Grants support projects that advance specialty crop production and increase economic development in Virginia 

Governor Glenn Youngkin on Sep 9th, announced that more than $557,600 in federal Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funding has been awarded to eight agricultural projects in Virginia to help promote and enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in the state. 

“I applaud each of these awardees for their ingenuity and innovation in research and development initiatives that enhance the competitiveness of Virginia’s specialty crops. Not only will these projects help boost economic development in the Commonwealth, but they will enhance and expand new market opportunities for agricultural producers,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin.  

The purpose of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)?Specialty Crop Block Grant Program?is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, by funding research and development initiatives that are developing improvements for the sector. Agricultural associations, industry and producer groups, localities, community-based organizations, educational institutions, and non-profits are eligible for this grant opportunity. The competitive grant process established by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) gave priority to projects that included the following activities: 

• Assist farmers transitioning into specialty, high-value agricultural initiatives that address the eligible specialty crops. 
• Increase net farm income through high-value or value-added enterprises. 
• Find new ways to market or add value to specialty agricultural products. 
• Develop pilot and demonstration programs in specialty agriculture that have the potential for transferability within rural Virginia. 

“By supporting strategic research that helps to increase success for Virginia producers, these grant awards help to further our efforts of encouraging economic growth in rural areas through the use of agriculture,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr. “Congratulations to each of the awardees for their innovative research and programs that will help improve the competitiveness of Virginia’s specialty crops, strengthen food safety and resiliency, and help our producers access new markets. 

Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Among this round of specialty crop grant awards are projects that advance research with different crop varieties and disease management, while also improving economic resilience, food safety, and market access. For more information, please visit the Virginia’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program website. 

During this grant round, the following recipients and projects received funding: 

Increasing access to diverse markets for specialty crop farmers with pathways to food safety training and certification 

Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD), Duffield, Va., Robin Robbins 

ASD and its partners will conduct food safety classroom training, provide individual technical assistance, and conduct mock audits to increase the competitiveness of Virginia specialty crop producers. This effort will help producers reduce food safety risks, while expanding their knowledge and business model by enabling them to access new markets. 

New disease management approaches to improve the quality of fresh market snap beans 

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) Painter, Va., Dr. Douglas Higgins  

Research will determine the prominence of fungal pathogens, Alternaria alternata and Plectosporium tabacinum, in Virginia snap beans and determine their resistance to strobilurin type fungicides. The goal of this research is to provide new disease management approaches to improve snap bean pod quality.  

New blackberry varieties: Yield, post-harvest traits, and antioxidant capacity determination 

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., Dr. Dennis Cladis 

Researchers will evaluate the yield, post-harvest traits, and antioxidant content of new and established Virginia blackberry cultivars. This project will enhance the competitiveness of Virginia blackberries by identifying cultivars that maximize yields for growers while also producing a high antioxidant content which optimizes the health benefits for consumers. 

Protecting Virginia vegetable crops from pests through novel biofumigation approaches 

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., Dr. Steven Rideout 

As many specialty crop producers are interested in biofumigation with brassica crop covers, Virginia Tech researchers, in cooperation with Virginia Cooperative Extension, will conduct research to explore the usefulness of BioFence applications (granular, irrigation, and foliar) for disease control and the safety of produce produced using these tactics.  

Do floating row cover types influence yield and disease carry over potential in strawberry crop? 

Virginia Tech, Hampton Roads AREC, Virginia Beach, Va., Dr. Jayesh Samtani 

Led by Virginia Tech's Hampton Roads AREC, in partnership with the Southern Piedmont AREC and Virginia Seafood AREC, researchers will study row cover usage to assist growers in managing diseases and improving crop yield with the increase in climate change and temperature fluctuations. 

Profitable faba bean production and marketing in Central and Southeastern Virginia 

Virginia State University, Petersburg, Va., Dr. Shahram Torabian 

The Virginia State University Agricultural Research Station will explore profitable strategies for faba bean production and marketing in Central and Southeastern Virginia.  

Assessing and mitigating food safety risks associated with using freeze dryers to enhance competitiveness of value-added specialty crops 

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., Dr. Alexis Hamilton 

Virginia Tech will help specialty crop producers safely produce freeze-dried products by assessing the impact of pre-processing acid rinses on the activation of Salmonella enterica prior to freeze-drying.  

Farm2Food Accelerator: Energizing growth for Virginia's small-scale specialty crop producers 

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Foundation, Arlington, Va., Chris Jones 

NASDA Foundation will adapt the Farm2Food Accelerator curriculum to serve Virginia's specialty crop producers launching/refining food/beverage value-added products to reduce food waste and improve economic resilience, food safety, and market access.