Specialty Crop Block Grant Recipients for Fiscal Year 2021
The following projects were awarded grant funding for 2021:
- University of Missouri - Black Walnut for Kernel Markets – Cultivar Release and Modern Genetics - Facilitate the pilot release of nine advanced breeding selections of the black walnut for orchard adoption and develop modern genomic tools to accelerate the continued improvement of black walnut as a nut/kernel crop. - $49,906.30
- Missouri Department of Agriculture Missouri Grown Program - Promoting Specialty Crops in Missouri Schools - Increase the consumption and knowledge of specialty crops in Missouri schools by providing a cost-share while assisting to build relationships between schools and local farmers. - $50,000
- Missouri State Beekeepers Association - Show-Me the Gold – Missouri’s Honey - Provide marketing and promotion of Missouri honey to beekeepers and residents throughout the state. - $24,893
- Webb City Farmers Market - Establishing a Hands-on High Value Specialty Crop Fruit Education Site - Establish and operate a fruit education site with a focus on growing blackberries, elderberries, and high tunnel strawberries. - $50,000
- Webb City Farmers Market - Breaking Ground – Virtual Training for 21st Century Specialty Crop Farmers - Create and share educational videos on eight specialty crops over a growing season that examines implementation of infrastructure through harvest/marketing, best practices and issues found on a farm in Southwest Missouri. - $44,939
- Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation (DAEOC) - Beekeeping and Honey Production: Niche Agriculture - Develop and implement a demonstration project for beekeeping and honey production. An education and job-training model will be established utilizing classroom and hands-on training to promote natural beekeeping in rural areas. - $50,000
- Urban Buds: City Grown Flowers - Meeting the Demand for Locally-Grown Roses, Chrysanthemums, Specialty Bulbs - Demonstrate the viability of roses, heirloom chrysanthemums, tulips and hyacinths in a heated hoop house for small-scale Missouri farmers. - $44,710
- Lincoln University - Evaluating Native Edible Plants as Specialty Crops in Missouri - Evaluate and increase diversity and resiliency on small farms by growing, cooking and consuming native edible plants. Promote the cultivation of nettles, wild leeks, wild onions, mints, cup plant, cattail and goldenglow as specialty crops in Missouri. - $49,843.60
- Springfield Community Gardens - Specialty Crop Outreach and Education at Amanda Belle’s Hospital Farm - Create an educational program for specialty crop propagation to farmers, as well as outreach and marketing to utilize social media and online tools that will increase awareness and expertise of local specialty crop production. - $30,403.36