![USDA Offers Help to Specialty Crop Farmers in the PNW](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2024/02/attachment-Specialty-Crops.jpg?w=980&q=75)
USDA Offers Help to Specialty Crop Farmers in the PNW
Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts. Specialty crop growers in Washington State, Oregon, and Idaho might benefit from two USDA programs that focus on exports and fund innovative projects.
USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt talks first about expanding export opportunities.
We're working right now with Australia on market access for apples. It's technical information that the industry needs to be able to provide, and so that's what this program will do, is what are mitigation measures, what are the types of concerns that the country has.
The other announcement covers the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. USDA will work with state departments of agriculture to help those departments spearhead the program.
It can fund consumer education, it can fund market development and promotion of specialty crops, and then the last one is also research.
Applications from states must be submitted by May 2nd.
Washington's Top 10 Commodities
Gallery Credit: Danielle Kootman
Oregon's Top 10 Commodities
Gallery Credit: Jaime Skelton
More From 610 KONA
![Fire Closes US Highway 12 Outside of Tri-Cities](http://townsquare.media/site/1130/files/2023/09/attachment-brady-rogers-AAB4iERjvco-unsplash.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Tri-Cities:MCC Week 3 High School Football Recap](http://townsquare.media/site/1130/files/2020/05/iStock_Football_05202020-kyTVh2.jpeg?w=980&q=75)
![Small School Lights: Touchet v St. John-Endicott/LaCrosse (8-Man Football)](http://townsquare.media/site/1130/files/2023/09/attachment-DSC00788-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Section of Westbound US Highway 12 Closed](http://townsquare.media/site/1130/files/2023/09/attachment-WSDOT1.gif?w=980&q=75)
![Benton-Franklin Health District Hands Out Failing Food Grades](http://townsquare.media/site/1130/files/2023/09/attachment-bfhd-feature.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Carbon Auction Reduction Act Could Net Washingtonians Some Cash](http://townsquare.media/site/1130/files/2023/09/attachment-Untitled-design58.jpg?w=980&q=75)