

to expand their specialty fruit tree inventory as well as suggested 

varieties that could be marketed and sold as edible ornamentals also 

for Oklahoma and surrounding states and regions.

$55,150.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$576,587.51

7. Development Of A Turf 

Management Curriculum 

For Secondary Education In 

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State University seeks to enhance sustainability of the 

turfgrass industry through workforce development targeted at 

secondary education levels. The project will develop, publish, and 

disseminate a Turf Management teaching curriculum for FFA, 4H, and 

STEM classes in Oklahoma.

$69,737.00

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$576,587.51

8. Woody and Luminescent 

Cut Flowers As A ValueAdded Product

Oklahoma State University will evaluate use of woody nursery crops as 

potential cuts for cut flower growers. This research will evaluate 

multiple species across two different specialty crop groups. 

Quantitative data on number and size of cut stems produced with and 

without gibberellic acid application and brightness in terms of 

application rates of glow-in-the-dark products will be used to make 

recommendations to growers.

$62,864.73

Oklahoma 

Department of 

Agriculture, Food, 

and Forestry

$576,587.51 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$45,990.00
161

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

1. Establish, Maintain PFAFF Area for MiltonFreewater 

Viability of Milton-Freewater fruit industry relies on early access to 

markets before larger competitive regions. This project will determine 

the occurrence and origin of the three separate Apple Magot 

detections in 2020 and the two separate detections in 2021. 2021 

Apple Magot detections were in the same vicinity as the 2020 Apple 

Magot detections, additional trapping, and delimitation for three 

growing seasons will further narrow down the sources of introduction. 

Finally, these efforts should re-establish fly free (FF)-pest free area 

(PFA) standing for Apple Magot in Milton-Freewater. Re-establishing fly 

free-pest free area standing will allow for early access to the market for 

the Milton-Freewater fruit industry. 

$110,000.00

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

2. Farm To Families: 

Expanding The Market For 

Specialty-Crop Farmers

Adelante and its key partners (at the school district and county level) 

will collaborate to expand the local farm-direct market for fresh 

produce from Latinx farmers to be purchased by community partners 

and the community at large to be distributed to food-insecure families 

across Washington County, Oregon. During the grant period we will 

connect Oregon specialty crop vegetable, fruit, and herb farmers to 

new food-insecure consumers through diverse food bank distribution 

sites.

$90,280.00

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

3. Family Nurturing Center - 

Growers’ Cooperative 

Family Food Education Site

The Family Nurturing Center’s Farm and Food Program will establish a 

Growers’ Cooperative Family Food Education Site to increase families’ 

access to local fresh food and nutrition education, to increase local 

consumption of specialty crops, and to provide local farms a market for 

their product that educates consumers about local agriculture.

$54,479.00
162

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03 4. Enhancing The Safety Of Oregon Specialty Crops

In collaboration with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the 

International Food Protection Training Institute (IFPTI) will enroll 

specialty crop personnel (growers, packers, and processors) into two 

online certificate training programs, creating a cadre of “go to” 

individuals. Training will include the Listeria Control Specialist (LCS) and 

the Enteric Viruses Control (EVC) certificate programs, developed by 

food safety professionals from the frozen food industry and IFPTI 

Instructional Systems Designers. The programs are self-paced, 

interactive, and upon successful completion learners receive a 

certificate from IFPTI’s learning management system.

$86,299.00

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

5. Developing An Integrated 

Pest Management Program 

For Spotted Wing 

Drosophila

The Northwest Berry Foundation (NBF), in partnership with the Oregon 

Blueberry Commission and the Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry 

Commission, will address the bottlenecks in shifting Spotted Wing 

Drosophila (SWD) management strategies at the grower, packer, and 

buyer level. This project plans to demonstrate an effective SWD 

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program in the field and produce 

online resources for IPM SWD management. It will also bring together 

stakeholders from every aspect of the Oregon berry industry through 

industry forum events to find ways to refine management standards 

and expand knowledge and use of alternative management strategies 

around this pest. The overall goal is to develop an effective Integrated 

Pest Management (IPM) plan for SWD that utilizes fewer insecticide 

applications and spares beneficial insect populations, saving farmers 

money, and lessening the environmental impact of multiple sprays 

thereby advancing the competitiveness and producibility of blueberries 

and cranberries in Oregon.

$166,664.00
163

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

6. Oregon Craft Cider 

Market Development Via 

National Cider Conference

The Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) project will address domestic 

market development and access issues that will benefit up to 80 

Oregon cideries. Craft, alcoholic ciders are value-added products that 

utilize Oregon farmers' supplies of apples, grapes, cane berries, stone 

fruit, cranberries, hops, and botanical herbs. In January 2024, the 

American Cider Association will bring CiderCon®, the annual national 

cider conference, to Portland attracting over 1,000 cideries, media, 

buyers, and suppliers to Oregon. Through this grant, the NWCA will be 

able to collaborate with the American Cider Association to accomplish 

the following three objectives and key activities: (1) provide conference 

content that meets the marketing and operational needs of Oregon 

cideries and specialty crop farmers they purchase from; (2) Increase 

Oregon cideries’ product exposure through (a) hosting in-bound buyers 

events, (b) media / influencer events, (c) promoting Oregon Cider Week 

and (d) building out a trade focused web portal on existing website so 

product availability content for buyers lives on past the grant period; 

and (3) Collaborative marketing opportunities.

$174,094.00

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

7. Before Harvest – Behind 

The Scenes Of Oregon’s 

Specialty Crops

Oregon Aglink will create in-depth educational video series for middle 

school classrooms with supplemental extension activities showcasing 

production practices and highlighting the stories behind the choices 

farmers make throughout the growing season for Oregon specialty 

crops in different growing regions around the state. By partnering with 

farms, students will hear directly from the voices working to bring crops 

to market while seeing the various stages, including risks and threats, of 

specialty crops before harvest which will increase their knowledge, 

appreciation, and familiarity with Oregon specialty crops.

$44,743.00
164

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

8. Oregon Blueberry Export 

Expansion To Southeast 

Asia 

The Oregon Blueberry Commission (OBC) will conduct retail, 

foodservice, and culinary school promotions in Singapore, Vietnam, the 

Philippines, and Malaysia. This is an expansion of programming initiated 

in 2021 to include one new market (Malaysia). Since Vietnam and the 

Philippines opened to fresh Oregon blueberries in 2019 and 2020, 

respectively, OBC has proactively worked to generate attention for 

Oregon blueberries. Funds are set aside to continue this work in 2022 

but with the hope of direct consumer interaction with live retail 

sampling promotions. OBC’s promotional strategy will emphasize retail 

promotions as these remain the most important mechanism through 

which product trial and purchase can be affected. Activities will include 

point-of-sale material production, advertising, retail demos, and instore sampling, along with culinary school trainings to help educate 

foodservice targets about the versatility of blueberries. Where possible, 

some promotions will include frozen blueberries and processed 

products that incorporate Oregon blueberries as an ingredient.

$175,000.00

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

9. Cultivating Seed Starting 

Champions! Driving Sales Of 

50 Specialty Crops

The Oregon Potato Commission (OPC) will establish agreements with 

Oregon State University Extension (OSU), with OSU Food Hero leading 

this project and coordinating partners. This is a market access and 

development project rigorously designed to enhance the

competitiveness of 50+ specialty crops through increasing child and 

adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops by 

expanding access and sales at schools. Project activities will expand 

OSU's successful Grow This! social marketing campaign to strategically 

reach up to 60,000 youth across Oregon through curating and 

distributing (1) 500 Oregon Potato Champion classroom kits and (2) 

1,500 Seed Starting kits. 

$174,998.00
165

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

10. Overcoming Barriers To 

Cover Crop Use In Hazelnut 

Production

Oregon State University will collect and communicate information that 

will help producers incorporate cover crops into hazelnut production. 

Cover crops can increase Oregon hazelnut producers’ competitive edge 

by increasing resilience to weather and market fluctuations, decreasing 

input costs such as fertilizers and herbicides, and increasing the 

marketability of hazelnuts based on sustainability and soil health goals. 

We will conduct a survey to identify the major barriers for grower 

adoption and aggregate data on the methods and practices local 

producers are using to make cover crops work. We will conduct follow 

up interviews to create a partial budget analysis comparing net farm 

profitability after a change to new practices. In the survey, we will 

gauge willingness to participate in a peer-to-peer network for sharing 

successful strategies. 

$109,333.00

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

11. Fertility, Population 

Dynamics, And Pollinator 

Attractiveness Of Standard 

and “Sterile” Butterfly Bush 

To Inform Regulation

Oregon State University helps inform regulation of butterfly bush at the 

Oregon Department of Agriculture by collecting field and greenhouse 

data for 34 cultivars with varying levels of fertility and using modeling 

to predict the relative ecological threat of each by comparing to known 

distribution of fertile varieties. The current amendment to the ban of 

Buddleja davidii was made more than 10 years ago and requires 

assessment and update – our findings will help determine how 

successful the amendment has been and serve both the ecological and 

economic sustainability of Oregon. Additionally, the evaluation of 

pollinator attraction will be correlated with fertility to determine how 

breeding for low fertility impacts pollinator visitation.

$53,228.00
166

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

12. Viable Solutions For 

Symphylans In Specialty 

Crops- Alternatives To 

Chlorpyrifos

Oregon State University and USDA-Agricultural Research Service seeks 

funding to identify viable solutions for symphylan management by 

establishing a cross-commodity collaborative project for a 

comprehensive understanding of this pest’s biology and ecology across 

cropping systems and enhancing crop productivity by utilizing new 

management tools. We will evaluate the extent of symphylan damage 

by conducting field surveys in spinach grown for seed, strawberry, and 

grass grown for seed. Field and lab bioassays will be conducted to 

evaluate the efficacy of new insecticide chemistries against 

symphylans. Identification of promising alternatives and knowledge 

gain of their viability by analyzing cost-benefit data will be 

disseminated to the Oregon Department of Agriculture and growers 

promptly through publications, social media tools, field days, growers’ 

meetings, etc. The project findings will help growers to incorporate 

these strategies in their integrated pest management (IPM) plans to 

enhance the productivity of specialty crops of Oregon.

$161,539.00

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

13. Collaborative Market 

Development For Climate 

Resilient Vegetables In 

Oregon

The Culinary Breeding Network and Oregon State University (OSU) will 

lead collaborative market development and promotion efforts for dryfarmed tomatoes, dry-farmed melons, chicory greens (radicchio, frisée, 

endive), and winter radishes to support growers during pandemic 

recovery. The specific goals are to: 1) promote dry-farmed tomatoes 

and melons, chicory greens, winter radishes through a marketing and 

education campaign; 2) increase consumer interest and understanding 

of these vegetables; 3) increase sales of Oregon grown dry-farmed 

tomatoes, dry-farmed melons, chicory greens, and winter radishes; 4) 

evaluate project impacts.

$173,363.00
167

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03 14. Certifying Oregon Wine Grapes as Bee Friendly

Oregon State University, in partnership with LIVE (Low Input Viticulture 

& Enology), Pollinator Partnership and eight commercial vineyards, will 

develop: 1) a tool to evaluate the nectar and pollen resources for bees 

in Oregon vineyards, 2) a reporting system and vineyard management 

program enabling vineyards to be certified as a bee friendly farm, 3) an 

Oregon Bee Friendly Farming Vineyard Workshop to train growers on 

bee friendly farming practices, and 4) an Oregon Bee Friendly Wine 

Tour with accompanying promotional materials. Ultimately, this work 

looks to bridge the gaps between bee friendly vineyard practices, bee 

biodiversity, plant diversity that supports bees, and public recognition 

of the efforts being made to protect bees.

$174,997.00

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03

15. Expanding And 

Developing BIPOC Specialty 

Crop Farm Businesses And 

Markets

Outgrowing Hunger will provide support to immigrant, refugee, and 

African American new and beginning farmers in the Portland metro 

area to preserve and enhance demand for traditional specialty crops. 

