PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Environmental Management awarded four local farms a total of $170,589 as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program, DEM announced Thursday.
DEM also announced it had received $62,661 from the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant to strengthen its “Get Fresh, Buy Local” campaign. The funds will be used to increase awareness and demand for specialty crop products.
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Grant recipients:
University of Rhode Island Vegetable Production Team – $50,000 to support the development and testing of automated green-laser scarecrows as an alternative to using propane cannons and netting to protect crops.
Farm Fresh Rhode Island – $40,000 to support the expansion of the educational component of the farm-to-school program to increase specialty crop purchases by public school districts to include school administrators, teachers, staff and parents.
Alex Caserta and the Rhode Island Public Radio Public Broadcast System – $49,919 to support the creation of seven new episodes of the “Harvesting Rhode Island” television series to promote specialty crop growers in Rhode Island and educate viewers on the benefit of buying locally produced crops.
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Rhode Island – $30,670 to support the organization’s efforts to train and provide technical assistance to local organic farmers. Specifically, efforts will include targeted technical training, innovation sharing and business skill-building workshops, and organic farming educational conferences for farmers.
“Our local farming industry supports the livelihoods of so many families in Rhode Island. We’re delighted to support specialty crop growers and cultivate their practices through this grant round and look forward to the success of these projects,” said DEM Director Janet Coit in a statement.
The USDA defines specialty crops as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts and nursery crops, including floriculture and turf grass.
Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor.
