Media contact:
Misti Preston
Phone: (573) 751-8596
Misti.Preston@mda.mo.gov

For Immediate Release: November 30, 2007

Exploring Rural Development with FFA Students through Specialty Crops

Department of Agriculture Awarded Funds under Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) was recently awarded a specialty crop grant for over $208,578.00 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Service program to enhance the competitiveness of Missouri specialty crops and to teach FFA youth the importance of specialty crops as a value-added opportunity. In cooperation with the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry and the Institute for Continental Climate Viticulture and Enology, MDA will educate FFA students and potential growers in the Lexington, Mo. and the surrounding areas and connect them with local leaders and mentors involved in agriculture.

“It is imperative that we train and motivate the next generation of Missouri farmers. Through this grant, students will learn from specialists and leaders in the produce and horticulture industry how to grow, sell and market the specialty crops,” said Katie Smith, director of MDA. “These FFA students will be given a great opportunity to become involved in entrepreneurial skills including direct marketing and advertising local specialty crops and have hands-on experience of selling produce and horticultural crops, flowers and value-added products at their community markets.”

The Specialty Crop Program will also enhance rural development across the state in many ways providing Missourians with more opportunities to become engaged in or purchase specialty crops. Wireless electronic benefits transfer machines will be placed in 17 eligible farmers’ markets to assist in providing underprivileged citizens the opportunity to purchase fresh produce and horticulture with foods stamps and WIC coupons. MDA will begin holding a Wine, Grape and Chestnut Field Day annually and will establish the Specialty Crop Fall Festival in Lexington to be held in 2010 to educate Missourians about the economic and environmental benefits of specialty crops.

In addition, MDA, the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri Extension and the Institute for Continental Climate Viticulture and Enology will conduct workshops for FFA students and potential growers providing knowledge of soil, climatological and financial requirements as well as experience in the cultural practices necessary to achieve profitable vineyard and chestnut orchard production.

“The specialty crop grant award will serve as an important catalyst to Missouri’s specialty crop industry, helping launch a new commercial chestnut industry while training a new generation of FFA students to grow up with the new industry,” said Dr. Michael Gold, associate director with the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry. “This is the next step toward a bright new future for specialty crops in our state.”

For more information, contact Lane McConnell, marketing specialist with MDA at (573) 526-4984 or Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov, Dr. Michael Gold at (573) 884-1448 or goldm@missouri.edu or Dr. Keith Striegler, director of the Institute for Continental Climate Viticulture and Enology at (573) 882-6681 or StrieglerK@missouri.edu.

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