Program Priorities

Providing Farmer Education on Specialty Crop(s)

• Farm to institution practices
• Value-added production
• Farm and food safety
• Organic production
• Soil health and conservation
• Industry promotion and marketing development

Planning and Supporting Infrastructures that Create or Support Specialty Crop(s)

• Cost-sharing and cooperative models for storage
• Distribution system efficiency, cost-savings and resiliency
• Regional and state processing infrastructure planning
• Farm to Institute

Supporting Research in the Areas of Specialty Crop(s)

• Drought tolerant, Cold tolerant, and disease resistant varieties
• Low external-input growing methods
• Low-cost technology development for the producer
• Use of beneficial organisms
• Specialty crop training in production methods

Building Consumer and Buyer Relationships

• Regional and statewide education and marketing efforts around specialty crop products
• Marketing opportunities to connect producers and buyers

Strengthening Producer Networks and Associations

• Producer networking events
• Capacity building
• Use of available forums for producer connections
• Encourage consumer education

Representing a Geographic Diversity of Projects across the State, with Rural Consideration