Delaware receives federal funds for agriculture research and marketing

The Delaware Department of Agriculture announced that seven projects received grant funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant program. Delaware received nearly $300,000 to enhance the competitiveness of Delaware-grown specialty crops, defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.

"The Specialty Crop Block Grant provides funding for research that makes a difference in the bottom line for our farmers," said Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse. "Our partners do a great job in testing varieties that improve yield, identify new varieties that are suitable for production in Delaware, and develop sound marketing practices to connect the consumer with their food source."

Selected through a competitive process, these projects focus on Delaware-grown specialty crops:

• The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension vegetable program is partnering with FMC Co. to evaluate the potential for sourcing food colorants and additives using vegetable waste from Delaware farms.

• Research will be conducted by the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Fruit and Vegetable Program to test strategies to reduce the effects of heat stress on a variety of vegetable crops and demonstrate successful techniques to growers.

• Utilizing the lima bean genome, the University of Delaware's Department of Plant and Soil Science will identify disease resistance genes from their diversity panel and improve the marker system developed to deploy durable disease resistance genes in lima bean cultivars.

• Charlotte's Secret Garden will plant a high-density, diverse orchard with approximately 350 trees on one acre of land to demonstrate how small farms can provide community-supported agriculture, farm markets, and farm stands with fresh, locally grown fruit from spring to fall.

• The Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association of Delaware will seek to improve consumer awareness of its members and the specialty crops they grow in Delaware, including a coordinated marketing and promotion effort.

• University of Delaware Weed Science will conduct research on weed control related to lima beans and pumpkins.

• Colonial School District will develop farm-based education programming on Penn Farm with a goal to increase child and adult knowledge and awareness about gardening, agriculture, healthy eating, local foods and seasonality.

For more information, go to www.dda.delaware.gov.