WSDA has more specialty crop grant funds
Washington Ag Today December 23, 2009 The Washington State Department of Agriculture is once again making preparations to award federal grants that increase the competitiveness and viability of the state's fruit, vegetable and nursery producers. WSDA says about $3 million in additional funds will come to the Evergreen State from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2010. That’s up from the 2.6 million dollars received for 2009, which funded 14 projects. WSDA spokesman Mike Louisell says the deadline for private and non-profit organizations, commodity commissions and other public entities to submit concept papers to the department is February 5th. Louisell: “And then a committee will be looking at the concept papers and invite full proposals by the end of March. The grant proposals are due then by April 30th. Later, by July 30th, WSDA will select and submit winning proposals to the federal government. And then USDA will announce the awards in late September and WSDA be working on grant agreements that will be issued by November.” The state specialty crop block grant program was created in the 2008 Farm Bill. Specialty crops are fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and nursery crops. Washington is the third leading producer of specialty crops in the nation. Application information and forms are available on WSDA's Web site at agr.wa.gov/grants. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
