Specialty crop growers across Michigan just picked up more than $1.8-million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support nearly 20 projects throughout the state. That announcement was made today by Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow who is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry.
Stabenow says the money has been awarded to support Michigan specialty crop growers who produce fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery plants, and flowers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program will award a total of $1,805,339 million to support 19 projects across Michigan.
The U.S. Senator says, “Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables are not only a source of great pride – they are also critical to our state’s diverse agricultural economy.” She adds, “This new support will help Michigan farmers get their products off the farm and onto our plates.”
Each of the 19 projects are targeted to help specialty crop growers sell more products locally and globally, protect crops from pests and diseases, and market products to be competitive. Grant recipients include the Cherry Marketing Institute, Michigan Apple Committee, Grow Eastern Market, Michigan Carrot Committee, Michigan Vegetable Council, and Michigan Wine Collaborative, among others. For a complete list of Michigan projects receiving support, you can visit the USDA’s website at the link below.
Here’s the link for which programs get dollars and how much:
https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/2017SCBGPDescriptionOfFundedProjects.pdf#page=52
In 2008, Senator Stabenow authored the first ever fruits and vegetables section of a Farm Bill to provide support for so-called “specialty crops” which includes fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery products and floriculture. These crops are critical to the state’s diverse agricultural economy, as Michigan leads the nation in producing a wider variety of crops than any state other than California.
Stabenow says that support for specialty crop producers has been a top priority of hers in the Farm Bill, adding, “I will continue to make sure that Michigan families have better access to healthy, locally grown food, and support our farmers with the tools they need to succeed.”
Prior to 2008, farm bills focused largely on traditional commodity crops and had no section dedicated to fruits and vegetables, many of which are grown in the heart of the fruit belt here in Michigan’s Great Southwest. The 2014 Farm Bill strengthens support for specialty crops and makes major investments in organic crops and local and regional food systems.
