U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow ( D - air mile ) , Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture , Nutrition and Forestry , announce $ 1,992,250 million to support Michigan specialty harvest growers who create fruit , vegetables , tree diagram nuts , greenhouse plant , and flower . These funds come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture ’s ( USDA ) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and will support 20 projects throughout the state .

“ Michigan - get fruit and vegetables are not only a source of great pride – they are also critical to our state ’s thriftiness , ” said Senator Stabenow . “ This new funding will aid Michigan farmers get their products off the farm and onto our plate during these difficult fourth dimension . ”

Each of the 20 project are targeted to help specialty crop growers trade more intersection locally and globally , protect crop from pestilence and disease , and market intersection to be militant .

In 2008 , Senator Stabenow author the first ever fruit and vegetable section of a Farm Bill to provide support for so - holler " long suit crops " which includes fruits , veg , Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree nuts , nursery products and floriculture . These crops are decisive to the State Department ’s economy , as Michigan leads the land in give rise a wider variety of crops than any Department of State other than California .

“ The Michigan Blueberry Commission is excited to once again be able to kick upstairs our research political platform through the specialty crop blockage grant program . This program has pave the way at making our agriculturalist dollars go twice the distance , in better place our DoS ’s grower to vie in an ever - increase global market . Anthracnose Fruit Rot in blueberry bush is a job that our growers rank as a top priority problem . Through USDA ’s SCBG course of study , we ’re able to wreak about satisfying solutions through industry driven research , ” say Kevin Robson , Michigan Blueberry Commission .

“ The Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council ( MGGC ) would wish to give thanks Senator Stabenow for her continued support of Michigan ’s agriculture manufacture and the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant ( SCBG ) Program . In coaction with Michigan State University researchers Drs . Roberto Lopez and Mary Hausbeck , SCBG investment trust will be used to develop and extend new strategies to curb grey mould ( Botrytis blight ) , a plant disease that is increasingly resistive to fungicides . This inquiry will help our agriculturalist thin out fungicide use and plant losses and increase their profitability , ”   Goeff Hansen , Executive Director of the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council .

“ Downy Mildew harms some of the most valued vegetable crop in Michigan , like pickle cucumbers and crush . Downy Mildew has developed resistance to central fungicide and finding young strategy to deal with the disease will be the focus of this Specialty Crop Block Grant , ” enounce   Greg Bird , Executive Director of the Michigan Vegetable Council .

Prior to 2008 , farm bills focus for the most part on traditional commodity crop and had no section dedicate to fruit and vegetable . The 2018 Farm Bill keep on to beef up support for specialty crop and make major investment in organic crops and local and regional solid food systems .

Grant recipients include :

For more data : www.stabenow.senate.gov