$610,000 in Specialty Crop Block Grant Funding

Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that $610,350 in federal Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funding has been awarded to seven agricultural projects in Virginia to help promote and enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in the Commonwealth.

“Virginia’s agriculture sector continues to generate new innovations that strengthen the Commonwealth’s food systems, open new market opportunities, and support economic development,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “I applaud the institutions and organizations leading these grant projects for advancing specialty crop research and enhancing the competitiveness of Virginia’s producers.”

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.

“These unique specialty crop projects will improve growing methods and yields, drive technological advancements, and protect our food supply,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr. “We’re proud to see this level of expertise in the Commonwealth and we look forward to seeing the increased competitiveness of Virginia’s specialty crops that will come from these grant projects.”

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 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program website.

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

Cleaner Water, Healthier Crops: Mitigating Phytophthora capsici with Floating Treatment Wetlands and Disinfection Strategies

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, Va., Dr. Douglas S. Higgins and Dr. Natasha L. Bell

Virginia Tech aims to develop science-based solutions to reduce P. capsici contamination in irrigation water, including testing floating treatment wetlands to evaluate their ability to naturally reduce pathogen loads. Findings will be shared through grower meetings, extension publications, and industry conferences to ensure timely adoption of effective water treatment strategies.

Grow Your Own: Increasing Access to Specialty Crop Consumption, Production, and Marketing with Beginner Cultivation Training

Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD), Duffield, Va., Kathlyn Terry Baker

ASD will provide beginner and intermediate cultivation training through the Grow Your Own program, providing raised beds, seeds, basic tools, and producer-provided technical assistance in the growth of specialty crops, including heritage and heirloom varieties. The project will provide site visits, training events, and conduct free survey programs to evaluate for improvements.

Assessing Irrigation Water Risks and Resistant Varieties for Data-Driven Clubroot Management in Brassica Vegetables

Virginia Tech, Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC), Painter, Va., Dr. Douglas S. Higgins

Virginia Tech will assess the role of irrigation water in disease transmission on brassica crops, identify effective control methods, and evaluate cabbage cultivars susceptible to clubroot, conducting activities including water sampling and field trials.

Strawberries and Soilless Substrates: Production, Marketing, and Economic Assessment

Virginia Tech, Hampton Roads AREC, Virginia Beach, Va., Dr. Eric Stallknecht

Researchers and extension specialists will assess the viability of soilless strawberry production using various substrate blends consisting of Canadian peat, fine bark particles, biochar, perlite, and wood fiber. The findings will be disseminated through publications, field days, market events, and presentations.

Optimizing PGR Applications for Balancing Fruit Coloration, Pre-Harvest Drop Control, and Postharvest Quality in Apples

Virginia Tech, Winchester AREC, Winchester, Va., Dr. Sherif M. Sherif

Virginia Tech will conduct research aimed at optimizing plant growth regulator (PGR) applications to balance fruit coloration, drop control, and post-harvest quality across a variety of apple cultivars, and communicate findings to apple growers and stakeholders throughout Virginia.

An IPM/Threshold-based Program with Mating Disruption to Reduce Insecticide Applications to Virginia Cabbage and Broccoli

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., Dr. Thomas P. Kuhar

Virginia Tech’s project will aim to effectively manage resistant diamondback moth (DBM) populations while aiding the establishment of an improved integrated pest management (IPM) approach that incorporates mating disruption. This work will support elimination of DBM to provide a more economically and environmentally responsible way of managing pests in the field.

Evaluating Bok Choy as a New Crop for Controlled Environment Agriculture Production Systems

Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Danville, Va., Dr. Chuansheng Mei and Dr. Scott Lowman

The Virginia Tech Institute for Advanced Learning and Research Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center team will evaluate cultivars of Bok Choy in different hydroponic systems using different nutrient solutions to test for growth promotion and food quality improvement. The overall goal is to evaluate Bok Choy as a new CEA crop for small- and medium-size farmers to achieve high yields.