The Kansas Department of Agriculture has been awarded $331,513.22 through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Funds for the program are presented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.

According to the USDA, specialty crops are defined as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.” Through a competitive application process, KDA has selected recipients to further utilize the funds.

According to the Kansas Department of Ag, the following is a list of Kansas projects that will be funded by the grant.

• Highland Community College Viticulture and Enology Program Grape and Wine Industry Marketing Project — Highland Community College will employ a three-pronged marketing campaign to increase awareness of the vineyard and winery industry in Kansas. This will be done by leasing billboards along Kansas’ interstate highways to educate the public about the rich history of grapes and wine in Kansas, an accompanying social media campaign, and support of the second annual Cheers Kansas wine festival.
• Our Earliest Eaters: Bringing the Farm to Kansas Licensed Early Child Care Facilities — In partnership with the Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, the Kansas Department of Agriculture will increase child nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops by providing 50 Kansas licensed early child care facilities with age-appropriate curriculum about Kansas specialty crops and reimbursements for purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables.
• Expanding Networking, Reach, and Market Opportunities Among Growers in Underserved Regions — The Kansas Specialty Crop Growers Association will work with growers, markets, community development partners, and industry representatives to expand the number and diversity of growers involved in networked regional production and sales and increase availability of locally grown produce.
• Creating Connections to Specialty Crops Markets for Child Nutrition Programs — The Kansas State Department of Education Child Nutrition and Wellness Program will increase the use of specialty crops in Child Nutrition Programs by facilitating four one-day workshops centered around regional food hubs that bring food service directors and producers together for education, technical assistance, procurement planning, and collaboration.
• Exploring Mungbean Production for Kansas — Kansas State University, in collaboration with Crop Quest Inc. and a Kansas farmer, will establish baseline recommendations for mungbean production and assess the crop’s adaptability to different environments across Kansas.
• Protecting Container-Grown Nursery Plants from Feeding Damage Caused by Redheaded Flea Beetle, Systena frontalis, Adults — Kansas State University will develop a sustainable plant protection strategy, based on empirical and applied research, which will mitigate feeding damage caused by redheaded flea beetle, Systena frontalis, adults to container-grown nursery plants.
• Increasing Consumption and Purchasing of Specialty Crops Through Nutrition Education to Children and Adults in Saline County — Prairieland Market will increase knowledge about the availability, purchasing, preparation, cooking, and preservation of specialty crops by offering education programs to children and adults in Saline County.

“We are happy to once again be partnered with Kansas on the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The innovative projects funded through this program will strengthen U.S. specialty crop production and markets and ensure Americans have sustained access to fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops and support the region’s specialty crop growers to help ensure their long-term success.”

For more information, visit KDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant webpage at agriculture.ks.gov/SpecialtyCropBlockGrant.