USDA awards Florida $4 million in ag-research grants

Grants will be split among 40 projects

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

As part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) specialty crop grants, the state of Florida is set to receive about $4 million to be split between 40 projects taking place at universities and other community organizations.

The grants are awarded to projects designed to improve food safety practices, tackle disease and pest management, research new crop possibilities and educate the general public on the important roles of specialty crops.

With agriculture being a major contributor to Florida’s economy, the grants will help keep the agricultural industry thriving.

“By partnering with the USDA to help identify and fund innovative projects by Florida's universities and community organizations, we can better support our state's $123 billion agriculture industry,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam in a release. “This will advance our mission to protect Florida agriculture from invasive pests and disease and more efficiently share our abundance with the communities that need it the most.”

Some of the funded projects include:

• $220,901 to research improving the safety of specialty crops sold at farmers markets
• $181,442 for disease management initiatives to protect Florida’s pomegranate industry
• $151,776 for breeding lettuce that’s resistant to bacterial leaf spot

Other important projects will include increasing the public’s education about specialty crops, increasing the sales and marketing strategies of Florida’s specialty crops and buying local produce for schools, hospitals and other businesses.

Join the conversation and tell us your thoughts about Florida receiving $4 million for specialty crop grants. What are some areas where specialty crops research can improve?