FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) has been awarded $332,336.26 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) as part of a $79.2 million investment to increase opportunities for farmers, ranchers and other growers across the country.
This USDA grant will help the Kentucky Department of Agriculture fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research.
Through the SCBGP, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is funding eight projects. Among the projects is $41,129.51, awarded to the University of Pikeville to utilize abandoned coal mine infrastructure for sustainable mushroom cultivation. This grant will assess the potential for growing regional specialty mushrooms in abandoned coal mines. The project aims to develop and implement a method for testing the feasibility of recycled waste streams in the production of mushroom growth substrates. It will also help develop regional mushroom varieties and test their feasibility for use in cultivation.
Additional funded projects include:
- $53,062.10 – Through this project, the Kentucky Equal Justice Center will work with members of the Kentucky Food Action Network (KFAN) to support the establishment of sustainable Food is Medicine practices across Kentucky, which will decrease food insecurity and increase positive health outcomes.
- $50,339.06 – Awarded to the University of Kentucky to define best production practices for fortified wines made from “Norton” grapes.
- $47,614.11 – Awarded to the Kentucky Ag Development Advocacy to train specialty crop producers by implementing a curriculum that addresses the needs of beginning and historically underserved farmers for the long-term sustainability of fruits, vegetables, and culinary herb crops.
- $43,761 – Awarded to Rootbound Farm and New Roots, Inc., which will collaborate to bring fresh Kentucky Proud “farm shares” to families facing food insecurity in the traditional “off-season” months of November – January.
- $25,109 – Awarded to the Kentucky State Beekeepers Association through its Certified Kentucky Honey Producers program to improve product labeling for Kentucky honey consumers and expand honey production in Kentucky.
- $17,155.26 – Awarded to the University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture to research varieties of Ribes more resistant to White Pine Blister Rust and Mildew, limiting potential disease issues for Eastern Kentucky growth.
- $17,155.26 – Awarded to the University of Kentucky, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, to test if specific plant natural products can suppress the microbial rotting of fruits and vegetables, increasing product shelf life naturally.
The funding for the SCBGP grants is authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill and FY2023 funding is awarded for a three-year period beginning Sept. 30, 2023. Since 2006, USDA has invested more than $1 billion through the SCBGP to fund nearly 12,000 projects that have increased the long-term successes of producers and enhanced marketing opportunities for U.S. specialty crops products.