Tasks will include increasing capacity and effectiveness of growers and 

producers, conducting marketing campaigns, providing support and 

leadership for farmer organization into co-ops to leverage efforts into 

three distribution channels, and developing appropriate point of sale 

systems. This will increase the supply of traditional specialty crops, 

increase the ability of community-based farmers to meet supply needs 

and preserve and expand latent demand for traditional specialty crops 

in the population.

$169,124.00

Oregon Department 

of Agriculture $2,098,097.03 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$167,135.86
168

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

1. Expanding Use and 

Effectiveness of IPM 

Strategies on Mushroom 

Farm 

Penn State University faculty and staff will mitigate mushroom phorid 

fly populations in the community and on mushroom farms by 

developing and facilitating the adoption of novel control methods for 

flies on mushroom farms in Southeastern Pennsylvania. We will 

develop and establish effective fly monitoring programs for 

implementation across the mushroom industry. Penn State faculty and 

staff will host and participate in industry and community meetings to 

disseminate the results of this study.

$98,466.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

2. Evaluate and Identify 

Early Fresh Market and 

Chipping Potato Varieties 

for Pennsylvania Growers

The Pennsylvania State University will cooperate with Pennsylvania CoOperative Potato Growers, Inc. to conduct this project to evaluate and 

identify early season potato varieties with high qualities for early fresh 

market and for early chipping under Pennsylvania field conditions. We 

will select two to three potato varieties with high yielding, attractive 

appearance, and disease resistance for early fresh market and one to 

two varieties with high yielding, good chipping color out of field and 

disease resistance for early chipping market under Pennsylvania field 

conditions. These selected varieties will be recommended to all 

Pennsylvania potato growers and industry.

$74,592.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

3. Enhanced Preparedness 

Against Diverse Pathogens 

Threatening Specialty Crop 

Production and Markets

This proposal builds on a long-term partnership between Penn State 

and the Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture (PDA) Plant Disease 

Diagnostic Laboratory (PDDL) to enhance the state’s preparedness 

against diverse pathogens. This project aims to carry out the following 

objectives: a) evaluate the risk of Phytophthora pathogens to specialty 

crops, b) characterize bacterial pathogens collected from tomato, 

potato, and pepper by PDA to determine their diversity and variation, 

c) optimize molecular diagnostic protocols for three regulated 

pathogens, and d) disseminate the resulting resources to diverse 

stakeholders via multiple channels.

$75,888.00
169

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

4. Increasing Specialty Crop 

Sales Through FMNP 

Distribution and 

Redemption

The Lehigh Valley Food Policy Council, a program of Community Action 

Committee-Lehigh Valley, will implement a strategic outreach and 

communications plan to increase distribution and redemption of Senior 

and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Vouchers in Northampton 

and Lehigh counties. The strategies include a coordinated outreach 

campaign, printed materials that help program participants learn where 

to use the checks, timely reminders about check availability and 

seasonal availability of desirable specialty crops, pop-up markets at key 

locations to mitigate transportation and access barriers, ensuring 

location information is accurate across all platforms, and increasing the 

number of specialty crop growers enrolled in the program. This project 

will also work to address barriers specific to the two distinct 

demographics served by FMNP – mothers and seniors – by increasing 

knowledge about local specialty crops and how to use them, and 

incentivizing check use.

$46,739.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

5. Monitoring Bee 

Populations in Pennsylvania 

to Support Stable 

Pollination Services

This project will establish a bee monitoring program through Penn 

State Extension through participatory science. Specifically, we aim to 

(1) develop a standardized set of protocols for assessment of the 

diversity and distribution of wild bees across the state; (2) collect 

quantitative data to detect of bee population declines and increases 

over time; and (3) facilitate the detection of the arrival and spread of 

non-native bee species. The successful completion of this project will 

provide growers of pollination-dependent crops and state agencies 

crucial information about the status of wild bee populations in 

Pennsylvania to be able to develop mitigation and management 

programs that sustain optimal crop pollination services.

$112,564.00
170

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58 6. Youth Farmer Educators

Through the Youth Farmer-Educator program, the LEAF Project will 

harness the energy and talents of the youth growers within our 

program to support, educate, and equip their community members to 

grow, cook, and buy specialty crops through providing a range of 

support services about growing specialty crops. The youth will provide 

support ranging from customized educational resources for garden 

design and planting timelines, to hands-on workshops on gardening tips 

and tricks, and to on-site support for new and underserved populations 

to grow specialty crops. The LEAF Project will engage 30 youth farmers 

as community gardening educators while supporting more than 1,500 

community members in growing their own specialty crops.

$35,616.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

7. Promoting Family 

Nutrition Knowledge and 

Consumption of Western 

Pennsylvania Specialty 

Crops

The “Welcome To The Table” project will work with individuals and 

families in low-income communities in Western Pennsylvania to 

increase education about and consumption of specialty crops grown by 

Western Pennsylvania farmers. Community Partnership will design a 

nutrition education program that will be deployed in the communities 

served by our mobile farmers market and will assess the effectiveness 

of this nutrition education program on consumer’s acceptability 

towards specialty crop consumption. Activities conducted under this 

nutrition education program will include cooking demonstrations, food 

tastings, the provision of recipes, and agricultural education on growing 

methods and the economic and environmental benefits of consuming 

locally grown food.

$59,890.00
171

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture 

$1,097,981.58

8. Impact of Soil Microbes 

on Bean Nutrient Quality in 

Organic and Conventional 

Systems 

Rodale Institute will evaluate the impact of soil microbes on nutrient 

quality in bean varieties in organic and conventional systems. Soil 

samples will be assessed for microbial composition and enzyme 

activities, as well as for phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA). Green and black 

bean crop and tissue will be assessed for phenols, sugars, anthocyanins, 

and vitamins. The interrelationships between soil microbes’ structure 

and function (enzyme activities); and their influence on beans nutrient 

levels will be determined. The findings will be disseminated using 

educational venues and provide guidance to specialty growers to make 

informed decisions in selecting cropping systems that promote soil 

health and enhance production and marketability of nutrient-dense 

bean.

$130,230.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

9. Promoting PA Produce at 

Philadelphia Schools and 

Farmers Markets

The Food Trust (TFT) will promote and increase consumption of 

Pennsylvania (PA) products at schools, early childhood education sites 

and farmers markets by implementing Harvest of the Month activities, 

coordinating farmers market field trips, filming virtual PA farm visits, 

and creating promotional materials

for farmers markets.

$56,794.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

10. Maximizing Sustainable 

IPM: Economic Ornithology 

for IPM of Phorid Files

This work will enhance the competitiveness of mushrooms though 

building capacity of sustainable practices of production resulting in 

increased yield by reducing Phorids through beneficial birds feeding on 

them; will reduce inputs that rely on labor thereby increasing overall 

mushroom growing efficiency; increase economic return by decreasing 

green mold impact; and provide for conservation bird habitat by 

creating habitat for beneficial birds. It will enhance the competitiveness 

of mushrooms through more sustainable, diverse, and resilient, 

ecologically based systems.

$39,000.00
172

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

11. Indiana County 

Community Hub for the 

Advancement of Specialty 

Crops

Building off previously awarded grants, the Indiana County 

Conservation District (District) will establish the Indiana County 

Community Hub for the Advancement of Specialty Crops (Hub) by 

creating a community greenhouse, additional specialty crops 

demonstration sites at County Area Aging Services (senior centers) 

locations, and through regional community education events and 

programs. The District will utilize the greenhouse to propagate seeds 

(harvested from previously planted specialty crops) to be planted at 

demonstration plots in consecutive growing seasons. 

$62,048.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

12. 2023 PA Veggies 

Promotion and Farmer 

Support

The Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program (PVMRP) 

will bolster the competitiveness of specialty Pennsylvania vegetables 

through strategic marketing planning and execution throughout the 

Spring, Summer and early Fall months leading up to PA Produce Month 

in August and continuing through October. The campaign and PA 

Produce Month aim to drive sales of local vegetables by consumers 

across the state as well as provide resources for farmers to promote 

their crops in retail and wholesale markets. By using a combination of 

existing materials from past successful SCBG campaigns and building 

upon them in 2023, this program aims to increase consumption of local 

produce and continue to grow the PA Veggies brand equity and loyalty 

across the state.

$81,450.00

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58 

13. Increasing Specialty 

Crop Markets through 

Education, Consumption, 

and Promotion

Farm to Table Buy Local increases the competitiveness of local specialty 

crops by leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops. 

Farm to Table will partner with local specialty crop farmers, farmers 

markets, and urban gardens to provide specialty crop education 

programming. These activities will increase education and awareness of 

specialty crops and therefore, consumption and consumer purchasing 

of specialty crops. Specialty crop farmers will speak at community 

events, school programs, lunch and learns, and online forums. The 

presentations will educate the audience about the work involved to 

produce a specialty crop and benefits of consumption, including 

nutrition, freshness, and preparation for crops.

$77,755.00
173

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58

14. Employing Agronomic 

Biofortification Techniques 

to Produce High-Value 

Functional Vegetable Crops

Penn State University will compare alternative soilless production 

systems and agronomic biofortification approaches applied to leafy

vegetables and microgreens to produce high-value functional (healthpromoting) vegetable products and will transfer the knowledge 

developed to PA specialty crop growers and industry stakeholders. 

Science-based knowledge, results, and solutions generated will be 

transferred to PA specialty crop growers and industry stakeholders to 

assist them in implementing the most efficient soilless growing systems 

and agronomic biofortification techniques for the production of highvalue functional vegetable.

$61,845.00 

Pennsylvania 

Department of 

Agriculture

$1,097,981.58 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$16,978.62

Departamento de 

Agricultura de 

Puerto Rico

$483,689.91

1. Protecting the Fruit 

Sector of Puerto Rico from 

the Fruit Fly

The Department of Agriculture and the Innovation Fund for Agricultural 

Development are interested in helping the fruit sector by providing the 

necessary assistance to reduce or eliminate the incidence of the fruit fly 

in Puerto Rico.

$155,342.40

Departamento de 

Agricultura de 

Puerto Rico

$483,689.91 2. Let's Feed the Family 

With Breadfruit

Breadfruit has excellent potential to contribute to food security. The 

Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture and the Innovation Fund for 

Agricultural Development are interested in each Puerto Rican family 

planting a breadfruit tree. This initiative will require the participation of 

farmers in the production of trees and agronomists from the 

Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Puerto Rico to offer 

talks in the community and in activities. As part of the project, training 

courses will also be offered for farmers, agronomist and producers who 

wish to produce breadfruit trees.

$201,000.00
174

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Departamento de 

Agricultura de 

Puerto Rico

$483,689.91

3. Promote the 

Development of the 

Agricultural Sector 

Achieving a High-Level 

Participation in the Local 

and International Market

The Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture (PRDA) continues to make 

great efforts to ensure that local producers of specialty crops are aware 

of market conditions and characteristics through participation in local 

and international trade fairs. The general purpose of the project is to 

direct efforts to increase the presence and participation of beginning 

farmers and/or producers, as well as for other local specialty crop 

products within the Puerto Rico market (local events). In addition, 

expose specific products in international events to obtain and increase 

export sales.

$125,500.00

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$270,342.13

1. Improved IPM for Rhode 

Island Tree Fruit Growers 

Through Accurate Weather 

Data

The Rhode Island Fruit Growers Association (RIFGA) will install and 

maintain four weather stations throughout Rhode Island which will be 

linked to Cornell’s Network for Environment and Weather Applications 

(NEWA), allowing Rhode Island specialty crop growers to make timely 

and accurate Integrated Pest Management (IPM) decisions based on 

real time, on-the-ground conditions, accurate to the area of 

management.

$22,260.00

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$270,342.13

2. Outreach and Education 

to Socially Disadvantaged 

Farmers for Growing 

Specialty Crops to Meet 

Underserved Markets

Southside Community Land Trust (SCLT) will provide outreach and 

education to 31 farmers in order to enhance the competitiveness of up 

to four specialty crops in low-income Rhode Island communities. The 

project will identify crops where there is significant consumer demand 

but low supply. We will work with up to 6 socially disadvantaged 

farmers to develop demonstration plots to successfully grow the new 

crops. We will provide on field tours, training resources to encourage 

12 farmers in our network to begin production of at least one new crop 

during the term of the grant. We expect 2400 consumers to benefit 

from access to these new, high demand crops.

