Date: Thursday, August 25, 2022
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WASHINGTON, August 25, 2022—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today awarded over $576,000 in Fiscal Year 2022 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding to Oklahoma. This USDA grant will help the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF) fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research.
“USDA applauds Oklahoma’s continued commitment to supporting our nation’s producers of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The projects funded will foster innovative research and new market opportunities within the specialty crop sector, while furthering USDA’s goals of creating a more fair and equitable food system and supporting local and regional producers.”
Through SCBGP funding, ODAFF will fund specialty crop focused research projects at Oklahoma State University (OSU) and the University of Tulsa (TU). Several research projects will be conducted at OSU in areas such as nutrient uptake efficiency, regenerative agriculture management, soilless growth, and the development of a turf management curriculum for secondary education. TU is also receiving over $86,000 for research identifying viruses infecting tomatoes grown within the state as well as possible virus management methods. These projects will work to provide valuable information to support specialty crop growers throughout Oklahoma.
“The Specialty Crop Block Grant continues to be an important tool for ODAFF to advance the fruit, vegetable, nut and nursery crop industries in Oklahoma. In addition to our educational institutions, we have a few new partners this year that are doing great work. We look forward to seeing the results of their studies and projects and hope to see the opportunity for these industries to thrive for years to come,” said Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry Director of Marketing Meriruth Cohenour.
The funding to Oklahoma is part of a total of $72.9 million in non-competitive FY 2022 SCBGP funding awarded to 55 states, territories and the District of Columbia. The SCBGP funding supports farmers growing specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops. USDA’s support will strengthen U.S. specialty crop production and markets, ensuring an abundant, affordable supply of highly nutritious fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops, which are vital to the health and well-being of all Americans.
The funding for the SCBGP grants is authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill and FY2022 funding is awarded for a three-year period beginning September 30, 2022. Since 2006, USDA has invested more than $953 million through the SCBGP to fund 11,331 projects that have increased the long-term successes of producers and broadened the market for specialty crops in the U.S. and abroad.
More information about these awards is available on this webpage: 2022 SCBGP Awarded Grants (pdf).
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