Agriculture Department Announces Federal Specialty Crop Grant Recipients

More than $780,000 Awarded to Increase Visibility, Market Share of
Pennsylvania Specialty Crops

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Fifteen Pennsylvania
projects were recently awarded $780,328 in federal grants to increase the
visibility and market share of the state's produce, nursery, horticultural and
nut products, acting Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said today.

The federal grants are part of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which
was authorized under the federal Farm Bill.

"Pennsylvania farmers provide consumers with an abundant, affordable supply of
nutritious fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops," said Redding. "The
grants will support local agriculture, increase the competitiveness of small
producers, and expand direct marketing opportunities available to specialty
crop producers, strengthening our agriculture industry -- Pennsylvania's
leading economic enterprise."

The 15 funded projects address a range of priorities in the agriculture
industry, including food safety, marketing, nutrition and sustainability.

Grant recipients were selected by a state-appointed specialty crop advisory
board and approved by the agriculture secretary. Applications were then
collectively submitted for approval to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Agricultural Marketing Service.

The grant recipients are:

-- American Mushroom Association: $70,000 to enhance and expand the
Mushroom Food Safety Initiative;
-- Fay-Penn Economic Development Council, Fayette County Food Shed
Project:
$18,000 to promote and improve access to locally grown fruits and
vegetables;
-- Pennsylvania Apple Marketing Association: $62,500 to promote
Pennsylvania apples;
-- Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association: $74,200 to create an
online stock guide and, in a separate project, develop the Roadside
Green Infrastructure program;
-- Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing & Research Program: $41,000 to
develop
and enhance the program's Web site and point of purchase supplies;
-- Pennsylvania Wine Association: $33,000 to expand the quality and reach
of Pennsylvania wines;
-- The Pennsylvania State University: $31,000 to research a microbial
survey of Pennsylvania surface water used for specialty crop
irrigation
and development of sampling, handling and shipping procedures for
surface water testing;
-- The Pennsylvania State University: $15,000 to research controlling
tomato disease in organic and sustainable production;
-- The Pennsylvania State University: $50,000 to construct high tunnel
technology on vacant or underutilized parcels of land in Philadelphia
to
produce and market nutritious fruits and vegetables year-round while
promoting economic development, workforce training and youth
empowerment;
-- The Pennsylvania State University: $80,000 to research high-risk
pathogens of specialty crops; and

-- Welch's/National Grape Cooperative: $62,000 to implement a sustainable
viticulture program.

Another $248,628 was awarded to the state Agriculture Department's bureaus of
food distribution, food safety and market development. The grants will allow
the bureaus, respectively, to promote the best agricultural practices,
continue outreach and educational support of Good Agricultural Practices, and
to support the PA Preferred branding program.

In total, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded 55 block grants totaling
$49 million for 745 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

For a complete summary of grants, visit www.ams.usda.gov/scgp.

Media contact: Nicole L. C. Bucher, 717-787-5085

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Nicole L. C. Bucher of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture,
+1-717-787-5085