The Nevada Department of Agriculture has awarded $301,441 to 14 projects designed to promote specialty crops through education, research, marketing and production.
Agriculture Director Jim Barbee said specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits and nursery crops.
Funded projects include Carson High School’s Greenhouse Project, for what is described as a program to increase student awareness of safe agricultural practices and sustainable field production techniques for specialty.
The list includes partnering with Great Basin Community Food Cooperative to increase consumer awareness, appreciation and demand for Nevada grown specialty crops through a mobile app.
The Main Street Gardnerville Program Corporation also will get funding to increase nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops through workshops and community gardens. Urban Roots will get money to promote an economically sustainable beekeeping network in Northern Nevada. Urban Roots will also get funds to teach producers to grow hops for Nevada’s brewers.
