U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced $1,992,250 million to support Michigan specialty crop growers who produce fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery plants, and flowers. These funds come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and will support 20 projects throughout the state.
“Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables are not only a source of great pride – they are also critical to our state’s economy” said Senator Stabenow. “This new support will help Michigan farmers get their products off the farm and onto our plates during these difficult times.”
Each of the 20 projects are targeted to help specialty crop growers sell more products locally and globally, protect crops from pests and diseases, and market products to be competitive.
Prior to 2008, farm bills focused largely on traditional commodity crops and had no section dedicated to fruits and vegetables. The 2018 Farm Bill continues to strengthen support for specialty crops and makes major investments in organic crops and local and regional food systems.
Grant recipients include:
- Cherry Marketing Institute – Driving Demand for U.S. Grown Tart Cherries with Influential Food and Beverage Manufacturers, $125,000
- Hop Growers of Michigan – Integrated Approaches to Managing Cone Diseases in Michigan Hopyards, $73,258
- Michigan Apple Committee – Target Audience Engagement to Increase Sales of Michigan Apples, $125,000
- Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board – Sales & Marketing Tools to Advance the Michigan Asparagus Industry, $125,000
- Michigan Bean Commission – Multifaceted Strategies to Communicate the Value of Michigan Dry Beans, $107,200
- Michigan Bean Commission – Optimization of Fertilizer Rate Recommendations for Michigan Dry Bean Growers, $99,998
- Michigan Blueberry Commission – Evaluating Effective Management Strategies to Control Anthracnose Fruit Rot in Michigan Blueberries, $70,258
- Michigan Celery Research Inc. – Michigan Celery Growers Seek Answers to Plant “Meltdown,” which Threatens the Industry’s Future, $70,046
- Michigan Christmas Tree Association – Development of Integrated Weed Control Program for Michigan Christmas Tree Production, $72,744
- Michigan Grape Society – Cold Hardiness Monitoring for Grapevines in Southwest Michigan, $40,000
- Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council – Greenhouse Growers Seek Innovative Solutions to Control Botrytis Blight, $70,000
- Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association – Debating Glyphosate, Understanding the Prominence of Herbicide Resistance and Residuals in Nurseries, $100,000
- Michigan Potato Industry Commission – Identification of Potato Varieties with Postharvest Disease Resistance, $85,625
- Michigan State Horticultural Society – Managing Downy Mildew in Michigan Vineyards: Investigating Alternative Products, Fungicide Efficacy, and Resistance Levels, $99,500
- Michigan Vegetable Council – Strategies are Needed to Protect Michigan’s Cucurbits from Fungicide Resistant Downy Mildew, $91,577
- National Grape Cooperative – Addressing Priority Issues in Berry Moth Management for Michigan Vineyards, $99,637
- Shiawassee County Sheriff’s Office – Publication of Instructional Manual for Operating a Five-Acre Institutional Horticulture Farm Using an Incarcerated Labor Force, $125,000
- Southwest Michigan Wine Trail – A Comprehensive Marketing Project to Improve Competitiveness of Lake Michigan Shore Wines, $88,252
- MDARD International Marketing Program – International and Domestic Promotion of Michigan Specialty Crops, $161,626.85
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