What Happened?
New Jersey has received a $813,342 Specialty Crop Block Grant to support local farming initiatives. The funding can be used to stimulate production, marketing, research and education across the state.
Goal
Through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program, the state of New Jersey was awarded $813,342 to fuel 13 different farming initiatives. The grant program is designed to promote specialty crops nationwide, which in turn increases community access to locally-sourced, healthy food. States and communities leverage the grants to build out their specialty crop industries for long-term economic development.
In New Jersey, specialty crops generate $907.7 million in sales annually, the Hunterdon County Democrat reported. The grant funds will be applied to a variety of programs focused on:
- Fruit and vegetable production
- Tree nuts
- Horticulture
- Floriculture
- Nursery operations
The money can be used to cover operational costs for food producers, as well as:
- Launch promotional campaigns to raise awareness
- Fuel research programs to spur innovation in food safety and security
- Build out nutrition education programs to expand the industry
- Improve efficiency and reduce costs in distribution systems
- Boost conservation efforts throughout production
New Jersey is also using a portion of the funding to development cooperatives across the state to strengthen key niches of the industry.
Specialty Crop Block Grants
The USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program will allocate a total of $118 million to 838 specialty crop market initiatives nationwide in 2014. The grants are made available through the 2014 Farm Bill and are designed to strengthen local agriculture production and distribution in specialty crop industries. The funds provide food producers with tools and capital to grow, process and market high-quality products that can be sold competitively in local markets.
According to the USDA, specialty crops account for $65 billion annually in sales. The USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service is providing $66 million to state departments of agriculture to be distributed to local specialty crop initiatives. The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture is awarding $51.8 million through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative to organizations developing and disseminating science-based tools to improve the production of specialty crops. These research-based initiatives include:
- Improving production and profitability
- Strengthening crop characteristics
- Identifying threats from pests and diseases
- Developing new production innovations and technologies
- Developing methods to respond to food safety hazards
The grant program is part of a larger effort to connect rural food producers and economies to urban consumer settings.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, for example, will receive $4.5 million in specialty crop grants to fund 34 projects statewide. The programs range from increasing the market viability of locally-sourced crops to educating the public on nutrition and importance of fresh produce in a healthy diet.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture will use $4 million in specialty crop grants to fuel 27 projects across the state. Winning programs focus on a variety of initiatives such as pesticide research, consumer engagement, international promotions and crop safety studies.
Unique Grant Opportunities
Gov1 has reported on a variety of USDA grants helping cities spur economic development while strengthening local food markets.