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) as part of a $79.2 million investment to increase opportunities for farmers, ranchers and other growers across the country.
This USDA grant 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.
$62,000 was awarded to the Kentucky Horticulture Council, which 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.
Another $62,000 was awarded to the Southern Kentucky Floral Exchange to increase awareness and consumption of Kentucky-grown specialty cut flowers in the region. The project aims to expand cut flower production, sales, and distribution through consumer education, networking, and marketing initiatives.
A $53,000 grant will support the University of Kentucky Specialty Crops Team in developing advanced disease management tools to help growers transition to organic production or incorporate biological and biorational products into their conventional pest management systems.
An additional $53,000 was 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.
A $44,000 project will fund a partnership between Need More Acres Farm, the Allen County Health Department Board of Health, and the Barren River District Health Department. This 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.
Finally, $44,000 was awarded to the Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK) to market and promote specialty crops to new customers. The initiative includes enhancing OAK's Find-A-Farm Directory and launching a strategic marketing campaign to increase awareness of and demand for local and organic produce.
The funding for the SCBGP grants is authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill. Since 2006, USDA has invested more than $1 billion through the SCBGP to fund more than 13,000 projects that have increased the long-term successes of producers and enhanced marketing opportunities for U.S. specialty crops products.
