Washington receives $4.3 million specialty crop grant
Washington will receive $4.3 million in federal specialty crop grant funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to a recent report.
Washington ranks second in the nation behind California in production of specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, nursery crops and floriculture. The 2016 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant will fund 21 projects managed by Washington State Department of Agriculture in partnership with other organizations.
This year, pears and apples, berries, nursery, lentils, potatoes and projects to enhance food safety are among the funded projects. Some of the projects include those that will help educate growers on the new Food Safety Modernization Act, increase availability of water rights for Snoqualmie Valley specialty crop growers, enhance Latino and small farm growers’ knowledge in food safety and connect the public to Washington’s specialty crops through the Washington Grown TV show. Another will survey acreage for tree fruits and grapes.
Awards for individual projects range from $55,000 to $300,000 and will go to agricultural commodity commissions, agricultural associations, nonprofit organizations, Washington State University and WSDA. WSU is the grant recipient for nine of the projects.
One project is earmarked for Washington State University for its “Utilization of Natural Genetic Resources for Developing Multiple Disease Resistant Potatoes.” WSU was awarded $199,937 to enhance the sustainability of potato production by generating tools and resources required for breeding potato cultivars with multiple disease resistance.
Growing disease-resistant cultivars will result in reduced inputs including insecticides for vector control, thus reducing the cost of production with a subsequent increase in profit, and will directly contribute to environmental stewardship and increased sustainability. Diseases are a major production constraint affecting both yield and quality of seed and commercial potatoes.
Yield losses due to these diseases vary from 10 to 70 percent and could cause rejection of an entire seed crop.
Because of the environmental concerns and financial costs, growing disease-resistant cultivars is the most desirable, economical and cost-effective means for controlling these diseases. Thus, it is critical to identify new genes conferring resistance to these pathogens that could be incorporated into modern potato cultivars.
The USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program was created to support the competitiveness of the specialty crop industry through the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service.
In awarding funds, WSDA selected projects that will directly benefit specialty crop producers, address critical issues to the industry and contain strong performance measures.
WSDA has received more than $27 million over the past nine years for projects supported by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
For other 2016 grant recipients and projects, go to agr.wa.gov/Grants/docs/2016AwardAbstracts.pdf.