$38,559.39
175

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$270,342.13

3. Equitable Growth: 

Technical Assistance for 

Small and Beginning Rhode 

Island Specialty Crop

Producers"

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) has been working toward 

a more equitable, accessible, economically vibrant, and 

environmentally sustainable food system in Rhode Island for over 10 

years. Our efforts are focused on ensuring all Rhode Island residents 

have access to culturally appropriate, affordable food by addressing the 

most pressing needs across farming, fishing, food processing, 

distribution, consumption, and waste management.

$29,987.60

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$270,342.13

4. Growing Local Food 

Champions: Exploring Local 

Food with Culinary Students

Through farmer, chef, and classroom-based training, Farm Fresh Rhode 

Island will connect culinary students with the skills and resources 

necessary to become local food advocates in their schools and future 

careers. These trainings will provide educational experiences that bring 

more local food into schools and empower the next generation with 

the skills they need to purchase, prepare, and cook specialty crops.

$37,089.00

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$270,342.13

5. Increasing Yields in High 

Intensity Specialty 

Vegetables for Regional 

Growers Through 

Integrated Cropping 

Methods.

The RI Farm Incubator will lead this project to disseminate and share 

new and cutting-edge integrated cropping techniques appropriate for 

use by small scale, organic, and beginning growers in the region. The 

Incubator will create and facilitate a collaborative regional information 

network across small farms in Rhode Island to increase efficacy of and 

adoption of integrated cropping methods. Methods like stale bed 

preparation including the use of cover crops are critical to move carbon 

to the soil, decrease erosion, decrease nuisance plants, mitigate the 

effects of drought as well as reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizer 

required to grow specialty vegetables.

$32,541.00

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$270,342.13

6. The RI Grown CampaignEnhancing Marketing 

Toolkit

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management – 

Division of Agriculture (RIDEM) will support RI Grown specialty crops by 

building upon past projects, specifically the further roll out of our 

marketing toolkit which was piloted in 2021. RIDEM Division of 

Agriculture will also develop an internal partnership with the RIDEM 

Communications department, to allow for an increased statewide 

marketing opportunity for the RI Grown Campaign.

$59,413.16
176

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$270,342.13

7. Enhancing Market Access 

for RI Specialty Crop 

Growers

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management – 

Division of Agriculture (RIDEM) has proven success with 

implementation our previous Specialty Crop Block Grant “Enhancing 

Market Access” projects. While new, this project will build from the 

previous momentum of the proposals. The need for new markets and 

assistance in joining those new markets is at an all-time high due to the 

Covid-19 pandemic. As new local markets are on the rise in Rhode 

Island, and largely increases by grant related funds applied for by 

RIDEM, technical assistance like this project will be used to allow Rhode 

Island farmers, access to those newly formed market opportunities.

$28,042.40

Rhode Island 

Division of 

Agriculture

$270,342.13 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding. 

$28,042.40

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

1. Development of a Novel 

Preharvest Spray Program 

to Improve Management of 

Bacterial Spot-on Peach

Bacterial spot is a major disease that causes the South Carolina peach 

industry millions of dollars in annual losses. Management of bacterial 

spot in peach is challenging due to the lack of disease-resistant cultivars 

and limited chemical control options. Currently, there is no effective 

chemical spray program in place for controlling this disease during the 

three-week preharvest period, making peach fruit at risk for new 

infection and lesion development, which will reduce the yield of 

marketable fruit at harvest.

$49,864.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

2. Which Pythium Species 

Cause Cottony Leak on 

Pickling Cucumbers in South 

Carolina?

Clemson University will reduce the impacts of cottony leak on pickling 

cucumber by identifying the species of the water mold Pythium that 

cause cottony leak, which will help growers plan crop rotations that 

avoid field crops susceptible to these species. The recent increase in 

acreage of pickling cucumber in South Carolina has led to an increase in 

outbreaks of cottony leak, a fruit rot caused by the water mold 

Pythium. Only one of the three species of Pythium that can cause 

cottony leak has been confirmed in South Carolina. Knowing if the 

other two species also cause cottony leak will help growers plan crop 

rotations that avoid field crops susceptible to these species.

$9,324.00
177

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28 3. Choose Local Food 

Hospitality Program

Ace Basin Growers (ACE), a nonprofit 501c3, will enhance the 

competitiveness of specialty crop growers in South Carolina with a 

collaborative multi-organizational project designed to increase farm 

resilience and economic viability, reduce costs of distribution systems, 

and increase specialty crop consumption across multiple counties in 

South Carolina. ACE will partner with the South Carolina Department of 

Agriculture’s Fresh on the Menu and Certified SC program, Nourish LLC, 

publisher of Edible Charleston and Edible Columbia, the Gullah 

Cooperative, SC State University Small Business Development Centers, 

and Clemson Extension Agribusiness to address challenges specialty 

crop producers are facing with farm to wholesale channels in the 

foodservice industry.

$57,500.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

4. Assessing Tomato and 

Watermelon Cultivar 

Susceptibility to Spider 

Mites and Potential for New 

IPM Strategies

Dr. Tom Bilbo, vegetable and strawberry entomologist at the Clemson 

Coastal Research and Extension Center, is proposing a project to 

evaluate tomato and watermelon cultivars for their susceptibility and 

tolerance to the two spotted spider mite (TSSM). The purpose of this 

project is to determine which cultivars are least and most susceptible 

to TSSM so that growers can use this knowledge to guide their crop 

selection and reduce pest problems. Furthermore, this project will lay 

the necessary groundwork to determine the potential for a new IPM 

strategy for this pest—genotypic intercropping, as well as the potential 

for breeding enhanced crop lines. Other outcomes include increasing 

stakeholder knowledge regarding TSSM management and biological 

control, which will result in reduced inputs, improved yields, and 

increased profitability for growers.

$23,027.00
178

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

5. Advancement of the 

Produce Safety Education 

and On-Farm Improvement 

Initiative 

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture Produce Safety Program 

will assist produce growers in increasing food safety knowledge and 

processes regarding the requirements of the Food Safety 

Modernization (FSMA) Act Produce Safety Rule. Through this project, 

we will make education more attainable for growers by offering the 

required Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training at a reduced cost. We 

will also offer a cost-share program that will assist growers in 

implementing on-farm produce safety improvements that will help 

them meet the requirements of the rule and improve the safety of their 

products.

$34,378.81

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

6. Air or Soil Temperature: 

Understanding the Cues for 

Dormancy Transition in 

Peach

Clemson University will improve the economic sustainability of the 

South Carolina peach industry by enabling the development of climateresilient peach cultivars with moderate chilling and increased heat 

requirement to reduce fruit and flower exposure to potentially cropdestroying spring frosts. 

$49,434.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

7. Continuing to Expand 

Market Opportunities for 

Small Growers through a 

Cold Storage Cost Share 

Program

The SC Specialty Crop Growers Association is seeking funds to continue 

to administer a program for small and medium-sized specialty crop 

growers. This project will provide funding for a cost-share 

reimbursement program for cold storage modification units. Specialty 

crop growers who build a CoolBot cold storage unit may request up to 

$750 to reimburse the cost of this on-farm enhancement. This project 

will not only continue to enable smaller growers to obtain a larger 

share of the marketplace but also create a safer fresh produce supply 

maintaining the cold chain.

$10,000.00
179

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

8. Stakeholder Needs 

Assessment and Evaluation 

Trials to Initiate Qualityfocused Vegetable Breeding 

Programs for South Carolina

Clemson University will conduct germplasm evaluation trials and survey 

South Carolina vegetable industry stakeholders to prioritize and 

translate needs into breeding objectives that will drive the initiation of 

quality-focused vegetable breeding programs for South Carolina. While 

consumers are willing to pay a premium for locally grown produce in 

South Carolina (Carpio & Isengildina-Massa, 2009), the vegetable 

industry faces many obstacles that prevent it from fully capitalizing on 

this demand. The warm, humid climate of the Southeastern United 

States, while ideal for the production of many fruits and vegetables, 

also supports a wide range of pests and diseases that can be difficult to 

manage. Cultivars selected primarily for long shelf life may be missing 

the flavors and nutritional quality that fresh market consumers crave. 

Superior quality, yield, and local adaptation can seldom be found 

together in the same vegetable variety.

$44,955.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

9. SC Green Industry 

Association’s Certified 

Nursery Professional 

Program

The South Carolina Green Industry Association (SC Green) will revise 

and rebrand its Certified Nursery Professional Program, complete with 

updated research, information, and graphics in order to educate 

growers, plant nurseries, and their employees on the best practices for 

producing plants. Educational research will aim to provide better 

service for state growers and nurseries’ customers, enhance the 

competitiveness of local horticultural crops, and contribute to a healthy 

environment in South Carolina communities. Further, this manual will 

be used as a resource for statewide horticulture programs on the 

collegiate level.

$27,000.00
180

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

10. Farm to Food Hub 

Inbound Transportation: 

Logistics to Increase Cost 

Efficiency and Reduce Costs 

of Local Food Distribution

Over the course of three years, Grow Food Carolina will implement an 

inbound specialty crop pickup program for partner farmers in South 

Carolina, providing a regularly serviced route that will save growers the 

time and cost of delivering their specialty crops to the warehouse, as 

well as providing sufficient transport volume—thus providing a means 

for increased production by existing partners (e.g., by providing a 

means to transport otherwise prohibitively large quantities) and/or for 

new partner growers who otherwise would not be able to regularly 

drop off produce to Grow Food, all of which will result in increased 

specialty crop sales. The goal is to seed this program with funds that 

may lead to a “pay it forward” fund that will allow inbound logistics to 

be more sustainable in the long term.

$85,615.28

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

11. Establishing Clonal 

Propagation Systems for 

Golden Camellia, a Valuable 

Yellow-flowering Selection.

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 ~$10 

higher than common camellias per plant or scion and is sold out 

quickly. This project will build on what we have achieved with the 

approaches of rooting cuttings, grafting, and micropropagation and 

aims to achieve greater propagation success. We will establish 

collaboration with a South Carolina camellia nursery for the growth 

evaluation of the propagated plants. The efficient propagation methods 

will benefit camellia breeders and commercial producers. 

$45,665.00
181

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

12. Continuing to Increase 

Food Safety Technology 

Access through a Water 

Analysis Cost Share 

Program

The South Carolina Specialty Crop Growers Association (SCSCGA) is 

seeking funds to administer a program designed to encourage on-farm 

water testing for specialty crop growers. This project will provide 

funding for a cost-share reimbursement program for water quality 

analysis for generic E Coli and Coliform bacteria for South Carolina 

specialty crop farmers. This project will continue to increase specialty 

crop farmers’ access to food safety technologies, increase specialty 

crop producers’ understanding of food safety threats, and mitigate 

potential bacterial contaminations from water sources by allowing 

specialty crop producers to establish proper on-farm pre-and postharvest food safety protocols.

$10,180.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28

13. Cultivating Novel 

Discovery in Economic and 

Nutritional Value of 

Specialty Crops Typically 

Left Unharvested

Partners Lisa K. Johnson Consulting, Growers for Grace, and Society of 

St. Andrew will measure postharvest losses in South Carolina specialty 

crops and share sustainable market pivots that can return benefit to 

growers through novel applications. Consumers and retailers are 

demanding a greater commitment to sustainability and social 

responsibility across all industries and geographies. With the 

heightened attention to these issues, it has now become pivotal for 

growers to provide measurement and reporting on Environmental, 

Social, and Governance (ESG) performance, regardless of farm size. 

With these figures, growers can directly report on many key 

sustainability metrics previously considered difficult like waste 

reduction and greenhouse gas emissions savings – all critical aspects in 

communicating climate strategy to consumers and stakeholders.

$46,000.00

South Carolina 

Department of 

Agriculture

$591,930.28 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding. 

