Idaho commodity groups, colleges, and others received USDA specialty crop grants in the most recent funding cycle.

USDA in late August awarded more than $2.2 million in Fiscal Year 2024 Specialty Crop Block Grant funds, which the Idaho State Department of Agriculture administers.

ISDA through the 17 projects aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crop products and create new market opportunities for the state’s producers, according to a news release from the state agency.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service defines specialty crops as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops including floriculture. Specialty crop plants must be cultivated or managed for food, medicinal purposes and/or aesthetic gratification.

USDA is “happy to once again be partnered with Idaho” in the grant program, Jenny Lester Moffitt, undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, said in the release. “The innovative projects funded through this program will strengthen U.S. specialty crop production and markets and ensure Americans have sustained access to 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.”

“We are pleased to provide this opportunity in collaboration with USDA for organizations of all sizes to enhance the competitiveness of Idaho-grown crops,” ISDA director Chanel Tewalt said in the release. This year’s grant funding “will address several needs for Idaho’s specialty crops including innovative research, market improvement, educational initiatives and more.”

USDA since 2006 has awarded more than $1 billion in specialty crop block grants to nearly 12,000 projects. FY 2024 awards total $72.9 million across 524 projects. Funding is awarded for a three-year period starting Sept. 30.

ISDA a year ago administered 16 awards totaling more than $2.1 million combined.

College of Southern Idaho: Trellised apple cultivation and irrigation for education as well as industry advancement. Project budget: $87,356.

Idaho Bean Commission: Evaluating suitability of biochar to suppress soil-borne diseases in beans. Budget: $85,316.

Idaho Bean Commission: Developing four new isothermal detection methods for key diseases, used for on-site testing and lab confirmation. Budget: $60,000.

Idaho Apple Commission: Increasing exposure and sales through in-store, local, social media and website promotions. Budget: $70,000.

Idaho Cherry Commission: Increasing awareness and building demand through in-store, website and social media promotions. Budget: $20,200.

Idaho Hop Growers Commission: Expanding awareness and increasing demand for hops grown in the state through social media, international and domestic convention and tour participation by industry members. Two-year project also to include domestic promotion through summer tours, radio promotions and social media. Budget: $85,644.

Idaho Mint Growers Association: Driving awareness of and fostering education about the state’s mint industry. Budget: $19,235.

Idaho Potato Commission: Taiwan fresh potato enhancement program continuation. Marketing efforts include developing awareness programs for importers, retailers and foodservice operators. Budget: $200,000.

Idaho Wine Commission: reaching in-state consumers and encouraging winery visitation through local marketing outreach as well as national marketing. Budget: $221,850.

Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee: Promoting onions to increase demand through tours, trade shows and trade missions. Budget: $120,000.

Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association: Contract with University of Idaho to complete a project evaluating and developing pool of native plant species. Goals include transferring selected products to industry, providing essential information for successful propagation and determining medicinal potential. Budget: $135,000.

ISDA Idaho Preferred: Strengthening specialty crop sourcing through multi-channel marketing solutions and digital innovation. Budget: $295,083.

ISDA hops program: Develop web-based program to assist industry with certificates of analysis, attestations of equivalence, certificates of origin. Program would issue documents in real time, function as historical database for industry. Budget: $125,000.

Sunnyslope Wine Trail Inc.: Raise awareness of grapes and other specialty crops in the Treasure Valley through marketing and advertising, increase visitation to wineries. Group comprises 20 wineries and four supporting businesses in Sunnyslope growing region west of Caldwell. Budget: $125,000.

Northwest Nazarene University Robotics Vision Lab: Develop software platform for specialty crop robots such as the Orchard Robot. Budget: $65,720.

University of Idaho: Developing novel strategy for pale cyst nematode resistance in Idaho potatoes, for industry and the scientific community. Budget: $100,000.

UI and Idaho Crop Improvement Association: Development of direct tuber testing tools to improve marketing potential for the state’s seed potatoes. Budget: $115,000.

ISDA: Grant administration and sub-grantee compliance work. Budget: $267,090.

Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service for Fiscal Year 2024