In the News
More funds for fledgling farmersMore funds for fledgling farmers
Burlington,
October 8, 2013
Tags:
Agriculture
BURLINGTON — More educational offerings and support services for beginning farmers will be added to the Viva Farms program in Burlington as a result of a substantial federal grant from the Department of Agriculture. As part of $3.2 million in federal Specialty Crop Block Grants recently provided to the state, Viva Farms received $115,226 to fund a case study of the Viva model and additional educational programs for new and disadvantaged farmers. The block grants also fund research into pest issues, growing methods, marketing and export development for Washington specialty crop growers. Specialty crops encompass fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, according to the department. They are important to a Skagit County agricultural landscape defined by smaller farms growing noncommodity crops. This round of Specialty Crop Block Grants is the last from an extension of the 2008 Farm Bill, which expired Sept. 30. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have passed two versions of the bill, and must now go to conference to negotiate a final bill. Without the passage of a new farm bill, funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant program would end. “Washington’s specialty crops represent millions of dollars of economic activity and thousands of jobs. For us, healthy farms mean a healthy economy,” Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., a member of the House Agricultural Committee, said in a news release. “These grants also highlight how important it is that Congress step up and pass a Farm Bill. Without one, we will lose this critical source of funding for our specialty crop farmers.” To read the full article, click HERE. |