Thermal modification of wood, a collection of well-known industrial processes, can improve the performance of wood in outdoor and indoor applications, and present opportunities for developing new,…

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service awarded a $625,000 Cooperative Agreement to Universal Schedule & Booking LLC on March 1, 2026, under the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program (CFDA 10.175). The award runs through February 28, 2029 and funds work in West Virginia.

Universal Schedule & Booking LLC, a minority-owned small business and SBA Certified 8(A) Program Participant based in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, specializes in developing digital platforms and machine learning technologies for agriculture and rural economic development. The company has received multiple prior awards from USDA and NIST for projects including machine learning-driven efficiency guides, hybrid biochar-nitrogen fertilizer development, digital infrastructure for means-tested food access subsidies, and LocalCart, an e-commerce platform enabling small and mid-sized farms to market products directly to consumers.

The Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program supports development, coordination, and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer markets and local and regional food business enterprises to increase access to locally and regionally produced agricultural products. Program awards are for two or three years, with eligible applicants including agricultural businesses, cooperatives, CSA networks, food councils, economic development corporations, local governments, nonprofits, producer networks, regional farmers' market authorities, and tribal governments. Grant recipients may request a one-year extension to complete project objectives but cannot renew after completion.

Thermal modification of wood, a collection of well-known industrial processes, can improve the performance of wood in outdoor and indoor applications, and present opportunities for developing new, high-value applications. We propose to help sustain and I