$97,456.87
182

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$391,836.80

1. Increasing The Economic 

Viability Of Year-Round 

High Tunnel Production In 

South Dakota’s Climate

Wayward Springs, LLC will stimulate the growth of locally available 

specialty crops by engineering, assembling, and monitoring the 

performance of a commercial scale solar high-tunnel capable of yearround warm climate crop production such as tomatoes, peppers, 

strawberries, and passion fruit without relying on the volatile expense 

of fuels. The design will apply state-of-the-art research while focusing 

on local materials and minimizing costs to enable economic viability for 

local producers. Results of the project will be shared through online 

webinars, onsite tours, published designs, and assembly guidelines for 

growers.

$73,254.00

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$391,836.80

2. Profitable Early Market 

Sweet Corn Using Clear 

Plastic Mulch With Cover 

Crops For Weed Control

Cox Farm Stand and Cedar Creek Gardens, LLC will explore affordable 

season extension of early sweet corn and effective weed-suppression 

strategies. These are critical to growing early sweet corn under clear 

plastic to get a jump on early market share.

$16,296.00

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$391,836.80

3. Supporting Specialty Crop 

Producers Through 

Education And Training, 

Support System 

Development, And 

Connection To Industry

South Dakota (SD) Specialty Producers Association will support 

producers and raise awareness of the specialty crop industry. This will 

be done through hosting webinars on hiring employees and developing 

apprenticeship programs, webinars on how to find and have a 

successful internships, classes for business development, a podcast 

series on profiting from your market garden, developing the producer 

support system through intentional producer networking and 

mentorship, assuring there is a strong representation of the specialty 

crop industry within the SD Local Foods Coalition; and improving

connection and awareness of specialty crops through events and 

promotion.

$120,117.75

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$391,836.80

4. “EAT, SD”: Education And 

Training In Sustainability 

And Development (Part II)

Western Dakota Tech is home to several national award-winning 

aquaponics projects. For this project, we propose to design and test a 

cost-effective open-resource modular aquaponics system by placing 

prototypes in in two partner test sites, one small and one large. Data 

from these prototypes will be collected and tested to determine the 

best design for a modular aquaponics system.

$63,270.00
183

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$391,836.80

5. Mitigating Freezing 

Damage In Emerging Wine 

And Seedless Table Grapes 

During Fall Acclimation And 

Spring Deacclimation

South Dakota State University (SDSU) research and extension faculty 

will conduct evaluation of emerging wine and seedless table grape 

selections, the potential of using freeze mitigation treatments with new 

cold hardy hybrid grapevines and disseminate information to growers. 

The leading purpose of this project is to improve yield consistency and 

economic sustainability of new cold-hardy seedless table and wine 

grape selections. This research will assess the ability to modify 

acclimation and deacclimation in critical fall and spring periods using 

chemical mitigation techniques. It is critical to test these strategies on 

new hybrid cultivars to identify viticultural practices to aid in mitigating 

potentially damaging spring and fall freeze events. 

$97,571.00

South Dakota 

Department of 

Agriculture

$391,836.80 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$1,426.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

1. Blackberry Production 

Utilizing Different Trellis 

Systems for Maximum Yield

Agricenter International will initiate the testing of various trellis 

systems for blackberry production. This project will evaluate and report 

the costs associated with field preparation, trellis construction, and net 

gains from blackberry yield. The results from this study will provide 

growers information to successfully grow profitable blackberries and 

provide strong recommendation for types of trellis systems for 

blackberry growers in Tennessee.

$48,330.00
184

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

2. Specialty Crop Training, 

Demonstration, and 

Community Engagement 

Farm 

Cul2vate grows and delivers nutritional food into local food deserts, 

providing access to nutritious food in underserved communities. This 

project will collaborate with other organizations to provide end user 

education related to nutritional information, food safety, good 

agricultural practices, and the implementation of urban agriculture 

projects. All food is grown in the context of a 3-phase agricultural 

training/educational program that targets the chronically underemployed and provides these individuals with agricultural skills and job 

readiness training to prepare them for job placement and microbusiness launch. Program graduates will go on to assist/educate new 

students and local farms in best practices that align with food safety 

standards and regulations.

$50,000.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

3. Enhancing Industry Skills: 

Tennessee Farm Winery 

Employees 

Hillside Winery will increase the knowledge and education base of 

employees within the Tennessee Grape and Wine Industry. In 

partnership with Pellissippi State Community College and the 

Viticulture Enology Science and Technology Alliance, certifications will 

be pursued for employees engaged in the production of value-added 

products using specialty crops. The aim of the project is a continuing 

increase in skilled individuals to be placed throughout the wineries and 

vineyards of Tennessee.

$46,200.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71 4. Landmark Nutrition 

Education Program

The Landmark Nutrition Education Program will increase awareness 

and distribution of specialty crops by providing hands-on education for 

growing and consuming specialty crops in order to increase access to 

specialty crops while enhancing knowledge about the nutritional 

benefits of specialty crops.

$32,061.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

5. Smart Drip Irrigation 

Robot for Strawberry 

Farming

Middle Tennessee State University will develop a smart, low-cost drip 

irrigation robot capable of obtaining real-time soil moisture data, 

observing plant health conditions, and communicating with the 

irrigation controls to optimize water usage to increase yields through 

improved irrigation efficiency and plant health, while also reducing 

labor and management costs.

$44,295.00
185

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

6. Munford High School 

Farm Fresh Center 

Hydroponic Facility

Munford FFA is collaborating with the Tennessee Department of 

Agriculture to establish a Farm Fresh Center at Munford High School in 

the Tipton County school system. This new specialty crop production 

facility will serve three purposes that include educating community 

members of innovative methods of raising food on limited land area, 

providing a "Buy Local, Buy Fresh" option in Munford, Tennessee, and 

delivering healthy produce to local food pantries. The Farm Fresh 

Center will bring together farmers, master gardeners, economically 

disadvantaged families, veterans, and food pantries to build a program 

that is unique and beneficial to the local community.

$33,324.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

7. Pick TN Conference 

Scholarships and 

Conference Costs

The Pick TN Conference is an annual conference to expand revenue for 

TN specialty crop growers by providing educational workshops for 

farmers across the state. It is made up of eight statewide member 

associations: TN Fruit and Vegetable Association, TN Association of 

Farmers Markets, TN Flower Growers Association, TN Farm 

Winegrowers Alliance, TN Christmas Tree Growers Association, TN 

Beekeepers Association, TN Organic Growers Association and TN 

Agritourism Association. Partners Include: TN Department of 

Agriculture, University of Tennessee Extension and University of 

Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture. This project will fund 

scholarships for farmers who may not normally be able to afford 

attending the conference, AV services at the conference center, and 

lunch and learn workshops during the conference.

$50,000.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

8. Creating Demand for TN 

Specialty Crops through 

Children’s Farmers Markets 

and Consumer Education

This project aims to increase consumption and enhance access and 

awareness of Tennessee specialty crops by holding ten children's 

farmers markets and 5 cooking sessions at elementary schools in 

Greene County, TN. This project will investigate how these in-school 

activities may increase demand at local farmers markets and affect BMI 

scores in students. Results will be disseminated through teacher inservices and through coordination with health educators. Twenty-five 

teachers will also receive materials to support students in learning 

outcomes related to science, nutrition, and the economics of specialty 

crops.

$21,540.00
186

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

9. Tennessee Grape and 

Wine State-Wide Event 

Activation

The Tennessee Farm Winegrowers Alliance (TFWA) will engage in a 

series of consumer education campaigns to increase awareness of 

grape and fruit varieties that grow well in Tennessee, and the styles of 

wines created with them. As the sole state-wide representative of 

Tennessee wineries and grape famers, TFWA is situated in an ideal 

position to support efforts to bring Tennessee wine products directly to 

consumers. This project will engage consumers through direct 

experiential marketing and event activations for wine festivals in each 

grand division of Tennessee.

$50,000.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

10. Diagnosis of Emerging 

Vascular Streak Dieback 

Threat of Redbud in 

Nurseries 

Tennessee State University, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, 

plant pathologist and inspectors are working closely with nursery 

growers in the region to accurately diagnose an emerging threat in the 

redbud nurseries that has caused significant economic losses over the 

last few years. This project will be able to provide a clear resolution to 

this novel threat in the nursery industry. Accurate identification of the 

causal agent and its epidemiology will greatly contribute to the design 

of effective management plans to reduce the losses in redbud 

production due to the Vascular Streak Dieback.

$46,255.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

11. Development of 

Insecticide Treatments for 

Control of Regulatory Pests 

in Containerized Nursery 

Stock

The Tennessee State University Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center 

will mitigate the spread of regulated pests impacting nursery crops by 

developing scientifically based methods for expanding approved 

regulatory treatments for Japanese beetle in large diameter nursery 

containers and reduced drench volume treatments for imported fire 

ant in nursery containers. Results will be disseminated to regulatory 

personnel and nursery producers through nursery field days.

$22,671.09
187

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

12. Establish Best Practice 

Irrigation Methods For 

Growing Truffles in TN 

Orchards

The TN Truffle Association will lead this project to develop best 

practices for irrigating truffle orchards in TN. The project will measure 

the spread of truffle mycorrhiza to irrigated and non-irrigated roots and 

nearby soils during tree establishment. The study will help determine 

the optimum approach to irrigation in our region. This will be 

established by implementing three diverse irrigation solutions and 

measuring mycorrhizal colonization in roots inside and outside of the 

natural drip line. 

$24,990.47

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71

13. Improving Quality 

Production and Marketing 

of Authentic Tennessee 

Artisanal Honey in a 

Deteriorating Honey Market

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville will work with beekeepers and 

the public to improve quality craft honey production while also 

advancing the awareness and appreciation of authentic artisanal honey 

in a deteriorating honey market which contains foreign-mixed and 

syrup-diluted honey.

$49,042.00

Tennessee 

Department of 

Agriculture

$545,843.71 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$1,153.88

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

1. Producing Resilient 

Organic Transplants Under 

Controlled Environment

Texas A&M AgriLife Research at Dallas aims to produce resilient organic 

transplants under a controlled environment through proper application 

management of organic fertilizers and growing media and innovative 

methods of timing and application of biological inoculants at the 

transplant stage. Outcomes of this project include 1) guidelines and 

protocols on how to produce resilient transplants; 2) reduced 

production cost and increased profit and competitiveness of organic 

farming in Texas; 3) increased knowledge of organic fertilizer 

management and benefits of biological inoculants in increasing 

resilience of organic transplants, improvement of soil health, and 

environmental sustainability; and 4) benefit to both organic and 

conventional transplant producers.

$133,221.00
188

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

2. Assessing the Biodiversity 

of Viruses Infecting 

Cucurbits in Texas and 

Development of 

Appropriate IPM-based 

Virus Disease Management 

Strategies 

This project, led by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, addresses 

the key focus area of Plant Health as it pertains to addressing pests 

(vectors) and diseases (viruses) that affect the production of Texas’ 

cucurbit crops. The overall objective is to improve the competitiveness 

of cucurbit production in Texas through molecular surveillance and 

characterization of cucurbit-infecting viruses in plant and vector 

reservoirs for rapid response to impending outbreaks in cucurbit fields 

and to maximize IPM strategies for sustainable cucurbit production in 

the state.

$199,695.16

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

3. Evaluating Strawberry 

Varieties Statewide to 

Increase Producer 

Competitiveness and 

Publish Updated Production 

Guides and Online Training 

Modules from Current 

Texas Research

Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas Tech, Prairie View A&M, Poteet Strawberry 

Growers Association, and growers statewide will collaborate to 

increase sustainability and improve profitability of Texas strawberry 

production. With this new project we will: (1) conduct statewide 

strawberry variety trials on at least 10 collaborating farms to determine 

performance under Texas’ diverse environments and grower 

production practices; (2) collaborate with AgriLife Extension agents to 

visit all regions and conduct statewide grower surveys to obtain 

accurate and current statewide acreage, management techniques, pest 

problems, and production costs; (3) create an updated, extensive and 

detailed revised Texas Strawberry Production Guide; (4) supplement 

the new grower production guide with online videos using hands-on 

instruction through on-farm demonstration plots utilizing best 

management practices; and (5) increase the number of face-to-face 

strawberry trainings across the state of Texas.

