The west virginia department of agriculture will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops; assisting producers with research…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service awarded the West Virginia Department of Agriculture $302,873.22 under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (CFDA 10.170) on September 30, 2025, to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through marketing, promotion, research and development, and expanded access initiatives addressing local, regional, and national producer challenges.

The award funds two research projects and five marketing projects focused on specialty crops including cucumbers, apples, honey, lettuce, pumpkin, and various fruits and vegetables throughout West Virginia. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture will pass grant funds to sub-recipients to deliver these activities.

The period of performance runs through September 29, 2028. Work is performed in West Virginia. This is a block grant, a three-year assistance mechanism under the program structure.

The west virginia department of agriculture will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops; assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops; expanding availability and access to specialty crops; and addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers through a variety of activities/projects with their grant recipients. The state's sub-awards include 2 research projects and 5 marketing projects to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops including cucumbers, apples, honey, lettuce, pumpkin, and various fruits and vegetables throughout the state of west virginia.