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The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) has awarded nearly $90,000 in grants, during the current funding cycle, to 34 agricultural research and marketing improvement projects throughout West Virginia. The awards are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass said the funding will pay dividends in the future by improving the competiveness of West Virginia agriculture and by drawing more individuals into farm-related activities.
“In the past three years, we have provided $270,000 in funding to 85 projects, and I have been quite impressed with the creativity of the applications,” said Commissioner Douglass. “I am particularly pleased that we have had a number of youth projects that have qualified for funding. We need to encourage our young people to become involved in agriculture so that our food supply will be secure in the future.”
The grant program encourages cooperative efforts to integrate technology at the farm level, improve marketing and promotion of locally grown specialty crops, and increase production efficiency through research projects. The types of eligible projects are intentionally open-ended to encourage creative projects.
Previous projects have included the development of a farmers’ market in Wood County, youth garden projects, the creation of a curriculum exploring local foods and their source, and developing a source of queen bees for one of the state’s fastest growing agribusiness enterprises.
WVDA is accepting proposals for a new round of awards. Application deadline is June 22, 2009. Proposal packets with program information and application instructions can be downloaded at www.wvagriculture.org. For more information, contact WVDA Marketing Specialists Melissa Hudson at 304-558-2210 or Cindy Martel at 304-541-9756.
The following projects have been awarded grants for the current funding cycle:
- Jackson County Beekeepers Association (Jackson Co.), “Hive Improvement Program” – will provide association members with new brood chambers to replace aging equipment and improve honeybee health with limited, reduced or no usage of chemical miteicides or antibiotics. This project will also provide screened bottom board systems to implement integrated pest management (IPM) directed at decreasing the beekeepers dependencies on hazardous chemical agents to control Varroa and tracheal mites. ($1,500)
- West Central Beekeepers Association (Roane Co.), “An Educational Approach to Re-introduction of Bees to Central West Virginia” – will use the structure of a new local beekeepers association and the expertise from WVU Extension Service, the WVDA’s Apiary Staff and certified Master Beekeepers to reintroduce bees to this geographic area through a series of classes and hands-on demonstrations. ($1,500)
- West Virginia Beekeepers Association (Statewide), “Developing a Packaged Bee Source in West Virginia” –involves the development of a local source of bee colonies (package or nucleus colonies) for annual replacement stock. Implementation of this project will assist in preventing the transfer of Africanized genes from the south to West Virginia and development of a sub industry within the West Virginia segment. ($4,000)
- West Virginia Queen Producers (Cabell & Wayne Cos.), “Local Queen Bee Production” – will build on the success of the organization’s first year when more than 20 West Virginia beekeepers received training and equipment to raise local queen bees for sale. This project will expand that effort by providing additional equipment, training and subsidies to these local producers to provide local queens to all registered beekeepers in West Virginia. ($5,000)
- Amma Farmers’ Market (Roane Co.), Strengthening Market Access and Development of Specialty Crops through the Promotional Support of the Amma Farmers’ Market” – will provide promotional support for the market to increase market awareness and consumption of specialty crops through advertising, promotion, and expansion of the market resources in this economically distressed region with limited access to locally grown produce. This project will also include the purchase of a market scale for vendor use and increased profitability and product diversity. ($2,000)
- Fayette County Farmers’ Market (Fayette Co.), “Fayette County Farmers’ Market-Marketing Campaign 2009” – will focus its market campaign on outreach to untapped consumer groups in the county who are at-risk for malnutrition and poor food access. The group will create incentives for individuals to attend the markets through a recipe book and ride-share program, and by heavily promoting a new market location. ($2,000)
- Garden Fresh Country Market (Preston Co.), “Garden Fresh Country Market Promotional Campaign” – will increase the awareness and availability of specialty crops in northeastern Preston County through expanded promotional efforts of the Garden Fresh Country Market producer association. This will include advertising in the local media, market brochures, informational pamphlets, banners and other promotional activities. ($1,234)
- Gilmer County Farmers’ Market (Gilmer Co.), “Gilmer County Farmers’ Market” – will increase senior citizen and public participation in the market through the purchase of scales, market signage and consumer shopping incentives. ($1,900)
- Monroe Farm Market (Monroe Co.), “Monroe Farm Market – Expanding Marketing and Distribution through an Existing Online Farmers Market” – will develop marketing materials to advertise the market and provide website enhancements to expand sales volume via e-commerce channels. ($2,000)
