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New York secures $1.38 million in specialty crop grants
The funding will go toward 10 specialty crop projects across the state.
October 30, 2019
2 Min Read
IMPROVING APPLE STORAGE: One of 10 specialty crop grants recently announced in New York will study the enhancement of harvest timing and storage of high-value apples such as SnapDragon and RubyFrost.
More than $1.38 million in funding will support 10 research, education and marketing projects to help specialty crop farms across New York state.
The New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets secured the grant through USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, maple syrup and honey, and are among the state’s most valuable agricultural products.
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is administered through the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets in coordination with the New York Farm Viability Institute. The institute recommended $633,373 be provided to Cornell University for seven grower research and education projects that will focus on:
Detection and differentiation of fungi that causes fruit bitter rot on New York apple farms and in storages.
Development of high-quality New York-adapted tomato hybrids that have enhanced early blight and fungal resistance to reduce both disease and chemical use.
Study the enhancement of harvest timing and storage conditions for SnapDragon and RubyFrost apples to ensure maximum quality.
Using insect-destroying nematodes to help protect onions.
Development of microbial seed treatments for sod growers to foster environmentally sound past management practices and to enhance the value of sod on school grounds.
Mitigation of bitter pit in Honeycrisp apples.
Improvement of soil nitrogen management in winter high tunnels.
Cornell was also awarded $99,900 for research in the area of cleaning, sanitizing and sanitary designs of packinghouses for small- and medium-scale specialty crop growers, which will assist with food safety practices.
In addition, $545,000 from the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program will also support the marketing and promotion of specialty crops and help farmers meet the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
Source: New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.
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