$132,567.50
189

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

4. Increasing Onion 

Productivity Via Integrated 

Management of Thrips

Changes in cropping systems and mild winter have caused a surge in 

thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) populations in the Southern U.S. 

Onion growers in Texas lack an integrated pest management program 

to manage thrips. The project will develop an action threshold-based 

insecticide program on thrips and study olfactory and visual clues of the 

insect to integrate the knowledge into the existing breeding program to 

develop insect tolerance cultivars. We will also analyze profiles of 

metabolites in insect tolerant and susceptible genotypes to identify 

hormonal biomarkers for onion breeding. The breeding program will 

seek a public-private partnership that will be used to develop cultivars.

$121,872.00

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

5. Effect of Cover Crop on 

Grapevine Growth, Soil 

Health, and Moisture Status 

in Texas Vineyards

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in partnership with the Gulf 

Coast Growers Association aims to improve the productivity and quality 

of Texas grapes and wines through a research and extension project to 

determine the effect of cover crop use on vineyard soil and grapevine 

health. This project intends to make using cover crops a common 

practice by testing different mixtures of crops in order to find the ideal 

combination suitable for vineyards in Texas. In addition, the effect of 

each mixture on vine growth, soil health and water status, weed 

control, and insect populations will be assessed. This project serves to 

enhance the competitiveness and longevity of grape production in 

Texas.

$60,827.60

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

6. Unlocking the Potential 

of Commercial Apricot 

Production in Texas

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension will partner with Cooper Farms and 

Studebaker Farms to explore the improved feasibility of commercial 

apricot production in Texas through 1) protected culture production in 

high tunnel greenhouses; 2) the expanded field trialing of an extensive 

collection of new and heirloom apricot varieties; 3) promotion and 

support of this promising and lucrative crop through a series of 

educational videos, field day, conferences, and social media posts.

$45,653.22
190

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

7. Developing Pineapple 

Guava as a New Low-input 

Fruit & Ornamental Crop for 

Texas

Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) will partner with Texas A&M 

AgriLife Extension to develop pineapple guava into a new commercial 

crop for the Texas specialty fruit crop and nursery industry. This will be 

accomplished through 1) extensive trialing of over 40 varieties at two 

sites to identify selections with superior fruit quality and ornamental 

value for the Texas fruit and nursery industries, 2) intensive research 

into developing more efficient propagation techniques to make these 

varieties commercially available, 3) explore consumer acceptance and 

producer interest toward commercialization, 4) promotion of this new 

and exciting crop through a field day, conferences, and social media.

$30,533.10

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

8. Developing ConsumerFriendly Mild Onions Using 

Nanotechnology and 

Improved Genetics

The objective of this study is to integrate enhanced seed nanopriming 

technologies using nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) with new elite 

open pollinated, super-sweet, disease-resistant cultivars (TAM 123 and 

TAM 153) to improve onion physiology, growth, earliness, yield, quality, 

and resource (water/nutrient) use efficiency. The project will be led by 

the Texas A&M University’s (TAMU) AgriLife Research in partnership 

with J&D Produce, Winter Garden Produce, Dixon Dale Farms, and 

Cargil Farms Produce, Texas International Produce Association, 

National Onion Association and HEB.

$197,015.98

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

9. Sustainable Irrigation 

Management for Texas 

Vineyards: Optimizing 

Irrigation Practices to 

Improve Wine Quality and 

Vineyard Economics

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will partner with Texas Hill 

Country Wineries, Texas Artisan Vineyards Cooperative, and the Cross 

Timber Wine and Vineyard Association to develop and disseminate a 

vineyard irrigation protocol for Texas vineyards that is both data driven 

and practical for producers to implement. Researchers at the Texas 

A&M AgriLife Extension Service will work with three cooperating 

vineyards to test three irrigation regimes at each site. 

Recommendations will be based on the irrigation regime(s) that prove 

to most economic based on vineyard management costs and returns, 

water conservation, and wine quality potential. The results of the 

project will be further disseminated to members of the Texas wine 

industry through Extension publications, websites, social media, and 

presentations.

$116,618.00
191

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98

10. Flexible Risk Process 

Models to Quantify 

Residual Risks and the 

Impact of Interventions

The Texas International Produce Association will partner with the 

Center for Produce Safety and the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign to model the microbiological food safety risks in a supply 

chain for leafy greens. This project will build a supply chain risk model 

specific to leafy greens and focusing on two prominent pathogens 

associated with this commodity, Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli 

(STEC) and Listeria monocytogenes. The goal of this project is to effect 

real change in how the produce industry assesses which food safety 

risks merit additional management. Major outcomes will be (i) a 

comprehensive model of residual risk for STEC and L. monocytogenes 

simultaneously from current end-to-end practices, ranging from 

preharvest to consumer, and (ii) a sensitivity analysis of factors that 

influence risk, thus providing a guide for future risk-based modeling 

work.

150031

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98 11. Increasing Specialty Crop Awareness

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) aims to focus on two major 

initiatives under this project: First, to increase awareness by specialty 

crop producers of the various resources and opportunities available to 

them through both TDA programs such as GO TEXAN AgriLife, the 

National Center for Appropriate Technology, and Feeding Texas. 

Secondly, continue to inform and educate consumers about the 

availability and nutritional benefits of Texas grown specialty crops. 

Through ongoing advertising efforts, we hope to reach both new 

audiences and create “muscle memory” encouraging the purchase and 

consumption of these Texas produced items.

$145,051.73

Texas Department 

of Agriculture $1,497,157.98 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$46,103.54
192

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,707.06

1. USU Extension 

Pomegranate Variety 

Research Trials for Home 

and Commercial Use

Utah State University (USU) will establish an agreement with the State 

Department of Agriculture and Food to lead and execute the project: to 

identify region-specific superior pomegranate cultivars; and to conduct 

outreach activities to educate farmers, homeowners, and consumers to 

increase awareness and acceptance of pomegranate for specialty crop 

production in Utah.

$76,251.79

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,707.06

2. Educating Consumers 

and Training Growers of 

Specialty Crops in Southern 

Utah

Through educational programs and hands-on training on an already 

well-established and productive small acreage farm, Red Acre Center 

will work to bring attention, understanding and increase familiarity and 

knowledge of specialty crops to our broader community. In addition, 

the Center will focus on changing the perception of specialty crops, 

increasing consumption, growing, using, marketing, and distributing 

specialty crops in rural and southern Utah. Specifically empowering 

individuals with the skills and knowledge needed

to acquire land, water, tools, seeds, and plants to grow and market 

specialty crops in this specific climate and population base. The direct 

outcome will be more availability of specialty crops grown, sold, and 

consumed in Southern Utah.

$76,800.00

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,707.06

3. Commercially Viable 

Elderberry Varieties For 

Utah’s Challenging Growing 

Climate 

Better Food Farm, in collaboration with other local farms will trial five 

varieties of elderberries that have been shown to be commercially 

viable in other parts of the county and measure how well they produce 

in Utah’s climate. The purpose of this project to identify elderberry 

varieties that produce well in Utah. The primary deliverable will be a 

full production trial five elderberry varieties. A secondary deliverable 

will to test the marketability of Utah grown elderberries with any fruit 

produced during the trial.

$95,505.27
193

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and

Food

$367,707.06

4. Understanding and 

Alleviating Heat Stress in 

Tart Cherry: Adapting Utah 

Fruit Production to Climate 

Change

Researchers at Utah State University will determine the critical time of 

year when heat or drought stress induces malformed fruit in 

‘Montmorency’ tart cherry. Researchers will also evaluate strategies to 

alleviate or minimize heat stress at the whole-orchard scale, including 

foliar sprays, wind machines and improved irrigation. Based on results 

from the timing studies, prediction models will be adapted to help 

growers forecast when the critical development periods are likely, and 

which alleviation strategies might be most viable. From this, growers 

can avoid the devastating consequences of having high incidence of 

unmarketable malformed fruit in the face of global climate change.

$66,474.10

Utah Department 

of Agriculture and 

Food

$367,707.06 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

Funding.

$15,657.23

Vermont Agency of 

Agriculture $317,998.86

1. Testing Organic, No-Till 

Methods and Sharing with 

Vermont Producers

Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center will continue to conduct onfarm research on organic, no-till methods and will share results with 

farms in Vermont and across New England. This project will 

demonstrate how to grow strawberries in an organic, no-till system, 

while building soil health. These methods have the potential to both 

reduce climate impacts and monetary costs. The project and its results 

will be shared openly, providing Vermont farmers with insights on 

regenerative farming methods, tactics, and outcomes. Our goal is to 

develop and refine production systems that mitigate the impacts of 

climate change on crop production and address resource, labor and 

knowledge barriers to the adoption of no-till practices on organic 

farms.

$30,085.00

Vermont Agency of 

Agriculture $317,998.86

2. Food Connects Northeast 

Market Expansion for 

Specialty Crops

Food Connects will double sales for over 20 Vermont specialty crop 

producers by developing new wholesale customers, new supply chain 

relationships, and marketing materials in partnership with Vermont 

Way Foods, a new brand created specifically to create new market 

opportunities throughout the Northeast for Vermont producers.

$56,106.00
194

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Vermont Agency of 

Agriculture $317,998.86

3. Enhanced Digital 

Communications Platform 

for Vermont Fruit Producers 

and Next-Generation food 

Systems Professionals

The University of Vermont Fruit Program will develop a Food Systems 

Internship program to revise its comprehensive digital communications 

platform for the dissemination of research-based technical support 

information to improve the competitiveness of apple and grape 

producers in the state.

$13,529.00

Vermont Agency of 

Agriculture $317,998.86

4. Supporting VT Bee 

Producers in Developing 

Disease and Pest Resistant 

Bee Stock

The University of Vermont’s Bee Lab will support Vermont bee 

producers in improving their bee stock through hygienic assays and 

disease diagnostic services. The purpose of the project is to work with a 

number of Vermont bee breeders to pilot/trial new unhealthy brood 

odor (UBO) assays—not yet commercially available—as well as 

additional, established assays and then host workshops to share 

techniques and findings with the larger community of bee breeders and 

beekeepers.

$49,345.00

Vermont Agency of 

Agriculture $317,998.86

5. Winter Tolerant 

Vegetable Peas: Dual-Use 

Legumes for Early Spring 

Harvest and Soil Health

Researchers and Extension personnel at UVM will test the cold 

tolerance and growth characteristics of overwintering vegetable peas 

and then help train and inform growers and consumers about the soil 

and human health benefits of this nitrogen-fixing dual-use cover 

crop/new early-season vegetable.

$39,207.00

Vermont Agency of 

Agriculture $317,998.86

6. Vermont Maple 

Container Labeling to 

Disrupt Supply Chain 

Interruptions

VMSMA proposes to reclaim a portion of the supply chain for maple 

producers that has caused extreme interruptions in container 

accessibility, well before the pandemic. This project includes the 

purchase of an industrial labeling machine and partnering with 

Manufacturing Solutions, Inc. (an innovative locally owned Vermont 

business) to provide food safe labeling and fulfillment services for 

VMSMA-branded maple containers. VMSMA has a long history of 

working together with maple producers to innovate and solve 

problems. This project redefines the process of bringing VMSMAbranded containers to market, where VMSMA becomes an 

intermediary in ordering containers and labels that ship to the local 

warehouse for finish work and order fulfillment.

$28,000.00
195

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Vermont Agency of 

Agriculture $317,998.86

7. Streamlining Data 

Reporting Processes to 

Increase Understanding, 

Competitiveness, and 

Strengthen Specialty Crop 

Marketing Initiatives

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM) will 

continue to refine and understand data collection methods and 

reporting to ensure Specialty Crop Producers who participate in Agency 

supported events or farmers market data collection programs have the 

information they need to be successful and ensure the long-term 

viability of these market opportunities for specialty crop producers. The 

Agency will also continue the work from the SCBGP project awarded in 

2012, “Improved Coordination for Strengthened Local & Regional 

Marketing Initiatives,” to ensure specialty crop participation and 

consumer engagement for agritourism and Open Farm Week, both of 

which are premier consumer facing events and are proven to be 

excellent opportunities for specialty crop producers to engage with 

customers and increase sales.