- Wood County Development Authority (Parkersburg Farmers’ Market) (Wood Co.), “Downtown Farmer’s Market Place” – the Wood County Development Authority on behalf of the Downtown Task Force and the City of Parkersburg will develop marketing materials for the newly established Downtown Farmer’s Market Place. These funds will increase the number of vendors and consumers at the market through a marketing mix, including print, web and radio/TV advertising. ($5,000)
- Spencer Farmers’ Market (c/o Tri-County Partnership) (Roane Co.), “Promotion and Publicity for the Spencer Farmers’ Market” – will be used for newspaper and radio advertising and live radio remotes to promote the Spencer Farmers’ Market and enhance the profitability and sales of specialty crops. ($1,980)
- The Hometown Marketers (Marshall Co.), “Hometown Market Project” – will create a space adjacent to a community garden to provide retail sales of specialty crops while educating participants about growing, preserving and using specialty crops. The group will focus on heirloom varieties. Grant funding will be used to advertise and promote the new market location through print and internet resources. ($3,000)
- Upshur County Farmers’ Market (Upshur Co.), “Prototype Multi-purpose, Self-propelled Small Crop Machine” – will increase production capability and expand the volume of produce available at the Market. The Market will design and develop a water wheel planter for the planting of plugs or transplants. At least 12 vendors will participate in this project. ($3,000)
- Weirton Farmer’s Market (Hancock & Brooke Cos.), “Northern Panhandle Farmers’ Markets” – will be used for banners and posters promoting the five markets in the region to increase awareness and sales. ($2,500)
- WVU Extension-Pineville (Wyoming Co.), “Clear Fork CSA” – will develop a TV ad promoting the CSA and emphasizing the role of locally produced food in a healthy lifestyle for this at-risk county. The outreach will create awareness of the CSA, encourage healthy lifestyles and provide an economic opportunity for county citizens. ($1,000)
- West Virginia University Cooperative Extension Service-Tucker County (Tucker Co.), “Developing West Virginia Farmers’ Market Rules” – will evaluate existing farmers’ market rules within West Virginia, determine federal, state and local rules for marketing products and educate vendors about the need for and benefits of well-written rules. This project will help improve the quality and management consistency of West Virginia farmers’ markets. ($2,500)
- Collaborative for the 21st Century Appalachia (Statewide), “Marketing the State’s Agricultural Products to W.Va. and the World” – will be used to increase functionality and provide enhancements for easier consumer access to this established website, which provides chef/farmer and farmer/consumer connections. ($2,500)
- Fresh Feast from the Farm (Jefferson Co.), “2009 Fresh Feast” – will feature specialty crops in local celebrations of food and community; this project was originally initiated in 2008. The 2009 project will continue to sponsor at least one dinner that allows for profit sharing with a local agriculture-based non-profit. Grant funds will develop an event website and will be used for printing costs associated with event publicity. ($3,000)
- West Virginia State University (through Mountain RC&D) (Fayette Co.), “2009 State Fair Recipe Challenge” – will be used to support this successful event at the West Virginia State Fair aimed at identifying food-based entrepreneurs and food processing firms throughout the state that use specialty crops as part of their value-added processing. Grant funds will be used for event supplies and a partial scholarship award to the new entrepreneur category winner to attend the FDA-required Better Process Control School necessary for production of any value-added acidified specialty crop. ($1,000)
- ACE Adventure Resort (Fayette Co.), “Production of Heirloom Tomatoes on Reclaimed Mining Land and their Feasibility in a Seasonal Food Service Market” – In 2008, the Resort purchased more than 5,200 pounds of tomatoes for their three retail outlets/restaurants. Production in a high tunnel with raised beds and an innovative trellis system will research the viability of on-site production and the cost-benefit in a food service setting. ($3,000)
- Cole Farms (Lewis Co.), “Increasing Production Efficiency and Marketability in Commercial Vegetable Production” – will focus on improving production efficiency, increasing marketability of product, increasing food safety and increasing awareness in specialty crop production. The project will expand current production, utilize a water wheel planter and implement a packing line with product washer. A strong outreach component will model development and publication, field and training days, and data collection to demonstrate efficiency expectations. ($5,000)
- Corum’s Croft (Jefferson Co.), “Edible Landscaping” – will promote the planting and growing of edible fruits, nuts, shrubs, herbs and vegetables along with and/or in place of traditional decorative plants. The project will focus on perennials and vegetables traditionally found in the local area. Edible landscaping will benefit households by providing inexpensive and healthy food, positive visual impact on homes, increase neighborhood price and save costs. Literature development, signage and the development of an educational website will accomplish the goals of this project. ($5,290)
