The Colorado fruit and vegetable industry will benefit from $745,000 in resarch projects through the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s 2019 Specialty Crops Program.
Fifteen groups received grants through the program, according to a news release from the state agriculture department. Projects start late this fall or early next spring.
Recipients include:
- The Colorado Department of Agriculture: $76,000 to create a Colorado Pavilion at the Produce Marketing Association’s 2020 Fresh Summit expo;
- Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association: $50,000 to help growers with business management tools through conferences, and help them enhance produce safety programs;
- Colorado Potato Administrative Committee: $33,000 to study effects of crop rotations on soil-borne pathogens;
- Guidestone Farm to School: $18,000 to increase farm to school/local produce availability;
- San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition: $22,500 to increase cooperative distribution and market access for rural specialty crop producers in southern Colorado;
- Colorado State University: $54,000 to develop sustainable orchard management strategies to improve economic aspects of western Colorado peach production;
- Colorado State University: $458,000 for eight projects, including strategies for peach orchard management and cytospora canker treatment in peaches, treating codling moth in organic apples, and identifying which melon varieties are most suitable for the Rocky Ford growing area.
“These grants will fund projects all over the state, from the Western Slope to the Arkansas and San Luis Valleys, and benefit many of our farmers,” Glenda Mostek, grants specialist at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, said in the release.
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