DELAWARE INC

Delaware Ag Department to offer $300,000 in grants

Jeff Mordock

The News Journal

Climate change is ushering in more extreme weather, with rising probabilities for hardships such as the drought of 2008, which ravaged corn crops in Delaware. Days with 100 degree or higher temperatures could rise to a dangerous 15 to 30 days a year, compared with less than once annually during the past century.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture will award more than $300,000 in federal grant funds to farmers produce and market specialty crops in the state.

Under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, Delaware farmers can apply for funds to grow and sell fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Projects may run from one to three years.

In the past, projects have included research on heat-tolerant lima bean varieties, improved sales of local produce in Wilmington and efforts expand a community supported-agriculture program.

Corn, soybeans and animal agriculture are excluded from the grant.

The grants are funded through the federal Farm Bill and available between $5,000 and $50,000.

Applications will be accepted through June 3. Farmers, nonprofit organizations, government entities, for-profit companies and educational institutions based in Delaware or with an affiliation to the state are eligible.

Interested parties can download an application at de.gov/scbg or by contacting DDA marketing specialist JoAnn Walston at (302) 698-4592 or joann.walston@state.de.us. All applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. June 3.

The DD will host an informational workshop at 5:00 p.m. on April 26 at the DDA's headquarters, 2320 S. DuPont Highway in Dover.

Contact Jeff Mordock at (302) 324-2786, on Twitter @JeffMordockTNJ or jmordock@delawareonline.com.