- Hillbilly Daylilies (Berkeley Co.), “The Viability of Daylilies Using a Coldframe” – will develop and demonstrate an innovative growing technique that can sustain and improve the viability of daylilies and enhance their market competitiveness of this West Virginia specialty horticultural crop. The project will utilize coldframe production methods to sustain flowers in adverse environmental conditions, extend the selling season, develop visual marketing methods and increase sales. The project will also conduct a one-day festival designed to promote the product and education on the innovative growing technique. ($4,047)
- Jett Farm (Harrison Co.), “Developing a System to Conserve Water for High Tunnel Specialty Crop Production” – will investigate a way to impound rainfall run-off from the high tunnel which can be used at low pressure to drip-irrigate strawberries. Water is an important input for successful specialty crop production. West Virginia farmers who have been using high tunnels to grow specialty crops have encountered water shortages.($1,179)
- Lambert’s Vintage Wines (Lewis Co.), “Increasing Production and Awareness of Wine Grapes and Wineries in West Virginia” – will utilize and demonstrate new varietal planting, a wildlife fencing system and a stronger trellis system to increase production, reduce losses and document a significant decrease in out-of-state product purchases while introducing new wine varieties to the public. Environmental conditions and wildlife have reduced the amount of locally grown grapes utilized in the flourishing West Virginia wine industry. ($4,000)
- New Appalachian Farm and Research Center (Upshur Co.), “Expanding the Farm and Food Economy: Creating a model for West Virginia” – will create a processing facility that will help farms have an outlet for their crops through a system that allows them to have their product cleaned, graded, packaged, branded and distributed. The grant funds will be used to develop and educate the market about the locally developed brand. This project is collaboration between the Natural Capital Investment Fund, the Upshur County Development Authority and New Appalachian Farm and Research Center to create a business model that will capture the economic leakage of agriculture in West Virginia by building a local food system. ($4,000)
- The Potager (Putnam Co.), “Organic Seedling Project” – will provide organic, sustainably grown vegetables to the home vegetable gardeners and small family-owned farms in West Virginia. The development of this business model will be shared with others to provide a business plan for future organic seedling production. Funds will also be used to purchase farmers’ market promotion materials, signage and labeling. ($1,100)
- West Virginia University Extension (Statewide)-Dr. Lewis Jett, “Evaluating and Demonstrating No-till Production of Pumpkins in West Virginia” – will investigate the production of pumpkins using a cover crop that will serve as mulch for the growing plant. Grant funds will cover the supplies, tissue testing and publication costs associated with the implementation and outreach of this research-based project. ($1,100)
- Garrett Cole (Lewis Co.), “Implementing Agritourism in West Virginia with Specialty Crops” – will develop educational materials to be used with visiting schoolchildren to teach production agriculture of specialty crops to increase awareness. This FFA-based project will feature a fun and diverse learning environment. ($5,000)
- Imani Foundation Incorporated (Berkeley Co.), “Youth Garden Project: Herbs” – will provide a unique gardening education experience which will ignite a passion for learning in a group of youth who may not have an opportunity to explore nature and science. The youth will have a hands-on learning environment with the support of a program facilitator and garden volunteers. ($1,494)
- Liberty High School (Raleigh Co.), “Advanced Foods: Appalachian Food and Culture” – will team up to provide an advanced foods course focusing on Appalachian specialty crops, and the growing, harvesting, and processing of these crops for consumption presented by the Family and Consumer Sciences and Vocational Agriculture programs at Liberty High School. Upon completion of this course, the students will be able to plant, nurture and harvest a fruit or vegetable, make informed decisions regarding quality and use and demonstrate proper cooking and preparation techniques for specialty crops found in Appalachia. ($2,180)
- West Virginia Small Farms Center (Monongalia Co.), “Integrating West Virginia Specialty Crops into the Public School System through a Farm to School Demonstration Project” – will demonstrate a reproducible project that increases the use of local produce in W.Va. public school meal programs. The methodology includes creating a mentoring program that assists school cooks and provides public schools with methods of preparation and safety regulations. This project will assess economic and sociologic impacts from both the supplier and school perspectives. ($3,600)
- West Farm (Shae West & Haleigh Wise, Seneca Trails 4-H Club) (Greenbrier Co.), “Thyme for Kids” – a youth project where Shae West and Haleigh Wise will learn how to grow and market specialty crops (six varieties of culinary herbs). They will conduct this project as part of their 4-H program, including budgeting, production, direct marketing, packaging and sales at the local farmers’ market. The project will be the focus of other 4-H activities including presentations as part of a Self-Determined 4-H project, involvement in state presentation competitions and leadership/mentoring roles with club members interested in pursuing similar specialty crop projects. ($1,002.79)
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.
“The Basis of All Wealth is Agriculture.”
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