$75,997.31

Vermont Agency of 

Agriculture $317,998.86 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by

performing pre-award and post-award activities to administer Specialty 

Crop Block Grant Program funding.

$25,414.64

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$614,225.38

1. Evaluate Plant Activators 

and Enzymes in Control of 

Fire Blight Inoculum Using 

Droplet Digital PCR

In this proposal, Virginia Tech and University of Virginia will optimize 

viability droplet digital PCR, a diagnostic method that quantifies Ea in 

cankers, and use it to evaluate effectiveness of PGRs, PRAs and ABEs in 

killing Ea populations from fire blight cankers. This will expand PGR and 

PRA uses and be the first step in commercialization of ABEs in the 

future. These materials are expected to decrease Ea populations in 

cankers or their emergence. New spray programs with these materials 

will provide critically needed control options for Ea inoculum and 

widely benefit Virginia's fruit growers and stakeholders.

$75,000.00
196

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$614,225.38

2. Evaluating Specialty 

Pumpkin Production and 

Postharvest Treatments for 

Shelf-Life Extension in 

Virginia 

Pumpkins are an important crop in the Commonwealth of Virginia with 

a value of $17.6 million produced on 5,500 acres in 2020. Production 

was estimated at 972,000 hundredweight, ranking Virginia 4th 

nationally, with the number of producers doubling from 2018 (200) to 

2021 (400). Virginia Tech researchers, in cooperation with Virginia 

Cooperative Extension, will conduct research on 1) increasing shelf-life 

for pumpkins by reducing postharvest diseases and 2) exploring 

specialty pumpkins suitable for production in Virginia. These two 

objectives were identified as the most critical for market sustainability 

and growth during winter of 2021-2022 grower production meetings. 

Results will be conveyed to growers, industry personnel and other 

stakeholders through field days, social media, extension publications 

and grower meetings.

$74,474.23

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$614,225.38

3. Developing Aromatic 

Snacking Pepper Cultivars 

Suitable for Vertical 

Agriculture

Virginia Tech will evaluate the agronomic performance of 56 pepper 

cultivars grown in hydroponics under LED lights in a controlled 

environment. The researchers will also develop a protocol for 

measuring the aromatic flavor of pepper fruits and establish a breeding 

population to select new snacking pepper cultivars with compact plant 

size, early flowering, and improved fruit flavor. Developing snacking 

pepper cultivars suitable for vertical farming will make the snacking 

pepper become a new cash crop and create new job opportunities in 

Virginia. Because of the rapid production cycling in Controlled 

Environment Agriculture (CEA), large quantitative and high-quality 

pepper seeds are required to keep a year-round snacking pepper 

production. Virginia farmers can dedicate their farms to producing 

specialized snacking pepper seeds for the CEA business, which can 

increase farmers’ profits. Initiating a snacking pepper breeding program 

specialized for vertical farming will ensure the success of CEA 

businesses that are continuously expanding in Virginia. Therefore, our 

proposed research will largely benefit Virginia agriculture economy.

$74,940.77
197

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$614,225.38

4. Field Pea Production for 

Virginia: An Emerging 

Market?

Diversifying Virginia’s crop production sector is always a useful venture, 

especially when considering a late winter/early spring crop that will not 

directly interfere with other vegetables in production. The yellow field 

pea would be an ideal rotation host for crops that have high cyst 

nematode pressure (i.e., potato, soybean, etc.) as the field pea is not a 

nematode host, while many legume cover crops are nematode hosts. 

So, while we often plant legumes as cover crops, a non-nematode host 

legume that doubles as a soil protectant, offers the soil living roots over 

an otherwise fallow winter season, and fixes N from the atmosphere is 

a beneficial addition to the rotation. The Virginia Tech Eastern Shore 

Agricultural Research and Extension Center will work with farmers, 

Extension agents, and industry to validate the utility of growing yellow 

field pea in Virginia and will develop production recommendations for 

vegetable production guides, field days, and grower meetings.

$74,970.92

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$614,225.38

5. A New Way of Growing 

and Utilizing Blackberry: 

from Farms to Bottles

Virginia Tech Flavor Lab at the Department of Food Science and 

Technology, in partnership with Small Fruit Research and Extension 

Program at Hampton Roads AREC, proposes to coalesce traditional

trellis practices for growing blackberries while maintaining yield and 

fruit quality, and sustainably utilizing U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice quality 

fruits for value-added products. The team is well equipped with experts 

across growing, fruit quality assessment, and beverage development. 

Three primary objectives are proposed: 1) Develop a new trellis system 

for blackberry production suitable for small-sized farms and evaluate 

the fruit yield, quality, and chemical composition; 2) build straightforward training flyers for this new growing method and distribute to 

regional producers through extension efforts; and 3) develop 

blackberry-based beverages from quality-compromised fruits using 

easy-recipes. 

$74,054.91
198

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$614,225.38

6. Investigating Adjacent 

Land-use Risks to Improve 

Good Agricultural Practices

Virginia Tech will investigate the recovery and transfer of aerosolized 

microorganisms to improve good agricultural practices (GAP) in 

specialty crop operations that reduce contamination risks associated 

with adjacent land-use. These findings will directly support the Virginia 

specialty crop industries by generating data on adjacent land-use and 

how operations can develop strategies to control potential risks. 

Results will be communicated to stakeholders through extension 

activities at grower meetings including Northern Neck Vegetable 

Growers Association and Local Food Hub, Virginia Cooperative 

Extension factsheets/presentations, and Virginia-hosted Produce Safety 

Alliance Grower Trainings.

$73,854.08

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$614,225.38

7. A Flavor and Shelf-life 

Focused Study of Virginia 

Cherry Tomatoes from Field 

and Indoor Facilities

Virginia Tech Flavor Science Lab at the Department of Food Science and 

Technology, in partnership with Virginia State University and Virginia 

Tech Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), will seek to 

enhance the competitiveness of Virginia cherry tomatoes by comparing 

the flavor, nutrition and shelf-life qualities of produce from 

conventional fields and an indoor hydroponic system. Findings from 

this study will provide information on the effect of pre-harvest growing 

conditions on postharvest quality and create a platform for marketing 

the two types of produce by highlighting their merits in terms of flavor, 

nutrition, and storability, which will directly support the 

competitiveness of the Virginia cherry tomato industry and other 

specialty crops.

$74,920.99
199

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$614,225.38

8. Increasing Market Access 

for Virginia Growers: 

Grower/Buyer 

Opportunities and Food 

Safety Recordkeeping App

Local Food Hub will introduce new approaches and reintroduce triedand-true approaches to working with specialty crop growers on market 

access and food safety. A first of its kind recording keeping app will 

greatly enhance growers’ ability to comply with food safety regulations. 

The Virginia Black Farmer Directory will build new bridges to market 

access for underserved farms. The Grower/Buyer Expo will help farmers 

and purchasers emerge from the pandemic by connecting face-to-face 

once again. These efforts build upon many years of investment, 

experimentation, and grower feedback, and will work synergistically to 

make Virginia’s specialty crop sector an even safer, more diverse, and 

more vibrant part of the agricultural economy.

$67,810.00

Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture and 

Consumer Services

$614,225.38 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$18,356.41

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

1. Develop a Sustainable 

Strategy to Control 

Grapevine Leafroll Virus in 

Washington Vineyards 

through Mating Disruption

The Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC) seeks to develop a 

sustainable mating disruption program to manage grape mealybugs, 

the primary vector of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3), in 

Washington vineyards. Slowing the spread of GLRaV-3 is the #1 

research priority for the Washington wine industry. GLRaV-3 infection 

results in poor vine vigor, uneven fruit ripening, negatively impacts 

wine quality, and threatens long-term profitability of vineyards. Our 

project provides a multi-disciplinary approach for commercial-scale 

mating disruption trials and quantifies virus spread over the course of 

three growing seasons. Bottom line: We plan to prove that shutting 

down mating will reduce mealybug populations and provide an 

effective and sustainable way to manage GLRaV-3.

$205,200.00
200

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

2. Biological Control of 

Insect Pests in Non-Crop 

Habitats

USDA will establish an agreement with WSDA to research the biological 

control of insect pests in non-crop habitats. Many insect pests reside 

much of the year on non-crop plants outside of commercial fields. 

Three such pests in Washington include potato psyllid and beet 

leafhopper, vectors of vegetable crop pathogens, and pear psylla, the 

primary pest of pears. This project will benefit pear growers, potato 

growers, and other vegetable or seed specialty crop growers in 

Washington State.

$248,699.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

3. Mitigation of the Blue 

Mold Fungus of Pome Fruit 

to Reduce Food Loss

This project, submitted by Washington State University, will develop 

solutions to manage the blue mold fungus, the most important 

postharvest threat to the state’ pome fruit industry which provides 65% 

and 100% of the U.S. conventional and organic fruit, respectively. In 

this project, we aim to i) develop management tactics to mitigate 

fungicide resistance in Penicillium spp., ii) characterize the exact 

species occurring in Washington warehouses, iii) and develop 

approaches to mitigate patulin contamination in processed pome fruit. 

Findings from this project will help extend the lifespan of current and 

new fungicides and empowers stakeholders with new tactics for 

sustainable fruit production and storage.

$202,216.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

4. Interaction of Resident 

Microbiome and Listeria on 

Pears During Cold Storage

The Center for Produce Safety will partner with Washington State 

University to address knowledge gaps on Listeria survival and resident 

microbial communities (microbiome) on whole pears during cold 

storage. The pear microbiome and other microorganisms potentially 

introduced at harvest or postharvest handling may influence the 

survival of foodborne pathogens on the pear surface. This project will 

first determine Listeria survival and changes in the microbiome of 

Bartlett, Anjou, and Bosc pears over time and possible microbial 

interactions during long-term cold storage; Listeria innocua, a nonpathogenic surrogate of L. monocytogenes will be used in inoculation 

studies. The project also will compare conventionally and organically 

grown Bartlett and Anjou pears to evaluate differences in the 

microbiome and persistence of Listeria during long-term cold storage. 

$250,000.00
201

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

5. Improving Food Safety 

and Minimizing Recalls: Dry 

Cleaning and Sanitation 

Strategies for the Onion 

Industry

Oregon State University will establish an agreement with Washington 

State Department of Agriculture to research dry cleaning and sanitation 

strategies for the onion industry. In 2020 and 2021, two large 

Salmonella outbreaks (>800 and 1600 cases) were epidemiologically 

linked to the consumption of red onions produced in California and 

onions imported from Mexico, respectively. To help the dry bulb onion 

industry better understand and mitigate risks related to microbial 

contamination in the field and during post-harvest storage and 

handling practices, Oregon State University research and extension 

faculty team proposes an integrated project to: 1) Characterize the 

growth or survival of generic E. coli on and in onions contaminated by 

overhead water applications, 2) Define optimal post-harvest 

approaches for dry cleaning and/or sanitation based on a predictive 

model for transfer of generic E. coli from contaminated onions to postharvest food contact surfaces to help mitigate risk of transfer from 

these surfaces to other onions, 3) Develop and deliver outreach 

materials to the onion industry and related stakeholders to support 

science-based food safety decisions. 

$249,846.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

6. Mitigating Financial Risk 

with Cost-of-Production 

Calculators for Washington 

Grape and Wine Producers

The Washington Wine Industry Foundation seeks to provide updated, 

current, useful, and readily accessible tools (calculators) for mitigating 

financial and production risks. These online tools are used to calculate 

cost-of-production to improve awareness of risks, stabilize the financial 

position and ultimate resiliency of Washington's wine grape industry. 

