FEDERAL GRANT TO AWARD $801,000 TO PROMOTE NJ GARDEN STATE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

The grants are part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) efforts to promote specialty crops nationwide and stimulate food and agriculturally based community economic development.

Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture, nursery crops, and floriculture and account for more than 80 percent of the $1.5 billion in agricultural sales annually in the Garden State.

“The Specialty Crop Block Grant program not only helps New Jersey promote our ‘Jersey Fresh’ program,” New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn said. “We use these program dollars to support additional marketing activities across commodities and organizations to maximize the messaging for local healthy foods. We are pleased to continue this relationship with the USDA.”