Specialty crop grants awarded Farm and Ranch Guide: Updates

North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson has awarded almost $110,000 in grants to enhance the competitiveness of North Dakota specialty crops.

"Specialty crops are already an important part of North Dakota's agricultural economy," Johnson said. "These grants will be used to increase that importance through product research and development and market enhancement efforts for fruit and vegetable growers and nursery producers." Johnson said the grants are funded entirely by a $109,000 specialty crop block grant from the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the U.S.Department of Agriculture.

The North Dakota grants include:

North Dakota Department of Agriculture, $30,253, for a farmers' market and fruit and vegetable growers initiative. The project will include education seminars for growers, printing of a farmers market guide, advertising, signage and mini-grants to local farmers' markets.

Northarvest Bean Growers Association, $19,850, to develop a scientific advisory council to advise the association on health benefits of dry edible beans and to recommend further research into the benefits of increased bean consumption.

North Dakota Farmers' Market and Growers Association, $18,431, to increase interest in vegetable production among young people, provide growers with access to new plant varieties and provide a source of income for the association.

North Dakota Nursery and Greenhouse Association, $15,601, for developing a marketing campaign for North Dakota-grown nursery stock.

Northern Plains Potato Growers Association, $14,000, to better position the potato industry in North Dakota and Minnesota through a breeding program, producer education, marketing initiative and negotiator training program.

Northern Pulse Growers Association, $ 11,000, to develop pulse crops as a food grade ingredient for the domestic market and develop technical market materials and an education program.

Johnson said NDDA received 21 applications for grants, totaling $356,000. The applications were received and reviewed by North Dakota Department of Agriculture staff with final approval by AMS.

Each participating state received a block grant of $100,000, as well as an additional amount representing the value of specialty crop production in the state in relation to the national value of specialty crop production.

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