State awards eight organizations grants for agricultural projects

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture recently awarded $1.3 million in grants to eight organizations for 27 projects critical to sustaining and growing the agriculture industry.

Projects focus on multiple research topics, including increasing farm productivity and profits, protecting pollinators, water quality, and sustainability through regenerative farming, safely controlling Spotted Lanternfly and other invasive species, and improving soil and detecting COVID-19 exposure in livestock.

The grants supplement $900,000 in agricultural research support through the department’s budget to the Centers for Beef, Dairy, Poultry and Livestock Excellence; the Penn State University Center for Agricultural Law, Penn State Extension; and Rodale Institute.

“Meeting the challenges of feeding a growing population amid rapid changes in climate, technology and animal and plant diseases demands investment in research and development,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “These investments hold the promise and potential to spur the innovation we need to increase productivity; advance human and animal medicine; and support cleaner water, healthier soil, and a safer food supply.”

The grant recipients are the American Mushroom Institute, Baarda Farms, Coexist Build, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, Pennsylvania State University, Team Ag, Temple University, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

The largest grant, $130,300, was awarded to Pennsylvania State University for its Drug Delivery Systems Using Milk Proteins.