Fifteen Oregon Projects Awarded Specialty Crop Block Grant Funds

The Oregon Department of Agriculture has announced the projects awarded Specialty Crop Block Grant funding this year. The 15 projects across the state will share roughly $2 million all together. Awardees this year include:

Chemeketa Community College
Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation
Oregon Department of Agriculture (two awards for the Insect Pest Prevention and Management Program)
Oregon Potato Commission
Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission
Oregon State Beekeepers Association
Oregon State University (six awards to various primary investigators)
Oregon Wine Board
Umpqua Valley Farm to School

“Oregon is rich in agricultural diversity, and we saw that in this year’s Specialty Crop Block Grant applicants,” said ODA Director, Alexis Taylor. “I sincerely thank all of the applicants for taking the time to apply, ensuring Oregon is well represented at the federal level for its meaningful and innovative specialty crop projects. I look forward to following their progress and witnessing how the work is benefiting Oregon agriculture.”

Oregon ranks sixth in the nation in the production of specialty crops. Over the past ten years, Oregon has received close to $20 million in funding from the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which has paved the way for over 200 projects throughout the state supporting the following priorities:

Local, regional, domestic, and international market development, access, and certification
On-farm labor needs
Cross-commodity collaboration
Food safety compliance and traceability
Addressing regulatory burden
Productivities enhancements, innovation and value-added products
Agriculture- and food-related priorities identified by Oregon Solutions Network Regional Solutions Centers

The 2021 funded projects involve a diversity of crops and span a wide geographic area of Oregon agricultural production. A list and summary of all funded projects is available Right Here.

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