This project will update the existing risk management tools. The 

updated tools, which address financial risk, cost of production, and 

financial benchmarking, benefitting one of Washington’s fastest 

growing agricultural industries as well as producers across the U.S. who 

use the tool for benchmarking. Additionally, this project will include a 

concentrated industry outreach plan to share the updated tools and 

provide tool usage training. This outreach will be critical for input, 

feedback, and announcing completion of the project. Communication 

will be accomplished using various channels designed to complement 

prior efforts and audience age, understanding, and needs.

$125,987.45
202

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

7. Pesticide Information 

Center OnLine (PICOL) 

Rescue

The Washington State University Pesticide Resources and Education 

program maintains the Pesticide Information Center OnLine (PICOL), a 

free database with Washington and Oregon Section 3 and Section 24(c) 

Special Local Need (SLN) labels. PICOL allows growers to critically 

review and find pesticide options that achieve their plant health goals 

while protecting human health and the environment. This 30-year-old 

database which uniquely supported Washington specialty crops, is in 

dire need of a rebuild. This project would completely rebuild of the 

database onto a new server, restore lost functions, enable new 

features, and automate back-end processes. Access to trustworthy 

pesticide information, specific to Washington State, is pivotal to 

environmental stewardship and competitive specialty crop production.

$196,603.50

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

8. Identifying Areas to 

Improve the Washington 

State Agricultural 

Recruitment System for 

Specialty Crop Production 

Activities

The Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) will 

establish an agreement with the Washington State Department of 

Agriculture (WSDA) to conduct a study to identify key areas to improve 

the Washington state agricultural recruitment system of U.S. workers 

for apple, berry, cherry, grape, and pear production activities. The 

study will consist of conducting in-depth one-on-one (or focus group) 

interviews with apple, berry, cherry, grape, and pear growers and 

farmworkers.

$250,000.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

9. Timely Market 

Development for 

Washington Craft Cider and 

Cider made with 

Washington Grown Apples

The Northwest Cider Association (NWCA) will execute this project to 

address urgent domestic market development needs for Washington 

craft cider and cider made with Washington grown apples and other 

specialty crops including grapes, cane berries, stone fruit, berries, hops, 

and botanical herbs. The goal of this project is to increase immediate 

and longer-term sales by addressing urgent needs to educate buyers, 

media, and consumers on Washington cider as premium products. 

NWCA will leverage a well-established cider competition, the Portland 

International Cider Cup, to drive timebound evidence-based education, 

marketing, and PR all strategically aligned to drive sales.

$249,377.00
203

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12 10. Plant Something 

Pollinator Friendly

Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association is seeking funding 

to promote, encourage and increase the production, sale, and use of 

Washington’s specialty nursery crops. This multi-year marketing 

campaign features promotion of wholesale and retail nurseries and 

includes education as a marketing strategy to increase awareness of 

pollinator friendly production practices, plant choices and planting 

practices, all resulting in an increase of overall nursery crop sales.

$107,890.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

11. Fusarium Canker: 

Understanding and 

Managing an Emerging 

Disease in Washington 

Hops

In this project, the Washington Hop Commission and research partners 

at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Oregon State University will 

develop foundational knowledge on risk factors for Fusarium canker 

and best practices for cultural management of this disease. The project 

will identify and quantify factors at the farm and field level that 

increase the risk of Fusarium canker, determine the frequency of 

infestation of planting materials, develop non-chemical management 

approaches for Fusarium canker that reduce the impact of the disease, 

and broadly communicate and disseminate results to the hop industry. 

$239,698.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

12. Alternative Sampling 

Techniques for Timely 

Vineyard Nutrient 

Management

Washington State University (WSU) will conduct this project to 

determine (1) if nutrient analysis of dormant or early-season tissues 

better predicts grapevine nutrient status than leaf sampling at bloom or 

veraison; and (2) the optimal nitrogen (N) application for areas of 

differing vine vigor in the same vineyard. All results will be integrated to 

generate science-based recommendations that will enable growers to 

make timely and reliable nutrient management decisions.

$235,457.00
204

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

13. Preemptive Cultural 

Management Strategies to 

Maximize Potato 

Production Under Extreme 

Heat and Water Stress

Researchers at Washington State University propose research to clarify 

best practices around planting timing, plant spatial arrangement, and 

soil moisture management as it relates to production and plant health 

under stressful growing conditions. We propose to 1) identify 

preemptive cultural management strategies to maximize potato 

production under extreme heat and water stress and 2) Identify 

methods to assess in-season heat stress and it impacts on plant 

phenotype, yield, and postharvest quality. The recommendations and 

data developed for conditions with heat and water stress will be 

presented annually to the potato industry at the WA/OR Potato 

Conference, local workshops, and field days. This research will 

potentially benefit all potato growers and processors directly while 

creating novel research tools.

$249,980.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

14. Ensuring Reliable 

Pollination for Washington 

Apples with Cultural 

Practices and Conservation

To increase the potential for wild pollinator services in Washington 

apple systems, researchers at Washington State University’s Tree Fruit 

Research and Extension Center will conduct the following objectives. 

First, researchers will conduct an extensive survey of wild pollinators in 

apples across the state to identify key species. Second, the team will 

investigate strategies to enhance apple pollination by both wild 

pollinators and honeybees, including planting wildflowers, creating 

nesting habitats, and spraying pollinator attractants. Finally, the team 

will disseminate information through Extension services including a 

Tree Fruit Extension webpage specific to this project, and through field 

days and seminars. The information generated will give growers more 

knowledge and tools to ensure the continued and reliable pollination of 

apple.

$249,560.00
205

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

15. Increase the 

prominence of Skagit Valley 

Specialty Crops by 

Promoting the Genuine 

Skagit Valley Brand

Northwest Agriculture Business Center (NABC) will implement the 

Genuine Skagit Valley (GSV) program to increase the visibility and value 

of specialty crops grown in the Skagit Valley. Place-based marketing 

programs like GSV succeed because there is a strong desire to connect 

with the land. Through this grant, GSV will promote specialty crops 

grown in this distinct agricultural region by creating On-the-Farm 

Tasting Events, participating in Taste Washington, supporting Latinx 

and beginning farmers, and launching a regional consumer advertising 

campaign. Highly targeted digital advertising and sponsored content 

will be used to reach consumers and timed to coordinate with Taste 

Washington.

$106,761.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

16. LULAC Grows Specialty 

Crop Production, Markets, 

and Farming for Families 

and Communities of Color

The Southwest Washington League of United Latin American Citizens 

(SW-WA-LULAC) established the “LULAC Grows” programs in order to 

provide pathways that reconnect our people to the lands and achieve 

our food sovereignty mission. This SCBG supports LULAC Grows’ 

equitable food system vision by (I) supporting education for farmers 

and families, as they improve access to farmland through incubator 

farm plots and on-farm training; (II) increasing the supply of fresh 

produce to underserved consumers through new and expanding 

market outlets; and (III) and provide a wide array of bilingual education 

and training on topics needed to ensure the success of aspiring, new, 

and experienced specialty crop producers.

$249,365.00
206

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

17. Educational Tools for 

the Small and Very Small 

Value-Added Specialty Crop 

Growers and Food 

Processors

Washington State University – Food Processing Extension Program 

propose developing a virtual library of value-added food processing and 

safety information designed to best meet the needs of small growers 

and value-added food processors in Washington State. These resources 

will be developed based on direct feedback from these stakeholders 

and cover the basic concepts of value-addition, processing, food safety, 

and regulatory requirements. Some of the newly proposed trainings 

will be hands-on (only during the final year of the project) to help the 

small and very small processors to develop robust food safety systems 

for their individual processing scenarios. This will enable them to 

become more self-sufficient in maintaining food safety for their 

processing facilities and value-added products.

$246,363.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

18. Comprehensive 

HoneyBee Health Tech 

Transfer Outreach Program: 

Education, Breeding, 

Nutrition and Management

The Washington State University honeybee research team will create 

and deliver comprehensive honeybee and pollination education to 

stakeholders with the objective of improving colony health, reducing 

colony losses, and enhancing pollination efficiency in specialty crops. 

This will be accomplished through training and dissemination of 

educational materials via workshops, webinars, videos, and printed 

material. The development of a comprehensive library of readily 

accessible video and printed material (incorporating universal design 

principles, in both English and Spanish) will allow the impact of this 

project to extend beyond the inclusive dates of this proposal.

$249,670.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

19. Specialty Crop 

Cultivation to Meet 

Immigrant and Refugee 

Producer and Consumer 

Demand

Living Well Kent (LWK) proposes to bolster specialty crop production by 

levering our existing greenhouse infrastructure to create a specialty 

crop cultivation lab. Our vision is to partner with BIPOC refugee and 

immigrant producers to identify those culturally relevant specialty 

crops that are in demand across the region, then recruit a technical 

advisor to provide greenhouse redesign and seedling cultivation 

training that aligns with specialty crops prioritized by BIPOC farmers. 

Once we have increased seedling production, LWK will integrate the 

nursery into our existing programming and create a business growth 

strategy based on results.

$169,764.00
207

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12

20. Retooling Leadership 

Development for Future 

Generations

The Agriculture and Forestry Education Foundation provides a wellestablished, well-respected leadership program for Washington State; 

“We cultivate leaders in agriculture, forestry, and natural resources.” 

Branded as the “AgForestry Leadership Program” or “AgForestry”, 

mentioning you’re a graduate helps open doors. AgForestry has 

identified the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the curriculum 

and delivery methods. The goal of this project is to retool this 

experiential leadership program to ensure it meets future leaders 

based on their generational needs. If we choose to ignore this 

significant shift, agriculture, including specialty crops, will slowly lose 

their next generation of leaders and managers.

$249,997.00

Washington State 

Department of 

Agriculture

$4,736,046.12 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$376,729.95

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$304,627.44

1. Local Fruits and Flowers: 

Collaborative Marketing, 

Education, and Celebration 

of Northern Panhandle 

Specialty Crops

Grow Ohio Valley’s (GrowOV) Local Fruits and Flowers project will unify 

and coordinate the marketing and promotion of specialty crops in the 

Northern Panhandle. With our partner producers and retailers, this 

project will (1) strategize coordinated marketing for northern 

panhandle specialty crops, (2) provide public education and events 

celebrating specialty crops, and (3) support innovative 

entrepreneurship around specialty crop production. In addition to 

unifying the efforts of existing specialty crop producers throughout our 

region, this project focuses on investing in youth agricultural and 

leadership training. Wheeling youth will create and manage their own 

urban flower farming business. Through this youth engagement, along 

with a host of community educational events, we are building a culture 

that celebrates the quality products grown in our region.

$61,110.00
208

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$304,627.44

2. Developing Processing 

and Market Options for 

West Virginia Tomato 

Growers

Vandalia, Incorporated will develop a project that creates a kettle 

system at the KISRA commercial kitchen in Dunbar, WV. This project 

will include the purchase of a series of kettles that will provide an 

operational processing avenue for WV locally grown fruits and 

vegetables to incorporate into finished goods that would be distributed 

throughout the eastern part of the United States. Vandalia, Inc. would 

continue to expand their co-packing operations to reach additional 

small food manufacturers or those currently operating under the 

WVDA Cottage Foods programs who would look to expand production. 

In addition, the staff of Vandalia, Inc. would work with these individuals 

in research and development to create a consistent recipe which could 

be used in larger production batches or to develop new recipes entirely 

for new flavors or varieties of the developed product. The Vandalia, Inc. 

team will also be able to provide these services to other specialty cropbased products such as jams/jellies, dressings, etc. 

$80,000.00

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$304,627.44 3. West Side Grown 

Expansion

Keep Your Faith Corporation’s (KYFC) West Side Grown Expansion 

project seeks to ramp up the operations of the West Side Grown (WSG) 

urban farm, in order to increase production of specialty crops for use in 

their mobile farmers market and the community-owned grocery store 

that’s under development by KYFC. This program will transform WSG’s 

urban farm from strictly educational into a full-scale production farm 

that grows specialty crops for sale and sustainability of the project. 

Additionally, this project will employ two youth “farm hands” from the 

community to learn agricultural and entrepreneurial skills that will 

benefit the West Side Grown program and increase economic 

development on the Charleston West Side.

