The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) has been awarded $345,544.81 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP).
This USDA grant, part of a $79.2 million investment nationwide, helps the Kentucky Department of Agriculture fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research.
“Specialty crops make up a significant part of Kentucky’s agricultural economy and through these grants the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is pleased to be able to provide assistance to our producers to grow that production,” said Kentucky Department of Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell. “The specialty crop program is intended to help make Kentucky specialty crops more competitive in both domestic and foreign markets. These funds will allow new and unique opportunities for Kentucky farm families.”
Through the SCBGP, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is funding six projects. They include:
- $62,000 — Kentucky Horticulture Council will lead a collaborative effort with Kentucky Fresh Harvest to launch the Appalachian Protected Agriculture Alliance — a multi-state nonprofit coalition supporting greenhouse and vertical farm specialty crop producers across the 13-state Appalachian region.
- $62,000 — Awarded to the Southern Kentucky Floral Exchange to increase awareness and consumption of Kentucky grown specialty cut flowers in the region to expand cut flower production, sales and distribution through consumer education, networking and marketing initiatives.
- $53,000 — This project allows the University of Kentucky Specialty Crops Team to develop advanced disease management tools to help growers transition to organic production or to incorporate biological/biorational products into their conventional pest management systems.
- $53,000 — Awarded to the University of Kentucky to evaluate and develop seed production recommendations for perennial cut flower crops that can be grown commercially in the mid-South.
- $44,000 —This project is a partnership between Need More Acres Farm, the Allen County Health Department Board of Health, and the Barren River District Health Department. The project aims to address health concerns in South Central Kentucky by promoting the consumption of Kentucky-grown specialty crops among individuals at risk of developing diabetes.
- $44,000 — Awarded to the Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK) for marketing and promoting of specialty crops to new customers by enhancing OAK’s Find-A-Farm Directory and launching a strategic marketing campaign to increase awareness of and demand for local and organic produce.
For more information on the grants, visit the USDA’s website.
Tom Latek has been the Frankfort correspondent for Kentucky Today, the online news website of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, since 2016. Previously, he covered news for radio and television stations in Frankfort, Lexington, and Louisville.
