BISMARCK – Late last year, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring awarded 51 grants totaling over $7 million to promote the development, cultivation, production and sales of specialty crops in North Dakota. The announcement was delayed due to USDA staffing changes and a postponement of the federal notice.
“North Dakota is already a leading producer of several specialty crops, such as dry edible beans, dry peas, potatoes and lentils,” Goehring said. “As our farmers seek to diversify their production, these grants help provide important information through specialty crop research, education, and trade missions.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS) approved $3,272,190.59 for the 2021 grants. With the passage of H.R. 133, the Consolidated Appropriations act of 2020, an extra one-time round of funding of $4,333,597.74 was made available for North Dakota in addition to the annual farm bill funding. The grants are distributed based on a formula that takes into account specialty crop acreage and production value.
Specialty crops are defined in law as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.”
Organizations and agencies receiving grants under the farm bill funding are:
- National Agricultural Genotyping Center (NAGC) - $114,636 to disentangle the root rot pathogen complex in lentils through molecular diagnostics
- NAGC - $123,086 for a comprehensive panel to detect genetic markers linked to herbicide resistance in pigweeds
- National Sunflower Association - $130,004 to enhance rust resistance in confection sunflower production through next-generation technologies
- Northern Pulse Growers Association - $80,730 to increase consumer use and consumption of peas, lentils and chickpeas
- North Dakota State University (NDSU) - $121,177 to use virtual experiences to deliver real protection of specialty crops from plant diseases and economic loss
- NDSU - $28,662 to evaluate crop rotation, intercropping and risk assessment for root rot of lentil
- NDSU - $162,533 to pyramid desirable bean rust genes for broader and durable resistance
- NDSU - $269,846 to integrate improvement process of cold-hardy grapes; from breeding, production to sensory analysis
- NDSU - $196,972 to evaluate lupin adaptation in North Dakota and seed quality for food ingredients
- North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) – $61,915.88 to provide access to specialty crops to grade schools in North Dakota
- NDSU - $180,342 to study impacts of fungicide applications and plant diseases on specialty crop yields after hail
- NDSU - $176,720 to mine the soil and host genetics for sustainable answers to Verticillium wilt in potato
- NDSU - $117,444 to define optimum row spacing for improved size profile and yield of chipping potato tubers
- NDSU - $45,739 to induce sterility in ornamental woody trees and shrubs
- NDSU - $181,758 to develop complementary pulse proteins for improving nutritional quality and functionality of pulse proteins
- NDSU - $134,194 to determine nitrogen use efficiency of new Russet-skinned potatoes
- NDSU - $107,581 to optimize fungicide spray droplet size for improved management of foliar diseases in field peas
- NDSU - $109,377 to optimize fungicide tank-mixes with Chlorothalonil for improved management of Ascochyta blight in chickpeas
- NDSU - $99,582 to boost field pea production and insect pest control by looking at the role of root microbe diversity
- NDSU - $97,369 to assess improved haskap selections for North Dakota
- NDSU - $190,453 to translate high-throughput phenotyping into realized genetic gain in pulse crops
- NDSU - $83,283 to use an integrated system for early season weed control in onion
- NDSU - $199,543 to unlock beneficial microorganisms for enhancing adaptability and resilience of dry edible pea
Organizations and agencies receiving grants under the H.R. 133 funding are:
- NAGC - $179,861 to use honey samples to monitor pathogens and parasites in North Dakota beekeeping operations
- Northern Plains Potato Growers Association (NPPGA) - $250,000 to increase the value for North Dakota potatoes through education and establishing a new brand
- NPPGA - $144,680 to assist growers/shippers to promote and sell North Dakota grown potatoes at national and international trade shows
- Regents of the University of Minnesota - $104,807 to use GPS, digital mapping and spatial statistics to identify and describe any predictable, within-field distribution of Potato Virus Y
- NDSU - $116,120 to determine interaction of nematode and fungal pathogens for control of root rot of field pea
- NDSU - $193,332 for pulse grain bioprocessing for enhanced nutritional profiles and functional properties
- NDSU - $122,808 to utilize remote-controlled irrigation for high tunnel
- NDSU - $246,540 to develop an electronic potato production book
- NDSU - $223,000 to develop management strategies for potato common scab in North Dakota
- NDDA - $365,380.40 to provide farmers with resources to help their customers increase consumption of specialty crops
- NDSU - $201,619 to use new technology to characterize resistance to potato powdery scab
- NDSU - $72,205 to market NDSU select trees and tree value education
- NDSU - $118,483 to manage sclerotinia head rot in confection sunflowers with bee-vectored Clonostachys rosea and partially resistant hybrids
- NDSU - $81,464 to increase knowledge, skills and consumption of specialty fruits and vegetables among youth and adults
- NDSU - $122,384 to predict potato growth in the Red River Valley
- NDSU - $58,828 to create new slow darkening bean specialty market classes for improved seed quality and market expansion
- NDSU - $152,437 to manage silver scurf blemish for improved marketability of table potatoes
- NDSU - $169,892 to detect viruliferous stubby root nematodes in fields for managing corky ringspot disease of potato
- NDSU - $66,611 for green foxtail screening for herbicide resistance and tank mix antagonism
- NDSU - $106,469 to utilize caterpillar tunnels to increase productivity of warm-season vegetables and small fruits
- NDSU - $116,932 to optimize fungicide spray droplet size for improved white mold management in dry beans
- NDSU - $99,483 for biodegradable mulches for environmentally responsible pest management in fruit and vegetable crops
- NDSU - $184,047 to investigate field pea gene expression response to salt-affected soils
- NDSU - $68,374 to evaluate maple cutting propagation to eliminate grafting issues
- NDSU - $104,301 for automated irrigation for commercial production of watermelon, squash and muskmelon cultivars in Oakes
- NDSU - $97,002 to evaluate the feasibility of growing and cultivating guar and black gram in North Dakota
- NDSU - $166,177 to integrate improvement process of cold-hardy grapes; from breeding, production to sensory analysis
- NDSU - $124,857 to evaluate black currants, cantaloupes and haskaps for fruit composition and superior health attributes in North Dakota
NDDA received 43 applications under the annual funding, which were reviewed and scored by a select committee and approved by Goehring. Of the 43 applications, 23 were forwarded and approved by the USDA. NDDA received 52 applications under the H.R. 133 funding, and 28 were forwarded and approved by the USDA.