BOSTON – State officials have announced approximately $350,000 in Specialty Crop Block Grant awards to 15 organizations across the Commonwealth.
The block grants, which are funded through the United States Department of Agriculture, seek to support and promote specialty agricultural products through different strategies, including a new website dedicated to marketing locally grown produce.
On Cape Cod, the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association will receive $65,000 to increase awareness and consumption of Massachusetts Cranberries.
Marketing and promotional techniques will target, engage, and educate cranberry consumers in Massachusetts on how to use fresh fruit and the marketing potential that exists for selling heirloom cranberry products in the northeast.
“The Massachusetts agricultural industry remains a vital component to local, regional, and state economies, and contained within its core is the harvesting and producing of specialty crops that are bought and sold around the world,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton.
“By providing nearly $350,000 in grants, farmers, non-profit organizations, and other entities will be assisted in their pursuit to develop or build upon existing programs as they further promote specialty crops harvested within the Commonwealth.”
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