$50,000.00

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$304,627.44

4.Market Competitive Hops 

Productions Through 

Shared Use Equipment

Spotted Horse farm will provide the Hops Cooperative with specialty 

equipment for increased efficiencies through automation and the 

production of high standard shelf stabilization of hops to increase 

market competitiveness of this specialty crop.

$49,600.00
209

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$304,627.44

5. Sustainable Management 

of Grape Black Rot to 

Promote U-Pick Sale

West Virginia University Extension Service will demonstrate the efficacy 

of integrated disease management tool for managing grape black rot to 

vineyard owners and backyard growers that will not only reduce 

disease incidence and chemical residue but also improve marketable 

yield. The project will include multiple on-farm trials to demonstrate 

the results from our proposed integrated method compared to 

traditional method to growers through field day and outreach activities 

to promote adoption of integrated option. 

$30,260.00

West Virginia 

Department of 

Agriculture

$304,627.44 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$33,657.44

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

1. Specialty Crop Edible 

Weight Gain Yield Trial 

Using Compost Tea: Five 

Vegetable Crops Vs Control

Organic Entourage, a midwestern small farm with diverse experience in 

supportive agricultural techniques, will evaluate the benefit of a 

compost tea protocol to increase edible weight in five specialty 

vegetable crops. Organic Entourage will disseminate the information 

through a field day and on-line videos.

$42,631.75

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

2. Alice In Dairyland 

Education And Promotion 

Of Wisconsin Specialty 

Crops

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection 

(DATCP) staff in the Division of Agricultural Development (DAD) will 

promote Wisconsin specialty crops using our most recognized 

agriculture spokesperson, Alice in Dairyland. Through this project, Alice 

in Dairyland will use her established social media channels, promotional 

videos, and presentations with developed educational materials. She 

will highlight our specialty crops in the state, such as cranberries, 

ginseng, Christmas trees, maple syrup, apples, honey, potatoes, 

pumpkins, lavender and more. We will partner with Wisconsin’s Ag in 

the Classroom Program to provide STEM focused, hands-on lessons for 

students to develop an understanding of how these crops are grown 

and how to use them.

$99,306.00
210

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

3. Quantifying The Impacts 

Of Wildflower Plantings On 

Cranberry Flower Visitation 

By Bees Using Automated 

Monitoring

The University of Wisconsin-Madison will use low-cost automated 

monitoring systems to characterize the community of wild bees visiting 

cranberry flowers on farms with and without supplemental wildflower 

plantings, quantify the amount of cranberry pollen tetrads deposited by 

wild bee species after a single flower visit, calculate the contributions 

each bee species makes to pollination services, and communicate our 

results with the cranberry industry and scientific community.

$99,511.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

4. Cold Hardiness Prediction 

Model To Reduce Cranberry 

Yield Losses.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison will develop a bud cold hardiness 

prediction model that will assist growers in making sensitive decisions 

to protect cranberry vines from winter injury, thus minimizing crop and 

vine losses and increasing the long-term sustainability of the cranberry 

industry in Wisconsin.

$94,713.17

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

5. Refining Integrated 

Disease Management 

Strategies For 

Environmentally And 

Economically Sustainable 

Processing Vegetable 

Production In Wisconsin

The University of Wisconsin Madison Vegetable Pathology Research 

and Extension Program will collaborate with the Midwest Food 

Products Association, the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers 

Association, the Wisconsin Fresh Market Vegetable Growers 

Association, and the Wisconsin Muck Growers Association to enhance 

the production of healthy processing and fresh market vegetable crops 

by developing scientifically-based practical measures to mitigate 

diseases that are emerging or of contemporary and growing concern. 

Specifically, we will investigate varietal resistance and disease 

management strategies to reduce vegetable yield and quality losses in 

carrots, snap beans, and sweet corn. Results will be disseminated to 

stakeholders through grower meetings and field days.

$87,111.00
211

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

6. Increasing Mushroom 

Production Efficiency And 

Addressing Barriers And 

Limitations To Wisconsin 

Specialty Crop Growers

Field and Forest Products will use it’s nearly 40 years of experience in 

the specialty mushroom industry to work with Wisconsin mushroom 

farmers and other stakeholders to address limitations of existing farms 

and reduce barriers prospective, beginning, and established mushroom 

farmers face: cost and farmer profitability, production capacity, crop 

variety, education, skill, and experience to create sustainable 

businesses capable of meeting the needs of the rapidly growing 

industry. We will scientifically evaluate new cultivars and 

improvements to mushroom fruiting block technology and disseminate 

results and necessary support and training to stakeholders through 

comprehensive outreach efforts.

$91,678.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

7. Seasonal Inoculum 

Dispersal, Wound 

Susceptibility, And Canker 

Expansion Of WoodInfecting Fungi In Wisconsin 

Apple Orchards

The University of Wisconsin will investigate the biology and 

epidemiology of wood-infecting fungal pathogens by investigating 

periods of spore dispersal, tree wound susceptibility to infection, and 

canker development. The University will disseminate results to 

stakeholders through grower meetings and extension articles.

$95,786.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

8. Develop And Extend 

Fungicide Programs To 

Meet The Maximum 

Residue Limits For Dried 

Ginseng Exports

The Ginseng Board of Wisconsin (GBW) has partnered with Michigan 

State University to develop and extend plant protection programs that 

meet the standards for dried ginseng exports to Taiwan. The United 

States (U.S.) establishes pesticide tolerances to allow growers to use 

plant protection products; these tolerances are called maximum 

residue limits (MRLs) in Taiwan and other countries. Taiwan does not 

accept U.S. tolerances, leaving Wisconsin’s ginseng exports vulnerable 

to violations. The project will develop, demonstrate, and implement 

pest management strategies to reduce pesticide residues on dried 

ginseng for export that exceed current MRL standards. This will be 

accomplished by establishing fungicide field plots with grower 

cooperators and root residue testing. 

$99,674.00
212

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

9. Hyperspectral Imaging 

For Sustainable Nitrogen 

Management Of Vegetable 

Crops

The University of Wisconsin – Madison will promote environmentally 

and economically sustainable vegetable crop production by 1) 

validating previously developed biophysical/machine learning models 

for efficiently monitoring and predicting crop nitrogen status and yield 

potential, using hyperspectral imaging and on-farm data collected on 

multiple vegetable crops including potatoes, snap beans, kidney beans, 

and sweet corn; and 2) disseminating results to stakeholders to 

encourage adoption of remote sensing through extension/outreach 

activities including industry-focused workshops, grower meetings, field 

days, articles in trade journals, etc.

$72,314.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

10. Increasing Specialty 

Crop Access And Demand 

Through Innovation In 

Milwaukee 

Hundred Acre and its partners, Feeding America, Sendik’s, Marquette 

University and Sodexo, will increase the availability and demand for 

specialty crops across various Milwaukee populations, with a focus on 

underserved communities, by co-marketing distribution and additional 

access points to end consumers throughout the city. It will also offer 

hands-on education and training in urban agriculture specifically 

dedicated to specialty crop production of leafy greens.

$100,000.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

11. Seasonal Flowers 

Namely Annual Bedding 

Plants, Begonias And 

Geraniums; And Potted 

Flowering Plants, 

Chrysanthemums

ORC Industries, a non-profit headquartered La Crosse, Wisconsin, 

whose mission is to provide employment and vocational education to 

disabled persons, will grow in a greenhouse setting certain specialty 

crops in Western Wisconsin for disabled persons to learn hands- on 

what it means to be a farmer, especially in Wisconsin where farming is 

a significant industry. The project purpose: vocational education of 

disabled persons, including the mechanics of greenhouse growing and 

the specialty crops; delivery of quality flowers to other businesses 

including for profit private, and nonprofit sectors, focusing on 

sustainability and environmental education. Activities taught and 

learned are the planting, growing, and sales of annual flowering 

bedding plants, from the seeding, transplanting, harvesting, packaging, 

labeling, and distribution.

$88,968.00
213

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

12. The Shiitake Growers 

Association (ShiiGA) Will 

Work To Expand And 

Enhance Wisconsin’s 

Specialty Mushroom 

Growers Through 

Education, Producer 

Development, Mentoring 

and Marketing

The Shiitake Growers Association (ShiiGA) seeks to remove obstacles 

for beginning mushroom growers, enabling them to successfully start 

and harvest their specialty mushroom crop. By providing specialty 

mushroom farmers the tools, education and instruction needed to 

increase production, SHIIGA enhances new farmers' ability to network 

with woodland owners and other grower organizations by sharing 

proven growing and harvest methods and implementing ways to 

increase product awareness in their customer base.

$44,900.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection 

$1,318,121.05

13. Bees, Blossoms, And 

Bad Weather: Assessing The 

Impact Of Weather 

Variability And Land-Use On 

Pollinators And Crops

The Gratton Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will assess 

temporal trends in land-use change and weather variability over the 

past 25 years and forecast 50 years into the future, as they relate to the 

vulnerability of bees and pollinator-dependent specialty crops. The 

Gratton Lab will disseminate results to grower and academic audiences 

through grower newsletters and presentations.

$99,996.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05

14. Mobile Processing 

Model To Increase 

Supply/Demand For Locally 

Grown Produce In 

Northeast Wisconsin 

Schools 

Local farms in Brown County have the capacity to produce many of the 

specialty crops that local school districts purchase from institutional 

wholesalers but lack the capacity to process produce into the ready-toeat form required by school kitchens. To bridge this “processing gap,” 

our coalition of 6 Brown County school districts, local food hub 

Seasonal Harvest and Green Bay well-being non-profit Wello will 

implement an innovative Mobile Processing Model (MPM) in which 

regional produce is aggregated by Seasonal Harvest and delivered to 

“pop-up” processing hubs within the community to be processed and 

distributed to schools.

$90,194.00

Wisconsin 

Department of 

Agriculture, Trade 

and Consumer 

Protection

$1,318,121.05 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$7,773.16
214

Organization 

Amount 

Funded to 

Organization 

Project Title Description Project Budget

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$340,322.08

1. 2023 Wyoming Specialty 

Crop Directory (2nd 

edition); and Wyoming 

Specialty Crop Directory 

Searchable Database

Waggener Editorial Services, with help from a contract graphic 

designer, University of Wyoming (UW) Extension, UW IT, and many 

others, will develop and disseminate a Wyoming specialty crop 

agribusiness directory (2nd edition), and develop a searchable database 

to increase the production and consumption of specialty crops in 

Wyoming, along with other goals, including specialty crop education 

and resources.

$50,000.00

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$340,322.08

2. Evaluation of Peas in 

Rotation with Annual Crop 

for Monitoring Productivity 

and Soil Health

The University of Wyoming will evaluate available and promising 

genotypes/cultivars of peas in the environments of Wyoming for the 

phenotypic adaptability and stability for growth, yield, and soil health. 

There is an increasing interest among the specialty crop producers in 

growing peas in the USA including Wyoming because of its high food 

value and market potential.

$96,091.00

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$340,322.08

3. Optimizing Planting Date 

and Irrigation Management 

for Chickpea Cultivars 

Varying in Maturity in 

Northern Wyoming

The University of Wyoming proposes to expand the testing of chickpea 

crop management practices during 2023 and 2024 by better defining 

optimal irrigation levels and planting dates. The resulting research will 

provide Bighorn Basin and northern Wyoming crop producers with 

findings on how to manage chickpea more efficiently.

$43,299.00

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$340,322.08

4. Developing Food security 

and Safety through the 307 

Kitchen Incubator

Food for Thought through the expansion of the Casper 307 kitchen 

incubator will provide an opportunity for local specialty crop producers 

to expand their operations by preserving their harvest and creating 

value-added products. The kitchen will provide food safety training as 

well as processing and marketing opportunities to local food producers. 

The value-added products will provide additional income for producers 

and expand local value-added products for the community.

$100,000.00

Wyoming 

Department of 

Agriculture

$340,322.08 Grant Administration

Ensure that the State Agency and sub-awardees abide by Federal and 

State requirements and regulations by performing pre-award and postaward activities to administer Specialty Crop Block Grant Program 

funding.

$50,313.00