Today, Congressman Kurt Schrader announced that the Oregon Department of Agriculture will be receiving $1,764,486.13 in grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Today, Congressman Kurt Schrader announced that the Oregon Department of Agriculture will be receiving $1,764,486.13 in grant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
“Agriculture is a critical part of the economic engine in the state of Oregon,” said Schrader. “The livelihoods of thousands of Oregonians are directly tied to our specialty crops. This grant will help our growers enhance their crops so that they can remain competitive in a growing global market and will help to ease the impact the recession has had on rural Oregon.”
The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 contained 15 titles which included the support of commodity crops, horticulture and livestock, nutrition, trade and food aid, agricultural research, farm credit, and rural development. The act also made it possible for the USDA to award block grants to enhance competitiveness of specialty crops throughout rural America.
The block grants announced today by the USDA go toward enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crops and farmers. In total 54 grants were awarded with Oregon receiving the fifth highest award in the nation.
Specialty crops include but are not limited to fruits, vegetables, horticulture, and floriculture all of which are critical to Oregon’s economy. In Oregon, the blueberry, blackberry, raspberry and strawberry crops are worth nearly $100 million annually. The state’s cherry crop is valued at $55 million, and peaches, pears, prunes and plums are worth more than $25 million. The funding made available to Oregon by the USDA will go to farmers throughout the state and help them maintain a competitive edge in a growing global market.
