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WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced $1.2 million in funding awarded to North Carolina through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). Through this program, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS) will fund projects that strengthen North Carolina’s specialty crop industry through marketing, education, and research.
“We are happy to once again be partnered with North Carolina on the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The innovative projects funded through this program will strengthen U.S. specialty crop production and markets and ensure Americans have sustained access to fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops and support the region’s specialty crop growers to help ensure their long-term success.”
Through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, the NCDA&CS will fund nine projects. Among NCDA&CS’s projects is funding to North Carolina State University to evaluate pumpkin cultivars for heat tolerance and determine plant spacing effects on yield and size. Additional funded projects focus on areas such as freeze protection, pest management, and genomic breeding strategies.
“We know specialty crops offer great opportunities for North Carolina farmers and the projects receiving a total of $1.16 million in federal specialty crops block grant funding this year really focus on helping farmers manage disease and adverse weather conditions, while also evaluating plant varieties that could grow better and be more productive in North Carolina,” said North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It is great this research is being funded because it could lead to better production recommendations for farmers.”
The funding to North Carolina is part of a total of $72.9 million in non-competitive FY 2024 funding awarded to 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The funding supports farmers growing specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops. USDA’s support will strengthen U.S. specialty crop production, expand markets, and ensure an abundant, affordable supply of highly nutritious fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops is available to all Americans.
View more information on the 2024 SCBGP Awarded Grants (pdf).
AMS administers programs that create domestic and international marketing opportunities for U.S. producers of food, fiber, and specialty crops. AMS also provides the agriculture industry with valuable services to ensure the quality and availability of wholesome food for consumers across the country and globally. AMS services and its significant grant investments create opportunities by supporting American farmers, ranchers and businesses across the supply chain, and drive economic development in small towns and rural communities.
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