| |
WVDA SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR 2009 SPECIALTY CROP GRANT PROGRAM
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is inviting groups or individuals with ideas for improving the competitiveness of the state’s specialty crops industries to submit grant applications. Deadline for submission is November 1.
“We have provided 51 projects with approximately $180,000 in the past two years,” said West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “These grants have been extremely helpful to many of our farms and agribusinesses, and are helping small states with small producers take advantage of the growing specialty crops market.”
Douglass sees this program as a boost to many new producers looking at the production and marketing of local foods as a viable income source in rural communities. Existing producers can use this grant program to initiate new growing methods, explore marketing options and generate more efficient revenue streams for their agricultural enterprise.
Previously approved projects include the development of a farmers market in Gilmer County, varietal grape demonstrations for the wine industry and a study of the applicability of geothermal energy in a greenhouse environment.
Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, nursery crops, floriculture, herbs, honey, maple syrup, mushrooms and Christmas trees. Both fresh and processed specialty crops are included.
The types of eligible projects have been intentionally left open-ended to encourage creative projects, but applications should focus on one or more of the following categories: Promotion/marketing, research, education/training, innovation/efficiency of facilities and equipment.
USDA rules prohibit grants for projects that directly benefit or provide profit to a single company or individual. Research projects must make results public, or provide for some type of public education component to the project.
Examples of eligible expenses include promotional materials, developing associations to promote specialty crops, creating a cooperative to increase purchasing power, consumer education and increased consumption marketing campaigns (i.e. buy local initiative), product development of specialty crops, improved planting techniques to increase yield, and innovative fencing used to protect crops.
Grant money cannot be used for construction projects, establishing secondary grant pools, land acquisitions, taxes, vehicle registration, overhead expenses or indirect costs, legal costs, contingency funds, proposal preparation, insurance, contractual project administration, costs that have or will be paid by another entity, salaries, any expenses incurred prior to the award date of this grant, or political or lobbying activities. Submission of a proposal does not guarantee funding.
Proposal packets with program information and application instructions can be downloaded at www.wvagriculture.org. For more information, contact Debra Gard at 304-932-7588 or Cindy Martel at
304-469-9738.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
|
